When goal setting for comps, it is good to have 3. This is based on the PGA Euro – Golf Psychology Coaching Program. It helps to put something in your head other than ‘I wanna win’.
So for yesterday’s indoor season opener competition in Linköping, SWEDEN – my home club – I had set 3 specific goals.
1) Performance –> the measurable goal which in this case was my score –> National Record.
2) Process –> a technique related goal that probably only you will know if you succeeded –> no crazy shots.
3) Outcome –> this is the ranking which everyone will see but perhaps not understand what it means to you –> beat them all.
Warm up was fine. Earlier in the week, I had already completed a remote 30 arrow score so I knew what issues to be aware of and where to focus my attention. Normally, things do not change so much within a few days, so this was actually quite easy.
First rounds were disheartening. Lots of 9s with three 8s. So many were close to the line and this actually became the overall theme of the day… “Close but not close enough.” I only hit one 30 on those first ten rounds so it was not going as well as my previous score. There were no crazy mistakes but there were no amazing ends either. And it was kinda boring (at least for me).
The score was 282 at the half. ESM was 88. There were fifteen 10’s, twelve 9’s and three 8’s. I was leading the Women’s Recurve and was one point down from the leading man.
After the lunch break, we went at it again. I needed to get my target face changed out because the ten ring was not clear anymore. After the next 5 rounds, I knew I needed to be almost perfect in order to get the National Record (560). It was possible but I needed to be hitting those 30s. I was being very clean and making sure any issues were being refocused on my proper sequence. Self talk was positive and I was just trying to stay in the bubble.
But it wasn’t enough.
More 9s that were close but not close enough to those needed 10s.
My second half was 274. ESM was 85. There were ten 10’s and fourteen 9’s plus way too many 8’s (6).
I did win the Women’s and even had high score compared to the Men’s.
The final score of 556 was also a new District Record – but it was too low for the National.
I was happy that there were no crazy arrows and that my ‘mistakes’ were 8’s with one of my shots even going into the ten ring which when released, I thought it was very bad. I did have some sight management battles as arrows were dropping even with some clicks but then getting a little too high as a result. My ends were usually a very nice group but not being centred in order to get those needed 10’s.
You can see from the images that many 9’s were close to being 10’s and that is what gives me hope. (Those reds at 7/8 o’clock are from the warm up ends). Not only should those 8’s move into yellow, but many of those 9’s should become a millimetre closer to centre too. As I was keeping track of my close ones, I can see another ten points up for grabs.
So for my goals –> Performance was a little under the big record that I wanted but I did get the District ‘little’ one. Process was better than last time with much cleaner shots overall. And for Outcome, I did win recurve.
With reflection, I can understand why I enjoy the very big World Cups and international events as there are so many people in the categories. I like getting a bit lost in the rankings and just focusing on score as my major goal. When there are less people, everyone knows the rankings. Perhaps I should try to find a local but big comp in order to play with that idea. When I began in Monaco, it was very normal to have more than a dozen competing for gold on the French circuit. It would also be fun to go over to Korea or Japan so I can really get lost in those rankings too 😉
Next comp will probably be Södertälje 30 as I want that record! And then do a 60 too… and there is a 25m I want to improve on… Luckily, the season has just begun.
