Mental Game Advice

U

uberam

Newbie
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
3
Visit site
Hello all,

I'm pretty new to the game of golf and have a background in psychology. I suppose I'm pre-empting issues but I wanted to know what areas of the mental side of golf inhibits folk the most?

I've only played the game since May and get frustrated and down sometimes. With my background, it'd probably be an asset for me to 'get my head right' - am I thinking about that too much whilst learning technicalities of the swing?

I guess I want a complete golf game, if such a thing exists.

Any advice would be most helpful!
A.
 
I have just started reading a book by Dave Pelz called the short game bible. while the main focus is from 100 yards in, i quite like the way he analyses things from his analytically from his background working at NASA. I was never one for "help" books, but last night i sat and read the first 160 pages!!!
 
Ah great - thanks for that. I was just reading another thread about a golf psychologist and seemed to sense that golfers tend to look at golf psychology material with some cynicism - have you noticed that as a trend?

I'll give the book a whirl, many thanks :)
 
i am a professional cynic! but my hearts not in it....

Anyway, yes a lot of people will have the attitude, whack it, find it, whack it again. some will think to the N'th degree about stuff.Golf is such a personal game, i think its down to the individual to find out what works for them. if its 30 mins meditation and chanting before a round, great, if its rock up and whack it, great! or anything and everything in between! main thing is to enjoy it!
 
Welcome to the Forum and to Golf

Check my sig for what one of the greats says about the game!

To me, Golf's pretty much the ultimate mind an body combo that doesn't involve putting life in danger.

Knowledge of the psychology involved might help, but it's the ability to recognise situations and implement appropriate solutions at the crucial times that's most important. I know a couple of very well qualified guys who aren't very good at managing their way around a golf course.
 
I've read a few golf psychology books, and the message is pretty much the same throughout all of them.

Don't beat yourself up.
One shot at a time.
Trust your swing.
Enjoy it!

:)
 
We do it for fun, and it isn't life or death. If I hit a bad shot, I hit a bad shot... wow, so what. No one died, nations didn't fall.

The only shot that needs any real precision is that putt you should sink. It doesn't matter if you miss the centre of the fairway, you can still hit the green. It doesn't matter if you miss the green, you can still chip it close or in... and if you miss the putt, you've probably got x number of holes left to pick up a shot or two.

Alternatively, you could be at work.

Nah, golf isn't life or death, its just a big laugh...
 
I've read them all, Rotella, Joseph Parent Zen Golf, Dr Karl Morris, Golf54 Pia Neilsson Lynn Marriott, Peltz short game and putting bibles........ You get the jist. They all much say about the same thing in general, and a lot to process and at times too much to digest. But certain things they say that everyone can relate to and have done. And being a psychologist no doubt you know what they are? You can take certain things they say and 'try' to incorporate into your game, but since your just starting out my advice is learn to play the game and learn from your Pro, then tackle the psyche thing later.
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Why. Followed him on twitter, helped beta test the website and he gave me some freebies to try. Win win as far as I can see. It is an area that I fall down on. No real focus over the shot
Click to expand...

Fair enough - I still think they are selling a length of well used rope though :)
 
Robobum said:
Fair enough - I still think they are selling a length of well used rope though :)
Click to expand...

Maybe, maybe not. As I got it free then I've nothing to lose. My teaching pro has been banging on about a better pre-shot routine to back up the work we've done on the swing. If it works then fine. If not its cost me nowt and I can try something else
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Maybe, maybe not. As I got it free then I've nothing to lose. My teaching pro has been banging on about a better pre-shot routine to back up the work we've done on the swing. If it works then fine. If not its cost me nowt and I can try something else
Click to expand...

Try Keegan Bradley's routine...........
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Lucifer MorningStar
Women’s Golf Clubs
2
Replies
24
Views
2K
Lucifer MorningStar
Lucifer MorningStar
D
Golf Psychology
2
Replies
27
Views
3K
Rebro
Rebro
Jim_M_0211
Home Fitting my own Irons?!
2
Replies
24
Views
3K
ntommo
N
Severof
Ethical and legal stand point at golf club ruling
3 4 5
Replies
88
Views
12K
David F THOMPSON
D
Kennysarmy
How to get out of a golf slump
2 3
Replies
56
Views
9K
Sausagefingers23
Sausagefingers23
Top