Just because you are on the golf course should not prevent you from taking a “restoration break” whether your game is humming along beautifully or is in flames!
You most likely already do this at work or at home during doing chores or trying to beat a deadline.
A restorative break is fuel for your mental well being. If by chance you are getting a bit stressed out it makes sense to take a break because if you don’t your stress level may increase and even if you aren’t stressed out a break can keep your positive mental attitude even more positive.
Rest is not distraction, hiding or avoidance but unhooking for a moment or two and resting your mind.
On the golf course these restorative breaks are technically simple particularly if you are an experienced meditator where you can launch yourself into a quick meditation even if it is for a minute. If you are not a meditator perhaps all you need is a minute to close your eyes and take a few calm breaths trying not to think about golf. It could be on the tee box while your group is teeing off or when a fellow golfer is searching for a golf ball in the woods.
It could be that this short mental rest helps you place your game into perspective. That is, it is only a game. Is it really that serious or threatening!
From my theatrical corporate days I found that often I just stopped what I was doing to take a two minute meditation break and it helped reduce stress. Most importantly while work colleagues were sacrificing their mind and body to corporate loyalty playing the game of looking important and busy and eating lunch hunched over their desk trying to feel so ever important, I took a full lunch break and walked with a few like minded pals in all directions. I returned supercharged and productive while my colleagues looked burnt out and sickly .In the corporate environment give them an inch and they’ll try and take a mile and that won’t be mentioned in your obituary.