Bryson DeChambeau’s ‘Quirky’ Practice Routine Will Elevate Your Public Speaking Game

Recreational golfers dread four little words: It’s in the sand.

Anyone who plays the game knows what happens next. As you approach the bunker where the ball has come to rest, your heart beats faster, your palms sweat, and your confidence crumbles. At least, that’s what happens to most of us when faced with a sand shot.

And then there’s Bryson DeChambeau, who just won the 2024 U.S. Open Championship.

On the 18th hole of Sunday’s final round, DeChambeau’s approach shot landed in a bunker about 55 yards from the hole. DeChambeau hit what he called “the shot of my life” to four feet. He made the putt to clinch the title.

Golf commentators were astonished and asked DeChambeau how he managed to pull off one of the toughest shots in golf. DeChambeau’s answer provides a lesson for anyone who performs under pressure, including the very real pressure most people feel when delivering mission-critical presentations.

DeChambeau says he confidently approached the difficult shot because he had practiced it thousands of times. His caddie was confident, too, telling his boss, “You got this. I’ve seen you pull off way harder shots.”

DeChambeau also revealed that, since he was a kid, he practiced “quirky, weird things” like placing the ball in “random, imperfect” positions.

People fear giving a presentation or public speaking because they don’t practice properly. The best way to practice is to put yourself in less-than-ideal situations.

Try these practice tactics to build your confidence when the pressure is on.

Interruptions. Pitching prospects or winning over investors rarely happens without interruption. In most cases, you’ll be lucky to get through the first few minutes of a presentation without someone asking a question, expressing skepticism, or impatiently hurrying the meeting along.  

So, practice being interrupted. Ask a friend or peer to play the role of the customer and encourage them to throw you off your game.  

Distractions. Deliver your presentation with music playing in the background or in a noisy environment. You’ll be amazed at how pleasant you’ll feel during the real thing when–other than interruptions–there won’t be nearly as many distractions as the ones you experienced during rehearsal.

Timed sessions. Give yourself a tight, specific time limit to deliver the presentation (10 to 20 minutes is ideal). It will force you to keep the message concise. It also adds a little stress to your practice sessions because if you lose focus and ramble, you’ll run over time.

If you get more time during the real thing, you’ll feel a sense of calm because you’ve done it before in even more challenging conditions.

Audiences. Finally, get used to anxiety by delivering your presentation in front of an audience. Ask friends or peers to watch your presentation and offer their feedback. Since you’ll have an audience for the actual event, you might get used to it as early and often as possible.

Performing your best under pressure doesn’t happen naturally. It takes dedicated practice to remain calm and build your confidence.