Golf Tips: 4 Keys to Play Better Under Pressure

I've been teaching this game for over 20 years, and I can tell you something with absolute certainty: the moment when everything is on the line reveals who you really are as a golfer.

Last Sunday at The RSM Classic, Ricky Castillo shot 28 on the front nine, posting a final-round 62 that looked like it would save his PGA TOUR card. He sat at No. 135 in the FedExCup standings. Only the top 100 would keep full playing privileges.

Then Max McGreevy rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on 18. That single putt bumped Castillo to No. 102. Lee Hodges had a 10-footer on the last hole that would have gotten him inside the number. It slid by. He finished at No. 101.

The pressure was suffocating. Some rose to it. Others fell just short. But the mental and strategic principles that separated success from failure apply whether you're fighting to keep your tour card or trying to break 90. When your back's against the wall, these three things make all the difference

Sami Valimaki, who won the tournament at 23-under par, used his putter from below the green on the 16th hole. Not a chip. Not a pitch. His putter. Then he drained an 18-foot par putt to protect his lead.

That's commitment. He didn't second-guess himself. He saw the shot, trusted it, and executed.

When everything is on the line, indecision is your enemy. Students stand over shots, waggling endlessly, doubt creeping in. By the time they swing, they're hoping instead of knowing.

Before you pull a club, visualize the shot completely. If you can't see it clearly, step back. Once you commit, make a practice swing, then step up and repeat it. No extra waggles. No last-second thoughts.

Commit or step off. Those are your only two options.

Lee Hodges couldn't control what Max McGreevy did ahead of him. He could only control his own golf ball. That 10-footer on 18 was everything he could control in that moment, and he gave it a pure stroke. It just didn't fall.

That's golf. That's life.

You cannot control outcomes. You can only control your preparation, your routine, and your commitment to each shot. The ball doesn't care about your mortgage payment or your club championship.

In pressure moments, narrow your focus ruthlessly. Don't think about what you need to shoot. Think about this shot, right now.

Develop a pre-shot routine that's identical every time. Stand behind the ball, pick your target, take practice swings, then step in and go. The routine becomes your anchor when everything else is chaos.

When Valimaki stood over those closing holes with his first PGA TOUR title on the line, he stuck to what he could control. His routine. His tempo. His targets.

Max McGreevy said something revealing after his round: "I never felt that nervous. I felt like I was playing to win."

He already had his card locked up. He wasn't playing scared. He was playing free, playing his game, and he nearly won the tournament because of it.

The players grinding to keep their cards? Many were playing not to lose instead of playing to win. There's a massive difference.

Students try to swing like Scottie Scheffler or copy tips from Instagram. When pressure hits, that borrowed swing falls apart because it was never theirs to begin with.

Your game is your game. Own it. Especially under pressure.

If you're a fade player, don't try to hit a draw on 18 because the hole is cut left. If you're more comfortable with a 7-iron from 150 yards than a hard 8, hit the 7. If you putt better when you're aggressive, don't suddenly get defensive.

Know your strengths. When the heat is on, lean into what you do best

Pressure is pressure, whether it's for a tour card or a $5 Nassau. The players who handle it best commit fully, control what they can control, and play their own game without apology. These three principles won't guarantee you'll make every putt, but they'll give you the best possible chance to be your best when it matters most.