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I used to worry...but then I realized that I had no reason to worry. I went through a rather large funk several years ago where I found it very difficult to play tournament golf. This was due to a poor experience in my first Wisconsin State Amateur at age 17.
I shot 76-75 (par 70) the first two rounds to make the cut on the number. Throughout the third round, things just didn't feel right. I remember holing out from a greenside bunker for birdie on the ninth hole, then the trouble started. I hit a good drive down the 10th and...shanked my approach. Shaken up, I go to hit my third from about 60 yards...shank. 11th hole I hit a good drive and shank a wedge under a bush. 12th hole I hit a driver off the heel and into a lake. I started that back nine with scores of 6-7-8. I somewhat got a hold of myself, then shanked one on the par-3 17th. I recall birdieing the par-5 18th - my caddie asks me, "Are you going to lay up?" I said, "Are you kidding? I'm not going to hit two shots with irons into here. Give me my 3-wood." I hit it up there and made birdie to finish off an 86. Shot 83 the final round, scared over each shot.
From then on for several months I was literally frightened in tournament golf. Practice rounds I was fine, but it was always in the back of my mind what had happened and how quickly it could happen again. Now, I'm pretty much over it and try to simply have confidence in my procedure. I think to myself, "Matt, you're a 1-handicap. You can play golf. Now go out there and do it." A lot of this game is mental no doubt, and having confidence in your stroke pattern and ability to play the game will allow you to overcome a good deal of anxiety.
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