Funk you

The first in a series of ridiculous, but strangely sensible, mental tips and strategies by Dr Rich Russella

- RICHARD RUSSELL

The most satisfying round of golf I ever played was entirely due to a sudden and dramatic mental shift. I was playing in a club match against a cocky, unfriendly guy from Oxford University who played off 2 (against my 8) and had brought his own caddie like it was the Ryder Cup or something. We played our shots down the 1st in stony silence and then Mr. Granite-Face holed his 20-foot birdie putt, at which point his caddie shouted, “Yesssss!”

It was such an annoying, unnecessary, over-the-top thing to do that in that instant I vowed to wipe the smile off these two jokers’ smug faces. To hell with the fact that he was clearly a much better player than me and I was receiving no strokes; I was going to send him and his boot-licking lackey packing. And, amazingly, I did. I beat him 4&3 and was level par as I shook his hand much too firmly.

Afterwards, I was a bit stunned. I had never before played with such serene self-confidence; had never felt so unerringly capable. It was like I was someone else. At the flick of a switch, I had gone from a wild and flaky player to a remorseless, relentless golfing Terminator who couldn’t be bargained with, or reasoned with; didn’t feel pity or remorse or fear; and absolutely would not stop, ever, until my opponent was beaten.