Though golf may appear relaxing and civil, it can often involve feelings of frustration and competition. Too often, golfers go to the course looking for a good time, only to find themselves throwing their clubs on the ground with indignation. Golfers can cure these feelings with just a dose of confidence. Read on to learn how to be more confident on the golf course.

Don’t be self critical

Golf can bring the competitive side out of the most even-keeled person. As golfers, we want to see ourselves constantly improve, and it can be a real drag whenever we see signs of stagnation. But you can’t allow a few bad shots to ruin your entire game.

If you want to build confidence in the course, you need to learn how to move on from your bad hits. Don’t criticize yourself to the point where you become too distracted to play. Be kind to yourself and accept your duffs as learning experiences.

Visualize the shot

One of the best ways to be more confident on the golf course is to visualize what you want the ball to do and where you want it to go before you hit it. Even slight adjustments in your body can move the ball in the wrong direction. If you want to stay on target, you need to develop a mindset that keeps you in the correct position.

Learn the lingo

Like lots of sports, golf comes with a lot of insider information and lingo. To get more comfortable and confident on the golf course, you must study the golf terms every golfer should know. You may pick these up on your own time eventually, but you’ll have a big leg up on other newbie players if you already know the difference between the rough and the fairway.

Adjust goals

People often become overly critical of themselves because they have unreasonable expectations. If you go to the course with the same goal every time, and you always fail to reach that goal, it may be time to adjust your expectations. Maybe instead of hitting your best score, you can start counting how many times you get the ball to the green on the third shot. That is a much more manageable goal.