Mind games

[Oops!]

Right now, I’m finding it really hard to enjoy the (few) good shots I make. With the rest, I struggle to stay positive and keep my composure.

What goes through your mind when you really mess up a shot?
How do you keep it from getting to you?
How do you keep those kinds of shots from ruining your (good) mood/attitude?

 

[PaulMdj]

Part of being an Amatuer golfer is focussing on the bad shots.

How many times have you seen or heard a Golfer have a great round and they still tell you what could of been.

Just roll with it, we play this game for fun.

 

[Orikoru]

That's one of the hardest parts of the game in my opinion. I've read a few Bob Rotella books which are mostly about mindset and attitude on the course, and they have helped a fair amount but I still lose it occasionally. I think it's hard to change the kind of person you are. I naturally react too emotionally and catastrophise, seemingly - after a really bad round I think I'm finished, the good form has all gone and I'm in for a year of struggles. Then have a decent round two weeks later and all is fine. I find it really difficult to separate my latest round from my self-worth.

I capitulated in my round the other day and I was absolutely raging. I did something I rarely do and went straight home after the round instead of staying for a drink. I knew it was the wrong thing to do even while I was doing it, but I'd lost my head and couldn't get it back on. Obsessing over the errors and thinking about what an idiot I was to make them. Other days though it's easier to keep an even keel. I have to remember it's a hard game and the muddy conditions are making it even harder.

I usually just try and have a mental reset on each tee-box. Instead of one complete round I try and think of it as 18 individual, unrelated holes. So when I've just had a bad hole, I'll be angry for sure because that's never going to stop - but as soon as I get to the next tee I think, 'right, here is a brand new opportunity to have a good hole' and just try to hit a good drive.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I call myself a few names, then laugh at myself, then forget about what a tit-heed I really am, pretend I'm much better and carry on.

 

[adasko]

Maybe be honest with yourself and your skill levels, too many handicap players overestimate how good they should play, how well they should be striking ball and how far they should hit.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

What goes through my mind? Rats - that's not what I wanted to do...
How do I stop them getting to me? Before I go out I get some tune I know well playing in my head (usually a hit from the 70s or 80s) - and I keep it playing other than when I am focussing on a shot - this is especially important to me when I mess up as I instantly restart the tune and that usually stops bad or negative thoughts arising.
How do I stop them ruining my round? By not dwelling on them (see above) I can easily just put them into the 'it's done - can't be undone so put aside and get on with the tune'

 

[irip]

Right now, I’m finding it really hard to enjoy the (few) good shots I make. With the rest, I struggle to stay positive and keep my composure.

What goes through your mind when you really mess up a shot?
How do you keep it from getting to you?
How do you keep those kinds of shots from ruining your (good) mood/attitude?

I laugh at myself and then think it’s a chance to now hit a great/miracle shot (depending on game)
And then think this is still better than being at work and thank god I’m not doing this to pay the mortgage.

I’ll then think do I know what I did wrong that caused that and try not to do it again.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Good question and one I’d argue the large majority of club golfers suffer with. It was pretty debilitating seeing it in my dad he couldn’t separate his mood of how he played from his mood off the course and he’d dwell on it for days.

I think it largely depends on other personality traits. I walked away from golf In 2019 as I was taking it to seriously and I was ending up like my dad. Since coming back to the game last summer, I’ve grown as a person and allowed my personality to come out on the course. I’ll hit a crap shot call myself a knob, have a practice swing after so that before I put the club back in The bag the last swing I had was a positive on, then pick my bag up and think about anything except golf my favourite topics are food, exercise or something I can’t type here .

I think my wife has the best outlook I’ve ever seen, she hits a bad shot she doesn’t even react. She hits a good shot she smiles, looks over and says “did you see that “. After the round she never even mentions bad shots , she just talks about how well she hit one on a certain hole or the par she made etc. negativity doesn’t seem to enter her head I am very jealous of her in that regards and I am trying to learn from it myself.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Perhaps helps for me that I came to golf after other sports so my expectations are not as high. I've never been great at it so hitting bad shots isn't abnormal.

It's an absolute cliche but I genuinely hit each shot independently. If / when I hit a bad one, I'll have an inward curse, I get my head down, concentrate like mad on my next shot. Move on. It's how I deal with it.

Some shots get under your skin more than others and there isn't much you can do about that. You just have to hope your brain lets it go eventually.

Ultimately, think about what you get out of playing. I've been through the Uber competitive stage when I was younger. Then I'd have two footed my gran to win at something. Now I'm mellow, play for the fun of it, the social chat. Look to remember the good shots, dismiss the rubbish quite quickly.

