Self-inflicted expectations hold back golfers of all levels. They turn an enjoyable round of golf into a tiring, difficult stretch of time, thinking “I should be able to do this” or “I wish I had a more consistent swing” if shots are not executed to plan. This clutters the mind and distracts golfers from much more productive thoughts, such as assessing the conditions and preparing fully for the shot at hand.

These thoughts also take away from the true essence of golf: hitting the golf ball, finding it and hitting it again!

Think of a skill you use every day; let’s say walking. Once you have learned the basic motor-pattern, your mindset is probably not that you should “try to avoid other people” or “attempt to not trip over”! If you do happen to catch your foot as you walk, scuff the ground or have a little misstep, you don’t go back to attempting to re-learn how to walk, you (thankfully) just accept this and then move on and continue walking down the road. But somehow, with golf, it all seems different.

Most will agree that Henrik Stenson, the No. 3-ranked golfer in the world, had a great 2013 season, winning over $20 million on the golf course as well as the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup and the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.

However, this came despite:

Missing 24 putts from between 3 and 5 feet.

Averaging 24 feet from the pin on shots from 125-to-150 yards.

Getting up and down only 25 percent of the time on shots within 30 yards of the green.

That’s not the picture of Stenson’s game golf fans got when they were watching the his TV highlights! In the highlights, our golfing idols never appear to hit bad shots, so the expectation level of amateur golfers rise.

Last week at Doral, the Stenson hit a complete shank while attempting to hit a wedge onto the green. You can watch it in the video below.

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Stenson’s shank is yet another reminder that even the most practiced golfers in the world can hit horrible shots from time to time. What was more important than the shank to Stenson’s game, however, was that he was able to regroup after the shank with three birdies in his next eight holes!

Here’s a quote from the golfer who had a pretty respectable career and managed to pick up 18 majors, Jack Nicklaus.

“What if you developed a pre-shot strategy, played within your capabilities, never lost your temper and never got down on yourself?”

Would Stenson have played any better golf if he chose to get very angry at his shank? Of course not. Yes, anger and disappointment are both natural in the face of less than desirable outcomes, but what if:

You started to appreciate your good shots more and let go of the bad ones.

After the round, you could instantly recall your best shot, instead of your worst.

You just accepted that bad swing that resulted in a missed fairway. After all, the best golfers on the PGA Tour miss 1 out of every 4 they attempt to hit.

Would those changes help you in your attempt to live out Jack Nicklaus’ quote and manage some of the self-inflicted expectations? After all, we are all attempting to play our best golf, but the most difficult game in the world will never be perfected. Good luck!