You cannot schedule the exact feeling of tournament pressure
A putt feels straightforward on the practice green, yet the same distance can feel very different on the final hole. Is adding a penalty for missing, or declaring every attempt a “must-make” putt, enough preparation? Mental golf coach Kathy Hart Wood encourages players to develop a different skill: recognising their reaction and directing attention back to the next controllable action.
Her explanation appeared in Women & Golf on 24 October 2026, under the title Why Recreating Pressure Situations Won’t Help Your Golf Game. This is a coach’s perspective informed by practical experience, not a newly published controlled experiment. It would therefore be too strong to conclude that simulated-pressure practice can never be useful.
The idea behind the coaching advice
Wood distinguishes the situation itself from the way a golfer interprets it. A short putt may bring thoughts such as “I have to make this,” “Everyone is watching,” or “I cannot three-putt.” She suggests first noticing an uncomfortable emotional response, then redirecting attention to a purposeful action.
This does not establish that thoughts are the only cause of anxiety, or that one mental cue will remove pressure. Emotional reactions have several influences, and people respond differently. The practical value lies in having a clear option to test without rebuilding the putting stroke.
Redirecting attention is not pretending the score does not matter
The golfer must still read the green, choose a start line and select an intended pace. Once that decision has been made, repeatedly thinking about the consequences of a miss adds little useful information to the stroke.
A simple sequence is: acknowledge the present feeling without judging it; settle on line and pace; select one controllable intention, such as completing the normal pre-putt routine; then make the putt. If the mind returns to the possible outcome, that is not a failure. It is an opportunity to return attention to the chosen task.
Separate planning from execution: evaluating slope and pace before taking the address position is different from loading the stroke with several technical instructions just before impact.
Editorial practice: 24 putts, no artificial punishment
The following is a GOLFTWITT observation exercise, not a research-tested protocol and not a drill claimed to have been prescribed by Wood. Use a normal practice green, your putter and balls, and a simple record. Select two or three appropriate distances, and keep other players' putting lines clear.
First eight putts: follow your usual process. Briefly note whether you chose a clear start line, whether pace was approximately as intended, and whether thoughts about the outcome distracted you. Do not change your grip or stroke mechanics for this exercise.
Next eight: before taking your address position, identify your current feeling in one word. Return deliberately to line, pace and your usual routine. There is no need to manufacture anxiety or impose a penalty for missing.
Final eight: change distance or break while keeping the same decision sequence. Record completing the routine separately from whether the ball finished in the hole. These are different measures: a well-followed process cannot guarantee a holed putt.
What the notes can and cannot tell you
Look at how consistently you reached a decision and completed your routine without changing it at the last moment, rather than declaring every made putt a mental success. Actual putting performance also involves start direction, distance control and total putts. A short session cannot demonstrate that performance under tournament pressure has improved.
If persistent anxiety is affecting participation or wellbeing, consider speaking with a suitably qualified sport psychologist or healthcare professional. Routine advice does not replace individual assessment.
The takeaway
Wood’s coaching perspective shifts attention from trying to recreate the exact stress of competition towards noticing tension and returning to a clear decision before the stroke. It is not a guaranteed cure, and it does not mean competitive practice has no value. It is an additional way to examine your attention, particularly on the putting green.
Source: Kathy Hart Wood, Women & Golf, 24 October 2026.
