NH Golf: The power of positive thinking -- and deep breaths

May 22—THERE'S an abundance of trouble on every golf course, but sometimes the biggest obstacle between a golfer and a good round is an inability to perform under pressure.

Even veteran golfers battle nerves while they play. Some win that battle. Others allow their mindset to get the best of them.

How well a golfer combats self-applied pressure is often reflected on his or her scorecard.

"I don't know that I have one particular instance, but I know I've blown a putt or a chip or something (because of nerves) when it counted in the past," Portsmouth Country Club's Craig Steckowych said. "You look back and say, 'That cost me. That one really hurt.'

"It's human nature, right? There are certainly times where you still put undue pressure on yourself for whatever reason. Maybe you just had a terrible warm-up session. Negative thoughts can creep in. You just have to try to do your best to try to turn them around.

"I've had little tricks that I've used in the past. One of the things that I read years ago in a Rotella (sports psychologist Bob Rotella) book that made a lot of sense to me was an interview with Fred Couples. He asked Fred Couples: 'When you're standing over that 6-iron and you need to hit a good shot, what are you thinking about?' And Couples' response was, 'I'm thinking about the best 6-iron I've ever hit in my life.' I kind of put that in my pocket and I've used stuff like that. Look for a positive result, if you will, when something is important — a critical shot or whatever."

Nashua Country Club's James Pleat, the winner of the last two New Hampshire Golf Association Amateur Championships, recalled a time when nerves/pressure prevented him from playing his best when he needed to be at the top of his game.

"Probably one of the biggest was my first U.S. Mid-Am," Pleat recalled. "That was about three years ago in Colorado. One of my big goals was to make match play, and I think after the first round of stroke play, I was tied for 10th. I had a good first round and was in uncharted territory, so I was very nervous and ended up shooting 82 the second round. I ended up missing the cut, so it was pretty devastating.

"I would be lying if I said it wasn't because of that (feeling pressure). I was focusing on the destination, the end result rather than what I was doing at that point in time.

"In any tournament you're playing in, you don't want to get ahead of yourself. You want to focus on every single shot. Being in the present is super important. I didn't do that."

A lack of confidence often leads to nervousness in novice golfers. If a golfer is uncertain about his or her ability to pull off a particular shot, that uncertainty often results in a poor swing — and a poor result.

Golfers can also get into trouble if they put extra pressure on themselves to match or better a good shot by an opponent. This often occurs during the match-play portion of a tournament.

"It's important to stick to your routine, whatever it is," Pleat said. "No matter what changes externally, internally you have to stay the same and go through the same routine. That's important.

"All you can control is what you're doing and that's what you should be focusing on. That's what I try to do. Sometimes you can get a little tight, but the big thing is staying committed to your shot and being 100% confident you have the right club. If there's any doubt that creeps into your mind, you'll make a bad swing.

"It may sound cliche, but I would focus a little bit more on breathing. Taking a couple deep breaths can do wonders."

Steckowych said he was able to maintain a positive attitude throughout the week for each of his State Am victories (1990 and 1998). As he pointed out, getting off to a good start can help prevent nerves from ruining a round.

"If it means something to you, everybody's a little nervous on the first tee," he said. "I look down at the ball and envision the little stripe that goes across it that says, RANGE, and just think, 'Hey, I just hit three really good drives on the range. This is just another range drive.' Little tricks like that to fool yourself do help. They do work. Not always, but they certainly help.

"The less you have to think about on the golf course, the better."

Thibodeau honored by being role model

Hampstead resident Lauren Thibodeau received the 2022 Women's Golf Coaches' Association Division I Kim Moore Spirit Award, which recognizes and honors a student-athlete or coach who exemplifies a great spirit toward the game of golf, a positive attitude on and off the golf course, displays mental toughness in facing challenges and is a role model for her team.

Thibodeau, a senior on the University of Louisville women's golf team, was diagnosed with Celiac disease following her freshman season at Louisville. She was later also diagnosed with medical catatonia and left school last spring after she had an adverse reaction to medication. She returned to competitive golf last June.

