Golf Pyschology

[fastmover2]

Here is something for you to ponder and comment on.

Played a few holes today with one of our assistant pros, really nice guy and pleasant company. Weather was OK and I was really looking forward to playing having been away at work for the best part of the last 8 weeks.

Since I got home 10 days ago I have only played one lot of 11 holes and one full round. Have practiced a few times in the last week and been hitting the ball really nicely. The 11 hole stint was pretty good, ended up two over gross. The 18 hole was reasonable but no better than that, putting was a bit iffy but making the ones coming back so no problem.

Then today yuk! Stood on the first tee and got a club (4iron) out the bag and just felt I had no concept, and whats worse no interest in, what I was doing there. Slapped it around, hit a few good shots but basically bored and disintereted, just couldnt be bothered to try and put a score together. Made sure not to let my partner know how I was feeling and other than being bored out of my skull by how I was playing it was a very pleasant couple of hours.

The thing is it set me to thinking am I really interested in playing at all? I love everything else about golf,and will happily practice for hours on end but at the moment I am totally bored and disinterested in actually playing even a few holes never mind 18.

Any suggestions?

 

[Robobum]

Try reading your signature under your list of clubs again??!!

 

[USER1999]

Yep. Give it up for a month, if it ain't back leave it longer, and if you realy don't get the bug, give it up completely. Why bother if it doesn't have a hook in you? Just going through the motions doesn't make you fun to play with, and doesn't make you happy. Why bother?

 

[kid2]

Im obsessed with yardages and course management.....
I have a very short memory and i find it hard to remember what clubs i hit on certain holes in my last round...
I also carry around a little card of how far i hit each of my clubs to help me decide on which club to hit on any giving shot.
I also struggle to figure out how many clubs to go up or down in windy conditions and this can be very frustrating...

 

[pokerjoke]

Im obsessed with yardages and course management.....
I have a very short memory and i find it hard to remember what clubs i hit on certain holes in my last round...
I also carry around a little card of how far i hit each of my clubs to help me decide on which club to hit on any giving shot.
I also struggle to figure out how many clubs to go up or down in windy conditions and this can be very frustrating... [/quote

Before i comment can i ask if you have learning difficulties.please dont be offended its not meant to be offensive but i need to know before replying,thx

 

[kid2]

Not that i know of anyway Pokerjoke.....
What iv always had problems with ever since i can remember was finding it hard to soak up infomation out of a book....I pick things up much faster if im shown rather than having to read and store info.... And dont worry about insulting me im not sensitive

 

[RGDave]

Im obsessed with yardages and course management.....
I have a very short memory and i find it hard to remember what clubs i hit on certain holes in my last round...

I can empathise. I make no effort to remember the club I hit last time. The only thing I do remember is if I come up short or long with any regularity.
I take the club for the yardage. If I don't know the yardage (which is rare, and even less with a skycaddie) I'm clearly nowhere near the 150 or 100 marker.

Most annoying shot I ever hit was on a long par 3 after hardly hitting the ball off the tee. I guessed at 160 (there's no 150 markers on par 3s), hit a 6 just in case it was only 150 and went through the back and OOB. End of game....(medal, eh?)

We have a par 3 where it's sometimes sensible to lay up short of the lake, pitch over and hope for a 4. Now I have a skycaddie, I shall be marking certain trees 50/60/70 yards short of the green. With an exact distance, I can see me parring it sooner or later with a 1-putt.

 

[pokerjoke]

Kid2 I to am a little bit obsessed nowt wrong with that.You say you have written down how far you hit each club so if you know that you have a few options.Course yardage books,gps, range finders,150yrd markers.To remember what you hit last time you played write it down on a piece of card and carry it with you.As for the wind that will come with experience but i would say an extra club for a ten mile per hour headwind.

 

[kid2]

Thanks Poker.....
I wasnt sure what to expect when you posted the first reply
I will try writing them down this weekend as i have a comp on sunday and you may have seen a post i put up on monday for course management and focus so im going to be taking plenty of notes over the next few ekks and months in the hope of dropping my handicap....

Our course doesn't have yardage books so im going to make my own....

 

[pokerjoke]

Kid2 the best time to do your course management is on your own when its quiet,go out and try a few shots on each hole and take note of the club you used and from where,take a mark like a tree or bush and measure.Someone also suggested look at the hole from the flag backwards ideal for course management.Good hunting.On the pyschology side of it ,it will give you a lot more confidence knowing youve got the right club in your hand.

 

[bobmac]

If you want to map out your course, just download google earth free and use the measuring ruler in the toolbar, next to the envelope.

 

[freddielong]

I do not beleive that their is anyone on this forum (me included) who's game will not improve with the correct attitude and sports Pyschology.

 

[Faldo_Fan]

Undoubtedly my biggest nemesis is first tee nerves.
It doesn't matter if it's a casual round, monthly medal or club championship. And it's even worse if the starting hole is next to the practice putting green, clubhouse or a larger congregation of other players.
The result of my opening tee shot is ALWAYS the same......short stabby swing, finishing in a massive pull hook left, which on my home course is usually lost in knee deep rough or on the practice ground (OOB). I reload and follow it with another couple......just to make sure i've perfected that shot and are definitely out of the medal round for yet another month! Then proceed to play some reasonable golf!
But apart from that everything is cushty!

 

[Parmo]

Just picked up again the Rotella "Golfs not a game of perfect" and it seems to have got a wee bit better. I really like his putting ideas and just overall focusing on enjoyment and relaxation with the emphasis on hitting targets with commitment to each shot.

 

[barum_blue]

I think a big area is how to approach the game when you are playing competitively rather than just with friends or on your own.

I am a 17 h/c and can regularly break 80 (carding a 76 the other week) - but not when it counts for a competition - getting the mind set and prepared and keeping focussed through the whole round is a real issue for many of us!

Barum Blue