How to lower my mental handicap?

[HawkeyeMS]

I know a lot of people have this problem and it's been discussed before here but I'm really starting to get desperate.

I got a cut yesterday, a 0.2 cut but a cut none the less. The problem is, I thought myself out of something really quite special, again and it's happened too many times this year.

Front 9 I hit the ball better than I've hit it probably ever. There were a few mistakes but I stood on the 10th tee level par gross with 24 points. I had 5 really good looks at birdie with some laser guided iron shots and made 3 of them. One of my playing partners commented that I was making his good shots look decidedly average.

My drive on the 10th was perfect, I had 74 yards to the pin, stood over the ball and started to doubt my swing. I was trying to tell myself to stay positive and just play but I couldn't get the doubt out of my mind.

I scored 14 points on the back 9 with 2 blobs on the 2 easiest holes on the course, both par 3s, both big hooks in the sh!t with a 6 iron.

I just don't seem to be able to stay positive once I get past the turn, no matter how well I'm playing or how positive I try to stay, my mind gets in the way.

So my question is, have I reached my mental handicap or is there anything I can do to overcome this mental barrier that is holding me back?

I need help so it's over to you forumers.

 

[dune19670]

i dont count my score untill the end of the game, so not to put pressure on myself.

 

[Andy]

This has been said by many and on numerous occasions, how can you not know your score? I find it impossible that you will not know your score.

Even without counting I know how many over I am or on the odd good day under par lol

Andy

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't usually have a problem doubting my swing but I do tend to get way ahead of myself especially if I have a bad hole and try to work out where I can pick the lost shots/points up.

I don't understand why you'd be worried about a swing that had carried you around nine holes in level par and left you a wedge into 10. Have you had a bad experience in the past (sudden outbreak of the shanks etc) that has perhaps left a legacy.

In terms of a fix I guess a chat with your pro might help and see what he does when in contention at local PGA events or perhaps a look at a Rotella book

 

[clubchamp07]

Play 3 holes at a time, after 3 holes tell ur brain that ur re-starting. Try it, it works..................

 

[chris661]

It does take a lot of discipline as I used to have a similar problem, I found reading Rotella's books were a help and taking it from there, the book on confidence strangely helped me. I find it is like having a "bad" hole the more you think it is a bad hole then it does become that. I just used to say to myself that I would take a 4,6,4 (par 3,5,3) start to the back nine regardless and take it from there. Stick with it, it will get easier.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

i dont count my score untill the end of the game, so not to put pressure on myself.

Don't understand that one at all, knowing how far over par you are is basic maths, I really don't see how you can not know, especially when I'm level at the turn, there isn't really much to add up.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I don't usually have a problem doubting my swing but I do tend to get way ahead of myself especially if I have a bad hole and try to work out where I can pick the lost shots/points up.

I don't understand why you'd be worried about a swing that had carried you around nine holes in level par and left you a wedge into 10. Have you had a bad experience in the past (sudden outbreak of the shanks etc) that has perhaps left a legacy.

In terms of a fix I guess a chat with your pro might help and see what he does when in contention at local PGA events or perhaps a look at a Rotella book

I don't get it either Homer, I walked up to my ball thinking about another birdie, 74 yards is a perfect 3/4 wedge and I'd been peppering the flag all day, I addressed the ball and it all felt a bit awkward, I just can't explain it, it just came from nowhere.

I might read rotella again see if it helps and will see what my pro has to say.

The only bad experience are the other collapses I've had this year, maybe they are playing on my mind?

 

[robbest3offthetee]

Hawkeye,if it felt a bit awkward when you were over the ball have you tried stepping back and re-starting your routine,get your mind refocused on the shot in hand....

 

[kid2]

i dont count my score untill the end of the game, so not to put pressure on myself.

Same as above.....You'll know when your playing well.....you womt need a card to tell you half way round.....Just tell whoever's marking it not to tell you the score untill your off the 18th.......Works for me....Sometimes....but then again you'll no equally when your playing shite so it wont matter

 

[JustOne]

I don't get it either Homer, I walked up to my ball thinking about another birdie, 74 yards is a perfect 3/4 wedge and I'd been peppering the flag all day, I addressed the ball and it all felt a bit awkward, I just can't explain it, it just came from nowhere.