Louisville's 2022 season came to an end when the Cardinals tied for seventh place at the NCAA Albuquerque Regional on Wednesday. Thibodeau, a Pinkerton Academy graduate, had the best round for the Cardinals on Wednesday, when she shot a 6-over-par 78 and tied for 25th place.

SNHU's Pepin named to all-region team

Plaistow's Jack Pepin, a member of the Southern New Hampshire University golf team, was among those named to the NCAA Division II PING East All-Region Team, as selected by the Golf Coaches Association of America. Pepin, who graduated from Timberlane Regional High School, was picked as the Northeast-10 Rookie of the Week four times last season.

Valley Seniors results

Results from the Valley Seniors Golf Association's first event of the 2022 season, which was held at Bretwood's North Course in Keene:

Gross Scores (top three, ages 55-74): Jeffery Garland (Keene), 78; David Lord (Harrisville), 79; Ralph Cody (Antrim), 80; (top three, ages 75-91): Ray Martin (Henniker), 74; Bob Southall (Antrim), 84; Whalen Dunn (Exeter), 84.

Age Group Awards

Gross Scores (top three, ages 55-74): Jeffery Garland (Keene), 78; David Lord (Harrisville), 79.

Net Scores (top three, ages 55-74): Jim Dell (Bedford), 71; Don Roberts (Amherst), 71; Phil Richard (Bedford), 72.

Gross Scores (top three, ages 75-85): Ray Martin (Henniker), 74; Bob Southall (Antrim), 84; Whalen Dunn (Exeter), 84.

Net Scores (top three, ages 75-85): Rex Gray (Hillsboro), 70; Paul Buffum (Keene), 70; Ted Davis (Townsend, Mass.), 70.

Closest to the Pin: Jim Dell.

Mahan, Cilley win NHGA Four Ball title

Mike Mahan and Jim Cilley won their second NHGA Four Ball Championship title Thursday after a playoff against defending champions Brandon Gillis and Jack Brown at Owl's Nest Resort Golf Club. Both teams ended the 36-hole day at 14-under par and entered into a hole-by-hole playoff to determine the champion. Cilley rolled in a birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole (No. 18) to end the competition.

"Michael played great all day long and just kept giving us looks in the playoff," Cilley said. "He could have ended it on any of the first three holes before I ended it on 18 the second time around."

Cilley and Mahan also won the Four Ball Championship in 2010 and had nine top-five finishes from 2011 to 2021.

Litchfield veterans tourney

The Litchfield Veterans Group will sponsor a fundraising golf tournament at Passaconaway Country Club on Wednesday. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m.

The event will include a raffle, a silent auction for sports memorabilia (including a replica Stanley Cup) and a car giveaway for anyone who records a hole-in-one on hole No. 4. Among those in the field will be an 87-year-old Korean War veteran.

New Hampshire Golf Calendar

May 28: Club/Mixed Club Team (Derryfield CC)

June 2: President's Cup (Beaver Meadow GC)

June 4-5: Players Invitational (Baker Hill Golf Club)

June 6: Stroke Play Series (Rochester CC)

June 7: Spring Fling (Portsmouth CC)

June 9: Tournament Series (Lake Sunapee)

June 12: Mixed Event (Lochmere Golf and CC)

June 13-15: Women's Tri-States (Campbell Scottish Highlands)

June 16: Junior Tour (Owl's Nest)

June 17: Mini Series (Intervale)

June 20-22: New England Women's Am (CC of Vermont)

June 23-25: NH Open Championship (Breakfast Hill)

June 27: Hoodkroft Junior Open (Hoodkroft)

June 30-July 1: Women's Team Championship (Loudon CC)

July 5: Pick Your Partner (The Oaks Golf Links)

July 7: Junior Tour (Nippo Lake)

July 11-16: NH Amateur Championship (Abenaqui CC).

July 18-20: New England Amateur (Alpine CC).

New Hampshire Golf will appear during the spring and summer in the New Hampshire Sunday News. Email local golf news to Roger Brown at rbrown@unionleader.com