Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Everybody has a "bogey" hole somewhere or another.
As I'm playing there next Sunday, I won't mention the 5th at Blackmoor.
Feck!!
As I'm playing there next Sunday, I won't mention the 5th at Blackmoor.
Feck!!
Frustrations, not always justified.
- Thread starter Nick_Toye
- Start date
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
I'm 39. I wish I was 20 years younger, but then I'm not expecting to get called up to the next Ryder Cup as the Captains Pick, I just want to be really good and maybe do well on the amateur circuit.
Yes I know I have a long long way to go, but I won't give up.Not yet anyway. I'll fix this one hole issue I have next time around, already have a strategy.
With being offensive I would change your initial target - look at getting some scores on the board in club comps
Amatuer comps are full of plus figure HC etc - they are virtually pro themselves
Look at smaller more realistic targets - get HC to under 20 first , then under 15 then look at single figure HC.
All targets that can be achieved with the right ability and working hard.
But imo talking about competing on the Amatuer circuit whilst not even playing conps at your club whilst still shooting in the 90's is unrealistic
Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
I'm 39. I wish I was 20 years younger, but then I'm not expecting to get called up to the next Ryder Cup as the Captains Pick, I just want to be really good and maybe do well on the amateur circuit.
Yes I know I have a long long way to go, but I won't give up.
I wish you all the luck in the world and feel free to bookmark this so you can shove it in my face in a few years time. But playing off 28 at the age of 39 is going to make competing on the amateur circuit an extreme challenge to say the least.
You will be up against scratch youngsters and oldsters who have been playing golf for ages. How much practice are you intending to do as I imagine you are looking at many many hours a week to get anywhere near it?
Nick_Toye
Challenge Tour Pro
Well everyone is entitled to their opinion, it's cool. I'm not going to start going out to prove anyone wrong, and I doubt anybody would ever say that my end target is realistic, but that doesn't mean you can't have a go.
I do have smaller targets I'm trying to achieve though. Like for example I wanted to score under 90 this year. I achieved that in August. My next target is to consistently break 90.
Nick_Toye
Challenge Tour Pro
Well I just said the amateur circuit because he wanted a target, but I just want to compete. I don't just want to be a Sunday morning golfer. I don't think there is anything wrong with having that mindset. I honestly feel 39, I'm still really fit. My handicap of 28 is not realistic though as I have shot underneath it quite a lot, I just haven't gone in any of the comps yet for reasons already mentioned.
Region3
Ryder Cup Winner
In one of Bob Rotella's books, he says he is amazed by the fact that the world's best golfers can accept the fact that they hit bad shots, but handicap golfers can't.
When you think about it that way it suddenly seems very silly to get upset over a bad shot.
Try this: After a shot, you're not allowed to say anything about it until the ball has stopped moving. For me at least, by the time the ball is still the initial frustration is gone and I don't feel like ranting.
When you think about it that way it suddenly seems very silly to get upset over a bad shot.
Try this: After a shot, you're not allowed to say anything about it until the ball has stopped moving. For me at least, by the time the ball is still the initial frustration is gone and I don't feel like ranting.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Why haven't you gone into any comps ? That way you can show what your true HC is. No better test of the HC with a bit of medal pressure.
bladeplayer
Money List Winner
No offence taken, happy to learn from other more experienced players.
My average over last 20 is 97, and last 5 is 94. I know I'm better than 28, just haven't gone in the comps yet.
I do have lessons yes, and I do practice. Especially when I go out on my own and I get stuck behind a 4 ball. I practice putting a lot, I do go into the rough and practice pitching in, different scenarios etc..
I try and adopt a better course management to get better. I know where my issues are and I try to address them. Believe it or not I actually go to bed at night and play a round in my head to fall asleep. I'm not the best at sleeping, but I tend to always fall asleep by the 3rd hole.
As Many will tell you on here golf for some unknown reason gets fundamentaly harder when you put a scorecard in ur hand ..
You seem to have the right approach regarding trying/practicin/lessons anyhow so with hard work you will improve , where it takes you only time will tell, greatest respect for anyone who wants to be lower & better so good luck with it all .. but keep your cool and have a peek at the comment in my sig below
Good Luck
Nick_Toye
Challenge Tour Pro
In one of Bob Rotella's books, he says he is amazed by the fact that the world's best golfers can accept the fact that they hit bad shots, but handicap golfers can't.
When you think about it that way it suddenly seems very silly to get upset over a bad shot.
Try this: After a shot, you're not allowed to say anything about it until the ball has stopped moving. For me at least, by the time the ball is still the initial frustration is gone and I don't feel like ranting.
Great advice. I'll give that a try.
Combination of timing, not always available when they are on. I often play with my Dad who isn't ready for comp play. But you are right and that pressure will definitely give me an indication of where I am.