 

[Crow]

This is the key advantage of having lots of sets of clubs, I know I'll be changing out the whole bag the next week so I can just blame that week's clubs and look forward to the next week and a different set.

It even works the other way, if I'm playing well I know that I'll be swapping everything over the next week and so don't get ideas above my skill level.

 

[Imurg]

When I hit a bad shot nothing within 50 yards is safe...I can't chuck a club any further than that.....

 

[Pants]

Methinks some take this game far too seriously. I would guess that most, if not all, on here play for fun - not for a living. Why beat yourself up over a poor shot? Even the best golfers in the world hit some now and again. Golf is an excuse for a good walk, good exercise and a chat in the company of like minded people.

 

[Skytot]

My mate is one of the most negative golfers I’ve played with . On Saturday he topped his drive about 150yrds . He hits his next shot 210 off the fairway on to the green , great shot we all said . “Shame about my drive , that was sh#t !!!!

 

[Mel Smooth]

Every bad shot brings me 1 shot closer to a pint of Guinness in the bar afterwards.

Very rare I let myself get wound up while playing golf tbh.

 

[Oops!]

My mate is one of the most negative golfers I’ve played with . On Saturday he topped his drive about 150yrds . He hits his next shot 210 off the fairway on to the green , great shot we all said . “Shame about my drive , that was sh#t !!!!

Could have been me … !

Yes, I know it’s “just” a game. And I’m not playing against my partners on the course, but with them.

The person I’m really playing against is myself: In theory, I know exactly how to execute every shot perfectly - and when I can’t put that into practice, I tear myself apart, internally, quietly, but intensely.

I think you’ve given me a lot to think about. I need to learn to let go and focus on my successful shots, to be able to enjoy them, to enjoy the game.

Well, I’m working on it…!

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Saw a great tip from one of my
Favourite players Louis Oosthuien if he hit a good shot he would slow his walk to the next one to savour the feelings and feels of the shot in his mind as a positive reinforcement. If he hit a bad shot he would speed his walk up to the get to the next one, in order to reduce his negative thinking time effectively allowing him to reject the negative thoughts and process them quicker.

He also had a red dot drawn on his glove, so that once he then gets to the ball whether the previous one was good or bad he would pull on his glove and look at the red dot. That red dot signalled a stop/start mechanism ! Stop thinking about what’s happened before good or bad, start thinking about the shot you now need to play. It effectively triggered his pre shot routine helping him digest everything that’s gone before it and focus solely on what’s about to happen.

I love that tip I might have to take that into my game.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

@Oops! One thing that really helped me was that I used to play a lot of cricket. As a batsman you could be out first ball, early doors etc, day ruined. With golf you can hit a bad shot but your day isn't over. You get to hit another shot, and another, and another.

Even if your score isn't great be grateful that you still get to do fun stuff and aren't sent back to the clubhouse after one hole . (I may still be slightly scarred by my time playing cricket)

 

[The Squirrel]

@Oops! One thing that really helped me was that I used to play a lot of cricket. As a batsman you could be out first ball, early doors etc, day ruined. With golf you can hit a bad shot but your day isn't over. You get to hit another shot, and another, and another.

Even if your score isn't great be grateful that you still get to do fun stuff and aren't sent back to the clubhouse after one hole . (I may still be slightly scarred by my time playing cricket)

That’s why I was a bowler. Just a couple of really good balls can make up for serving up a whole load of dross.

Actually two good’uns amidst a whole load of dross is a good description of my typical golf round .

I’ve found that rather than aiming for a score, trying to focus on making a certain number of pars as your goal for the day is a good way to stop yourself being too annoyed. That way any bad shot just blew your chances on one hole, but has zero effect on any other hole.

The other thing I’m trying to do that helps (and stops me from giving up on a bad round) is birdie every hole on the course this year. Again, I could have played 17 shockers but if I get my first ever birdie on any one hole then I’ve had a successful day!

 

[Burnsey]

I hit a few bad shots, but forget them immediately.

That mindset usually stops me having a blow up hole. I just rescue the position and aim for a worst case bogey.

 

[Oops!]

(…)
I’ve found that rather than aiming for a score, trying to focus on making a certain number of pars as your goal for the day is a good way to stop yourself being too annoyed. That way any bad shot just blew your chances on one hole, but has zero effect on any other hole.
(…)

I just aim for a score to see any developement.

Right now, it seems to be stagnating at a very low level.