Its Official-Iam a bottler!!!

[Essex_Stu]

For two weeks in a row I have seen potentially great moments blow up in my face due to my mental state of mind. Last week was our swindle weekend away at Greetham Valley. Everyone else had played this venue before but I hadn't. In tough conditions I thought I played average and came in with 38 points. Well it turns out the next highest score was only 33 so I won by five earning me some nice prizes and a cut to 25. Day two and I start terribly with four blobs. At the turn I have a very average 13 points. Over the next 9 holes I somehow get my act together and collect a nice 22 points and finish with 35 points, not great but gave me a 3 point lead going into the final day. The final day after 9 holes I have 14 points and starting to play well again. I then have 4 3 pointers in a row. On the 14th which is a 2 shot hole for myself I have an 80yard pitch for my 3rd shot. As I start the downswing 1 of my playing partners starts talking to me, I look up and proceed to duff my shot 15 yards straight into a stream. What I done next can only be described as an act of insanity. I jump into the stream which is 8 inches deep and try to play my ball out. Obviously it didn't work so blobbed that hole. Went on to blob 15,16,17 before a bogey at 18 gives me 28points. Lost the overall by 3 points and won nothing for second.

Cue today. Non Drawn Stableford. Been playing poorly this week so didn't expect much. A horrible 8 for 1 point on the 1st didn't get my hopes up too much. However the next holes I went Bogey, Par, Par, Bogey, Bogey, Birdie and after 7 holes Im on 20 points. Stupidly I started to count up my score and thought I could be in for a good cut. Cue the mind games once again. I then went Blob, D/bogey, Blob, Blob, Blob. Picked my game up again and scored 14 points over the next 5 holes before blobbing the last. Finished with 36 points with 5 blobs and the clubhouse lead as I left but was left cursing my mental fragility once again.

After my long rant my question is, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE MENTAL DEMONS???

 

[macca64]

bit out of touch with comps and that,jusy joined a club,how did you manage 1 point with a 8 or am i just dim

 

[Hendo007]

I'd guess its a 2 shot hole par 5.

As for the deamons, you have to forget about the score and just add it up at the end. Don't even look at it if poss. If am ever on a score (not this season yet right enough) I just forget about the card and just try to focus on the next shot. Add it up at the end and you might get a nice surprise.

 

[macca64]

ahhh i'm dim !

 

[BLAM]

Adding up a potentially good score part way around the course generally translates into some sort of car crash end to the round for me as I'm suddenly thinking "if I can only finish with this this and this..." and my mind set alters.

I was playing a Stableford competition on Friday and started with two blobs and consequently didn't layer expectation on myself. I just played each hole as it came; forgot all about it being a competition and ended up winning. I was even late to the prize giving as I didn't think I was anywhere near to a "podium" finish!

 

[louise_a]

Why did one of your playing partners start talking to you halfway through your swing? It seems you are waiting for something to upset your round, jusy play one shot at a time, forget whats gone and dont think ahead more than the next shot.

 

[pbrown7582]

Sounds like you need to stop and think about shot you are playing and not get carried away thinking too far ahead just one shot at a time is more than enough to think about!

 

[JustOne]

ahhh i'm dim !

Don't panic, I've never had a h/cap high enough for an 8 for 1 either!


I feel like I've been robbed!

 

[Swinger]

Being aware of your score isn't a bad thing but giving yourself a big cut when stood on the 14th tee is a big mental no no.

Just have fun when your playing well but only ever concentrate on the next shot.

 

[sawtooth]

try not to think about your score until you've finished.

36 points with 5 blobs, i hope we dont meet in a comp anytime soon!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Do you remember how you felt when you sniffed a chance of winning and that extra rush of adrenalin. That is the feelign you get and its something to try and enjoy and control. It tells you even if you don't know the exact score that you are doing well and the sub-conscious part of the golfing brain kicks in and says you have a chance.

However what also happens is that that part of the brain also downloads a programme called auto destruct version 1.0 which will get your mind racing thinking about winning the cup, geting your name in letters, taking the pot money etc. Unless you activate programme delete v3.1 which is a slow old fashioned programme and needs a click on the active button after every shot then auto destruct v1.0 will infiltrate all aspects of your golf swing rendering them inactive for the closing holes and requiring a full system reboot at the 19th.

Either that or read a Bob Rotella book which tells you how to keep out of your own way when its going well and just let yourself get on with doing what you've been doing to date.