After the initial 'walk away from the ball and a couple of practice swings' I think it's something to do with CONSEQUENCES. If you think about what might go wrong you put yourself off. If you can accept the consequences of your actions before you play the shot then you can go ahead and take the shot. Worst case scenario is you simply can't get comfy in which case you take the lowest tarriff shot and chip onto the middle of the green.

 

[chrisd]

[ I walked up to my ball thinking about another birdie, 74 yards is a perfect 3/4 wedge and I'd been peppering the flag all day,

I think that is your problem - your getting ahead of yourself. You have a shot to play to the green, it is not a birdie, that would come later on if you execute the shot in hand well. All psychology books will tell you to "Stay in the present" and you are not doing so by thinking at least 2 shots ahead.

I think that is where the doubt creeps in, you feel in your mind that the shot you are playing is setting up the birdie and putting added expectation to the shot. It is,in fact, just another shot to the green , nothing more and nothing less. Try just to stay in the present, after all one bad shot wont break the round and really doesn't mean that any subsequent shots will be bad!

Chris

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I guess this is where a solid pre-shot routine and more importantly the guts to step away and start again comes into it. The top guys (amatuer and pro) have the same routine whether they are playing well or not and most are constant to within a second. However they will also walk away if they get over the ball and do not feel 100% happy. That's where I and I suggest 9% of us on here fall down. Most of us just think "I'll hit it anyway and it'll be ok " and of course we have all experienced the inevitable outcome.

I guess that is where the Rotella mantra and mentality comes in. However it doesn't work for everyone and there is nothing better than getting first had advice from anyone who has been through it.

 

[rickg]

[ I walked up to my ball thinking about another birdie, 74 yards is a perfect 3/4 wedge and I'd been peppering the flag all day,

I think that is your problem - your getting ahead of yourself. You have a shot to play to the green, it is not a birdie, that would come later on if you execute the shot in hand well. All psychology books will tell you to "Stay in the present" and you are not doing so by thinking at least 2 shots ahead.

I think that is where the doubt creeps in, you feel in your mind that the shot you are playing is setting up the birdie and putting added expectation to the shot. It is,in fact, just another shot to the green , nothing more and nothing less. Try just to stay in the present, after all one bad shot wont break the round and really doesn't mean that any subsequent shots will be bad!

Chris

I can relate to this after today.....stood on the 12th tee, 1 over gross playing some of the best golf in months....birdie putts on pretty much every hole.

Our 12th has a hedge running accross it which requires a carry of 220 yds at the shortest point and 245 at the longest. It was into a slight breeze, but I normally clear this hedge 9 times out of 10, even into a breeze. However today a bit of doubt crept in, ( even though I had been driving well up until then).
So I opted to lay up, ( which pretty much turns it into a par 5 as you leave a 250 yd + second shot into a bunker guarded green with OOB running down the left. It's also the hardest green on the course.)

So having laid up succesfully, instead of a sensible 6 iron to leave an easy wedge and an outside par or bogie at worst, for some reason, I pulled my 3 wood out. I stood over the ball and didn't feel good, but instead of putting it away, I carried on and stuffed it straight into the hegde!!

Triple bogie after a safety lay up.......I hate it when that happens!!!!

Even though I went on to finish a very respectable 6 over, that hole messed my mind up and I followed it with a scrambled par, a 3 putt bogie, scrambled par, bidie, 3 putt bogie, 3 putt bogie.

Looking back now and thinking about that hole, I feel I should have either gone with the driver, or played it as a par 5 as I had intended to do on the tee....either would have avoided the triple and would have probably resulted in my best round of the season.

Now I need to get that hole out of my head, which is a lot easier said than done!!!!

 

[CrapHacker]

Sorry, I don't see your problem.

You hit 14 points over 9 holes.

And....??

So you don't have a perfect, repeatable swing, and you hit a couple of bad shots.

