A professional golfer has talked about the mental pressures many players face while playing on tour.
The life of a golfer on tour can seem idyllic, travelling around the world playing the sport you love, but the truth is much harsher.
The constant demand of pushing yourself to improve and perform while being separated from friends and family can weigh on a player.
Maxwell Martin, a professional golfer on the European Challenge Tour, has spoken about the mental struggles he faces while on tour.
He said: “Life on tour is completely different to what my mates think, everyone thinks you’re on holiday.
“You haven’t really got a social life, your weekends are normally made-up of traveling or sacrificing because you’ve got to.
“I had two events in Ireland last year, and it was my birthday, and I was there on my own in a place I’ve never been.
“I was eating at a restaurant, looking at the wall, and my bank account doesn’t look that healthy and it’s like, my God, this is a bit depressing.
“If you’re going through a tough patch, you can get in some dark spots.”
Issues like this are widespread across the world of golf, in a sport where players often fight themselves trying to perform.
This can lead to downward spirals of bad mental health, especially due to the stigma against seeking mental health support in professional athletic cultures.
Dr. Carly Ann, a sports psychologist who works with several professional golfers, believes performance anxiety is one of the most important factors affecting players.
She said: “Underlying self-doubt is fear of failure, so often golfers mentally jump to the result. Will I make the cut? Will I win or lose?
“That contributes to performance anxiety and poorer performance, because it takes the athlete out of the moment.
“Professionals, are playing day in and day out. They can start to equate their self-worth with their golf performance
“That’s a dangerous trap because performance will always be variable. And if your whole self-worth is on the line when you tee it up, and pressure becomes too great.”
For many pro golfers, it becomes a battle to stay level-headed during tough periods, whilst also having a strong support team.
Martin has embraced this, admiring Scottie Scheffler for his ability to remain unphased.
He said: “Understanding what works and trying to figure out why you’re going through that tough patch is the best way to get out of it.
“But it’s a difficult one.
“It’s different to other sports, because you can hide if you’re going through a bad spell, but in golf, there’s nowhere to hide.”
You can find out more about mental health in golf here.
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