Five – By – Five

After a bad round, remember to apply the “5-by-5” rule:

If it’s not going to matter in 5 years,
don’t spend more than 5 minutes being upset about it.

For instance, the double-bogey on #10 may feel like the end of the world, but it’s best to shake it off before the 11th hole’s tee shot. The remaining shots need your skillful attention.

Similarly, a neutral post-round assessment enables long term accelerated improvement.  A constructive evaluation consists of briefly analyzing what went well, what you would like to improve, and finally how you will make the improvement.

Less than satisfying rounds are going to happen.  Nonetheless, how we learn and grow from each experience that matters.  (Personal side note: Whatever you do, after a lousy round, do not cut your bangs.  The damage lasts more than five minutes.)

Dodie Mazzuca is the author of “Golf Sūtras,” “Daily Golf Tap-Ins,” and founder of Golf PROformance. She teaches golf lessons, golf yoga workshops, and mindfulness for golf programs in Santa Cruz, CA.