Mind and body reset everyone needs

Austin Cook of the United States chips onto the green during the second round of the Puerto Rico Open at Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande. The pros never deviate from their routine. The routine itself is what keeps the mind quiet and the body loose. — AFP

WE’VE all been faced with off-the-green par saves, and the self imposed pressure to “make par” creates tension. That tension clouds decision making and disrupts touch, leading to all sorts of poor strikes and much work to be done to make par.

The real battle isn’t the chip itself, but the mental and physical reaction to the shot you’ve just convinced yourself is difficult.