Good skill and a strong mind is key to a great game of golf

I WENT back to my tour play recently after an injury kept me out of action for a lengthy period of time.

I was fortunate to have my dad (Rajen) on my bag and the week didn’t produce a win, but it certainly shot up my confidence levels.

The Sunshine Tour is one of the toughest tours in the world – you don’t just need a solid golf game, you need to be mentally prepared. In all honesty, I was not mentally prepared for my return to competitive action.

A few weeks ago, I hit a shank. A shank, in golfing terms, is the ball that shoots off to the right of your target.

This negative shot stuck into my mind. During the second round of play, my dad just made a simple comment: “You haven’t shanked in two days.” That line triggered another cell and I went on to play my usual attacking-the-pin style of golf.

Golf is not as easy as it looks. While we’re out for hours on the range, mind-working is also a huge factor in the game.

For any up-and-coming golfer wanting to turn pro, I suggest you start working on improving your mental strength from the early stages.

Good skill without a strong mind will never let you go under par.