Thanks, and yes I do sometimes make things more complicated then they need be.
adiemel
Head Pro
I know we all play this game and want to be the best we can. But one of the main things that can kill a round imo is if you lose your head after hitting a poor shot. What good does throwing a club do or slamming back in the bag. If you are playing against some else you are giving the a big boost because getting in a temper will effect your game. Also as some else said you stand the chance of becoming the playing partner from hell throwing tantrums. I actually play golf to get some time to myself and relax. I work 12 hours a day and I am my wifes carer when I am not at work. So time on the golf course or on the range is my time to unwind. I am just happy to get out play. I have to have a clear head to play golf so it helps me clear worries over my wife's health out my system.
Nick_Toye
Challenge Tour Pro
It's not always an intentional behaviourism though. A great reply though, makes you think about life more I guess.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Hate to say it, but if you are determined to get low enough to play "circuit" golf, you are going to have to devote all of your time to competition and ditch the friendly rounds with your Dad.
At 39, whilst you are not an old man, time is not on your side.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Im not going to say its not impossible to get low enough to play elite Am golf, which i think you are talking about when you say circuit golf.
I started playing in my 40's after never playing before. 8 years later Im just short of a 4 handicap, but didn't have lessons till last year really.
There was a guy who joined the same club as me starting out and he went straight for lessons with the guy i'm getting lessons with now. we went from no handicap to 3 in two years, which was a great achievement. I asked about him and how he was getting on, only to be told he had given up as he could not get any lower than that , which just was not enough for him.
you have a hard road ahead, the easy bit is getting to Cat1..
good luck
I started playing in my 40's after never playing before. 8 years later Im just short of a 4 handicap, but didn't have lessons till last year really.
There was a guy who joined the same club as me starting out and he went straight for lessons with the guy i'm getting lessons with now. we went from no handicap to 3 in two years, which was a great achievement. I asked about him and how he was getting on, only to be told he had given up as he could not get any lower than that , which just was not enough for him.
you have a hard road ahead, the easy bit is getting to Cat1..
good luck
MadAdey
Money List Winner
Ok, first things first........cut the stupid tantrums out and throwing clubs. If throwing a club would help you hit the next shot better then we would all do it, but it doesn't and all it does is winds you up more. You must have seen Happy Gilmore, be like Happy and go to his happy place when you hit a bad shot. I am a hot head at times, but I just put a happy song in my head and move on after a bad shot. Everyone hits bad shots during a round, I can't remember the last time I had a round where I never hit a shot that annoyed me.
You just need to start accepting that golf is not an easy game. Go out and stop putting so much pressure on yourself and start enjoying yourself, everyone plays better when they relax. If you hit a bad shot just laugh about it, because you can't change what you have just done, but if you get wound up and think about it too much then it is going to make you follow it up with another bad one.
a good one I saw on how to take pressure off yourself when you have a high handicap is to rewrite the pars for each hole. So on your card add a shot to the par of every hole. All of a sudden when you start seeing that 150 yard par3 as a par 4 it looks a damn site easier to make par, hey presto your now playing to an 18 handicap.
You just need to start accepting that golf is not an easy game. Go out and stop putting so much pressure on yourself and start enjoying yourself, everyone plays better when they relax. If you hit a bad shot just laugh about it, because you can't change what you have just done, but if you get wound up and think about it too much then it is going to make you follow it up with another bad one.
a good one I saw on how to take pressure off yourself when you have a high handicap is to rewrite the pars for each hole. So on your card add a shot to the par of every hole. All of a sudden when you start seeing that 150 yard par3 as a par 4 it looks a damn site easier to make par, hey presto your now playing to an 18 handicap.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
Nick one step at a time. Don't get carried away with thoughts of mixing it with the top scratch players in the uk. self confidence is all well and good to make such bold claims is a little foolish.
Most people who are into their golf aspire to play at the next level. Be that get into teens handicap, singles, cat 1 whatever. Its always a big step and doesn't come without plenty of hard work. Each jump gets harder and harder. That is the beauty of it. The better you get, the stiffer the competition.
Good luck:thup:
Most people who are into their golf aspire to play at the next level. Be that get into teens handicap, singles, cat 1 whatever. Its always a big step and doesn't come without plenty of hard work. Each jump gets harder and harder. That is the beauty of it. The better you get, the stiffer the competition.
Good luck:thup:
If you want to progress you need to be playing comptitions and learning to deal with the pressure of card and pencil in hand and learning to fashion a score even when you aren't swinging well. I'd suggest New Golf Thinking for the price of a couple of pints which has helped me with the mental side hugely, especially when I have a bad hole and have stopped one bad hole leading to two or three on the trot (most of the time!!)
