When rising pro Cam Luhring found himself facing Eric Oncins and Dylan Frazier at a recent PPA event in Sacramento, he knew he had an uphill battle to stay in the match and be competitive.
Instead of adopting a killer mentality, he focused instead on not beating himself.
For Cam, and for you (we guarantee it), that often manifests in the importance of extending rallies just one more ball. Over and over again. Even when you feel like all is lost and your back is against the wall.
Psychologically, this will do wonders for you. You're not a sitting duck. Not one to go away quietly with your tail between your legs. You're here to fight. That's a positive mentality to take into any match. And it'll apply some added pressure to your opponents as well.
If there's one underlying tip to take away from all of this, here it is: Refuse to miss a ball short. It sounds so simple, and yet you do it all the time. You swing out of your shoes when you shouldn't. Go for a heavy topspin roll drop when a simple push will do.
Treat this next sentence like gospel: You're far better off hitting a drop shot a foot or two high than dumping the ball into the net. Stop killing yourself before you even have a chance.
Cam and his partner lost that match in Sacramento, but he took a few other critical lessons away from it in the process.
