Can I just say the Devil? Confusion, Doubt and Fear (CDF)  rear their ugly heads in golf just as in life, and as in life, doubt and fear represents Satan himself. Confusion, Doubt and fear have caused more ugly shots in golf than any poor swing mechanic ever could.  Executing a successful shot is nearly impossible when CDF are present.  

I don’t think I can I can clear the trouble

I’m afraid if I start my ball there

I’m not sure what it will do from this lie

How do we defeat these evil invaders?  Courage? Well, maybe.  Courage is having the fear and doing it it anyway.  I’d be scared and full of fear to climb Mount Everest, courage is what would lead me to do it anyway.  Courage is a display.  The fear is still there.  

Darrel Royal, the great  Texas football coach once said ” a confused player cannot play aggressive”. He was mostly referring to defenders who became hesitant to move during a play because of confusion as to where they were suppose to be.  Confusion is doubt. Unsure. Not knowing. How do we eliminate confusion? 

Eliminating confusion, doubt and fear can accomplished by gathering and processing enough information to gain certainty and confidence.  Preparedness is what results from the processing.  Preparedness and information eliminates C D and F.  

If we gather the information and process that information into a plan, we can be committed to action and play aggressive and without confusion! 

Next time you run into an uncomfortable situation or shot on the course, gather all of the information you can possible gather.  Examples would be distance- including front, back and middle, or over the bunker, to the bunker and through the fairway. Other bits of info might be wind direction and velocity, trouble spots, safe spots, uphill, downhill, backboards and sideboards.  While all of that might sound like a heavy load, I know that you know, we do this with all of our senses in a very timely manner.  Football Offensive coordinators have about thirty seconds to call a play that involves 11 players.  The key is processing the variables into a shot that YOU know YOU can execute.  A shot that includes committing to the adjusted yardage and start line.  Put in football terms, call the right play, the play YOU know YOU can run or execute.  A play that is in your offense, that you’ve rehearsed or practiced.  Once that play is called you can now approach that uncomfortable shot or situation confidently because you’ve gathered the information and are prepared to confidently execute. Say goodbye to doubt and fear and welcome in a knowing, a plan and confidence.  

Mechanically speaking, nothing defeats doubt and fear and demonstrates confidence like nailing your finish.  Nail your finish and you’ll put a dagger in that devilish dude that spits out doubt and fear!