In Game - Focus

[Slicer30]

Right,

When looking back at sundays round I shot an ok 88 considering that I was away for 3 weeks.

the negatives where the Driver and the chipping. On both its the same problem for me regarding focus.

Driver - Get it out there so I can get the irons at it- feeling confident with them so don't feel like I need to be on the fairway to make the green. Poor attitude/focus means I hit a poor drive and scramble to a bogey or worse.

Chipping - Know I aint gonna get close for a 1 putt so my head is sayin - just get it on the dance floor. Inevitably it gets duffed and i have to try again from 3yds closer. 2nd attempt always gets close.

My question is re : focus. Apart from blanking everyone your playing with and being 100% into the game, how do you guys go from the friendly chat/banter inbetween green and tee?

and also from Approach to the trot to the green.

 

[DaveM]

Thats something I would like to know too. Find it hard to change from chit-chat, to concentrating.

 

[Midnight]

Thats something I would like to know too. Find it hard to change from chit-chat, to concentrating.

That is the problem I have as well mate. Any cures please let me know.

 

[bobmac]

Pre shot routine.
You need to know what it is you do to hit a good shot and make sure you try and think the same things before each shot.
Whether its "slow back and wait" or
"head still and turn"
Whatever it is, build it into a pre shot routine so you dont forget it.
Use it on your rehearshal swing then commit quickly after it to the actual shot.
That way the brain wont switch off and start thinking about other stuff.
And to start it all off, say to your mates something like "right it's my go" which actually means stop talking to me.

 

[Scouser]

One way idea that can be transfered from my days in cricket is to use some sort of trigger. Cricket is the same as golf u only need a couple of seconds of focus between shots.

For me its simple. pick the club you need and start to focus on the ball. Then concentrate on nothing else but the ball once lined up. as soon as the ball is hit and club back in the bag forget about it and move on.

The focus starts from the pick of the club and moves to the ball.

Its important to have the down time befor shots and a specific trigger point that you concentrate from
IMO

 

[Scouser]

Or as Bob said also known as pre shot routine lol

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I've got slated on here before for this but hey ho. I use the glove as my starting point. Putting it on gets me focussed to play the shot. Take the club, put the glove on and get over the ball. Take my stance , check the target and make the swing with or without a swing thought depending on the day. Once the ball lands and the glove comes off its all over and time to forget it until the next shot

 

[Scouser]

I've got slated on here before for this but hey ho. I use the glove as my starting point. Putting it on gets me focussed to play the shot. Take the club, put the glove on and get over the ball. Take my stance , check the target and make the swing with or without a swing thought depending on the day. Once the ball lands and the glove comes off its all over and time to forget it until the next shot

Why have you been slated for that..........every one will have a start and end point??

 

[pbrown7582]

I agree with homer I use putting my glove back on as atrigger to focus on the shot.
You can't concentrate for 4hrs non stop so learning to relax between shots is a must

 

[timchump]

i found picking an exact spot to hit it and thinking about the shape of shot has been helping me

i normally aim for something right of centre of the target, to promote a more in to out swing path, then trying to work it back to the target.

it doesn't work all the time though it does give me something focus on and hopefully is groving my swing to hit more from the inside

 

[Slicer30]

I've got slated on here before for this but hey ho. I use the glove as my starting point. Putting it on gets me focussed to play the shot. Take the club, put the glove on and get over the ball. Take my stance , check the target and make the swing with or without a swing thought depending on the day. Once the ball lands and the glove comes off its all over and time to forget it until the next shot

Homer - have a mate that does this also and I get frustrated watching him do it. maybe he exaggerates it more than yourself and is naturally slow. I agree that some sort of trigger is needed. Maybe I should don some ear muffs when its my turn!! lol

 

[Slicer30]

Back to my original point - I actually told my playing partners that I was out for a PB once and not in the mood for chit chat etc as I told the clubhouse I was putting in a supplementary card.

I shot 79 which was my first sub 80 round. 36 front and 43 back.

the front 9 I was uber focused all the way, by the back 9 I was mentally exhausted and was crawling in trying to protect the score.

Thats why I am looking for some sort of happy medium. As Pbrown says, Its hard to keep that level of focus up for 4 hours so I need to get some sort of routine to make it last longer so I get the best from my game but also be sociable.

 

[rosecott]

Back to my original point - I was putting in a supplementary card. I shot 79 which was my first sub 80 round. 36 front and 43 back.

And you are still off 19.9?

 

[Slicer30]

And you are still off 19.9?

Rosecott - 19.6 like i said earlier they didn't take the supp cards and I havent shot under 40 on either 9 since.

it was one of those rounds where even the mishits landed 2 feet from the hole.

hit a 4 iron from 200 yds to our 9th, it caught the ditch 60yds from the hole leapt up and rolled 10ft from the hole for a 2 putt par.

 

[Slicer30]

handicap is 19.6, but I shot 39 points on sunday with 2 blobs!

If I can sort out the driving and chippin i reckon I could play to 16 or so.

 

[Luulox]

Pre shot routine.
You need to know what it is you do to hit a good shot and make sure you try and think the same things before each shot.
Whether its "slow back and wait" or
"head still and turn"
Whatever it is, build it into a pre shot routine so you dont forget it.
Use it on your rehearshal swing then commit quickly after it to the actual shot.
That way the brain wont switch off and start thinking about other stuff.
And to start it all off, say to your mates something like "right it's my go" which actually means stop talking to me.

Sounds like great advice Bob, will try this next time out, thank you.

 

[Slicer30]

Pre shot routine.
You need to know what it is you do to hit a good shot and make sure you try and think the same things before each shot.
Whether its "slow back and wait" or
"head still and turn"
Whatever it is, build it into a pre shot routine so you dont forget it.
Use it on your rehearshal swing then commit quickly after it to the actual shot.
That way the brain wont switch off and start thinking about other stuff.
And to start it all off, say to your mates something like "right it's my go" which actually means stop talking to me.

Thanks bob. I like the "right its my go option" that the kind of thing I was after, a trigger for me and also for the lads to stop talking to me.

 

[bobmac]

Thanks bob. I like the "right its my go option" that the kind of thing I was after, a trigger for me and also for the lads to stop talking to me.

Then to fix your chipping get yourself a

http://www.v-easy.co.uk/#

 

[Slicer30]

Then to fix your chipping get yourself a

http://www.v-easy.co.uk/#

Bob - I definetely qualify as a non GG clobber type guy, 2nd hand clubs and have nae issues with khaki shorts or jeans in the clubhouse.

Will wait for the january sale

 

[AmandaJR]

I have a trigger word (usually silently in my head) which is "focus" and usually "say" this as I get to my ball to read the lie and decide on the club/shot. Once I do my pre-shot routine and hit the ball, regardless of the outcome, I switch off with a similar trigger word as I place the club (sometimes forcefully!) back in the bag which is "complete". The rest of the time I try my very bestest to think of something else and chit chat...