That's golf.

Practise, experience, and confidence will minimise the negative effect of those bad shots, but you'll always hit them.

Don't start putting too much expectation on yourself to be perfect, coz I'll say now - without having seen your swing - you ain't perfect.

Enjoy the 40 pointers, get the cuts, and you'll eventually plateau out. But don't worry where that is - you're a long way away from it yet.

 

[jammydodger]

I don't get it either Homer, I walked up to my ball thinking about another birdie, 74 yards is a perfect 3/4 wedge and I'd been peppering the flag all day, I addressed the ball and it all felt a bit awkward, I just can't explain it, it just came from nowhere.

After the initial 'walk away from the ball and a couple of practice swings' I think it's something to do with CONSEQUENCES. If you think about what might go wrong you put yourself off. If you can accept the consequences of your actions before you play the shot then you can go ahead and take the shot. Worst case scenario is you simply can't get comfy in which case you take the lowest tarriff shot and chip onto the middle of the green.

Spot on James , I think this may be where my good golf has stemmed from. The ability to not worry about the outcome of a shot enables you to play it with confidence and commitment. I think it manifests itself more on the putting green than anywhere else tbh. I just step up to those 3-6 footers with a carefree mindset and roll them in. Couldnt give a stuff about knocking it 3 ft past (i'll deal with that if it happens). My mate is amazed at the speed I knock those knee tremblers in but it works and frees the mind of all doubts to enable me to actually play golf without all the mental baggage that can and does sabotage so many rounds of golf.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I don't get it either Homer, I walked up to my ball thinking about another birdie, 74 yards is a perfect 3/4 wedge and I'd been peppering the flag all day, I addressed the ball and it all felt a bit awkward, I just can't explain it, it just came from nowhere.

After the initial 'walk away from the ball and a couple of practice swings' I think it's something to do with CONSEQUENCES. If you think about what might go wrong you put yourself off. If you can accept the consequences of your actions before you play the shot then you can go ahead and take the shot. Worst case scenario is you simply can't get comfy in which case you take the lowest tarriff shot and chip onto the middle of the green.

Thanks James and ChrisD, I think you might have hit the nail on the head here between you. I lay in bed last night going over my back 9 and while I was feeling a bit of nerves and was concious of not messing up I hit some good shots. The shot on 10 was the wrong shot, the pin was tight over the bunker with OB at the back of the green, there was no need to go for the pin no matter how well I was playing. My own favourite golf saying is 'you are only as good as your next shot' but I ignored this. Apart from that, the only really bad shots were the 6 irons on 12 & 18.

I just got ahead of myself and made some bad decisions. I remember thinking to myself walking off 11 that I should par the next 3 holes - I guess that is the problem.

 

[chrisd]

Thanks James and ChrisD, I think you might have hit the nail on the head here between you.

We are all pleased to offer our opinions but the important thing is that you get your head round the problem as the first move in making things right next time out

best of luck


Chris

 

[CrapHacker]

Thanks James and ChrisD, I think you might have hit the nail on the head here between you.

....the important thing is that you get your head round the problem .....

best of luck


Chris

I still say the only problem is thinking there is a problem.

Once we accept that we will hit bad shots, we do what we can to minimise the number of bad shots, we minimise the effect of the bad shot.

But we know and should embrace the fact that we will hit bad shots.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I still say the only problem is thinking there is a problem.

Once we accept that we will hit bad shots, we do what we can to minimise the number of bad shots, we minimise the effect of the bad shot.

But we know and should embrace the fact that we will hit bad shots.

Almost right craphacker, but you should have stopped at the word thinking and that is the problem.

It's not that I hit bad shots, I accept that will happen, I hit a lot of them

What bugs me is I think differently about the shot. On the front nine, I was thinking about the shot, on the back nine I started thinking about the result of the shot. Thinking about the hooks, I can almost guarantee you that I started the backswing with my arms and not my shoulders and that is a direct result of thinking about the result of the shot and not the swing itself. Paralysis by analysis if you like.

I was thinking too far ahead, pure and simple.