Psychologist Albert Bandura has defined self-efficacy as “one’s belief in one’s ability to succeed in a specific situation or accomplish a task”!
A golfer’s sense of self-efficacy can play a major role in how he/she approaches goals, and challenges! It is one thing to set goals but it is quite another to persevere against the setbacks that get in the way of achieving those goals! According to Bandura’s theory, people with high self-efficacy...that is, those who believe they can perform well...are more likely to view an obstacle as a challenge to overcome rather than a hurdle to be avoided! People with strong self-efficacy anticipate successful outcomes. Golfers confident in their games and their abilities will anticipate and visualize successful shots!
One of the most important ways the mind influences performance on the golf course is by creating the beliefs that guide human behavior and one of the most influential traits a player can develop is the belief in their ability to hit the golf shots required to shoot scores they want to shoot when it matters most! There’s no question that the general belief in yourself is a top requirement for playing good golf. There have been many players who have have all of the physical qualities necessary to win but lack the confidence and true belief in themselves to do so. An inner certainty about one’s ability is a players primary weapon as it is the strongest defense against the enormous pressures the game imposes - especially when a player is in a position to win! When it comes to playing golf well when it matters most it is far better to be self-assured rather than self-aware!