New Golf Thinking - A sceptic's report

[Maninblack4612]

Really wasn't convinced this could do anything for me but I bought the Kindle edition and read through it last night. I haven't done any of the writy down stuff and have only read through it once.

Played a 4BBB match this afternoon and concentrated on: 1. Seeing, hearing & feeling the shot before playing it and 2. "Starting over" on each hole.

Don't know if it was coincidence or what but I had the steadiest round I've had for ages. I always have a bad spell somewhere in the round. Today, first time on the course for two weeks after being on holiday, I started double bogey, bogey, bogey, then proceeded to play the next 15 holes in 1 over par. I felt serene, in complete control and it seems that imagining the shot in 3D before playing it just gets all the concentration back at the right time.

We'll see on Sunday whether this was a flash in the pan when I play in the Forum "Ryder Cup" match for the North East against God's own country. Look out you tykes, I'm after you!

 

[Ethan]

Most of the golf psychology books and systems boil down to:

Play shots you are capable of

One shot at a time, forgetting the last one

Plan conservatively and execute aggressively

 

[macca64]

Got to be honest with all this stuff, I play well when I swing well, good rhythm for me, read loads of books on the mental side, how to swing the the club well,but, when I get on the 1st tee, the body dictates how my round will go, but if it works for people bang on, and on a side note I'm crap most of the time anyway,

 

[Hacker Khan]

Really wasn't convinced this could do anything for me but I bought the Kindle edition and read through it last night. I haven't done any of the writy down stuff and have only read through it once.

Played a 4BBB match this afternoon and concentrated on: 1. Seeing, hearing & feeling the shot before playing it and 2. "Starting over" on each hole.

Don't know if it was coincidence or what but I had the steadiest round I've had for ages. I always have a bad spell somewhere in the round. Today, first time on the course for two weeks after being on holiday, I started double bogey, bogey, bogey, then proceeded to play the next 15 holes in 1 over par. I felt serene, in complete control and it seems that imagining the shot in 3D before playing it just gets all the concentration back at the right time.

We'll see on Sunday whether this was a flash in the pan when I play in the Forum "Ryder Cup" match for the North East against God's own country. Look out you tykes, I'm after you!

As someone who went on the NGT day it's great to hear it's worked. To be honest I think part of the selling point of the book is that you don't need to read it all the way through, but focus on the areas that are most relevant to you based on the questionnaire.

But hey, if it's worked for you then it's a result. I agree that a lot of the psychology books are mostly a lot of common sense and there is no mythical one answer on how to how to think about your round. But then again golfers are possibly not the best for using common sense all the time, and sometimes try and think about the technical side too much. So if this has cleared your mind a bit or made you focus on one or two things and made a difference then great.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As another who did the course I'm interested to see how sceptics, especially one as vocal originally as the OP find it once they give it a chance. It isn't rocket science at the end of the day, and is probably old ideas rehashed and redressed but the format and way it's presented seems to have tapped into something and definitely works.

I find the bounce back (spiralling up) works well at the moment as I'm still chucking in the round breakers but usually manage to find a par (even the odd birdie) on the next hole where before I'd mull on it, question technique and dwell on it way too much

 

[Maninblack4612]

As another who did the course I'm interested to see how sceptics, especially one as vocal originally as the OP

I was sceptical, but I don't remember saying anything about but before - I must be getting forgetful!

I think a lot of the NGT forces you to concentrate. I have spells in a competetive round where I'm concentrating so hard I don't notice how many strokes the other players have taken or whose honour it is on the next tee. At other times I seem to be thinking of almost anything but the golf. I think the visualising acts as a switch to turn the concentration back on.

We'll see in the match against the Tykes tomorrow if it works under pressure.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was sceptical, but I don't remember saying anything about but before - I must be getting forgetful!

I think a lot of the NGT forces you to concentrate. I have spells in a competetive round where I'm concentrating so hard I don't notice how many strokes the other players have taken or whose honour it is on the next tee. At other times I seem to be thinking of almost anything but the golf. I think the visualising acts as a switch to turn the concentration back on.

We'll see in the match against the Tykes tomorrow if it works under pressure.

Apologies if I was wrong. What I would say though is it takes a little time for the area you're working on to become natural and will feel a little bit "forced" but stick with it and the results may surprise you. Go play well tomorrow

 

[Fish]

As another who did the course I'm interested to see how sceptics, especially one as vocal originally as the OP find it once they give it a chance. It isn't rocket science at the end of the day, and is probably old ideas rehashed and redressed but the format and way it's presented seems to have tapped into something and definitely works.

I find the bounce back (spiralling up) works well at the moment as I'm still chucking in the round breakers but usually manage to find a par (even the odd birdie) on the next hole where before I'd mull on it, question technique and dwell on it way too much

If it "definitely works" and its been a few months now since you attended it, how many cuts have you experienced since adopting it into your game? Genuine question.

 

[moogie]

If it "definitely works" and its been a few months now since you attended it, how many cuts have you experienced since adopting it into your game? Genuine question.

Good question
Indeed , how many of all that attended have lowered their handicaps...??

 

[6inchcup]

golfers must be the most gulable ppl on the planet,this will do this or that,buy this it will add yds,this ball will make you play like a pro etc etc,just some old mish mash of things to make you spend your money,if i brought out a lotion to rub on your balls ( the dimple ones er sorry the ones in your bag ooohhh you know what i mean)that would add 25 yds to every shot someone somewhere would buy it,fools and their money.

 

[SocketRocket]

Shanks aren't interested in NGT

 

[Foxholer]

golfers must be the most gulable ppl on the planet,this will do this or that,buy this it will add yds,this ball will make you play like a pro etc etc,just some old mish mash of things to make you spend your money....

That's what's enabled TM to report such huge profits! Though things have apparently changed this year.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Good question
Indeed , how many of all that attended have lowered their handicaps...??

My handicap has gone from a 12 month series of 0.1's to 19.7 when I did the course, since then I have entered 5 comps , had 4 buffers and then got a chop to my current level of 18.5.

My attitude to the game has changed, other stuff going on around me doesn't effect me.
I know how to get in the zone and I know when to go there.

I still have the ability to play crap shots, NGT won't help that, but I don't let it effect me like it used to in the past.

I'm targeting a reduction to 15 next year.

NGT isn't a book you read cover to cover, you dip in to a particular area when a particular part of your game goes wonky
Spoken to Tony re insurance, non starter
Don't worry x
Works for me

Also beaten a certain someone 4 games on the trot 😎😎

 

[moogie]

My handicap has gone from a 12 month series of 0.1's to 19.7 when I did the course, since then I have entered 5 comps , had 4 buffers and then got a chop to my current level of 18.5.

My attitude to the game has changed, other stuff going on around me doesn't effect me.
I know how to get in the zone and I know when to go there.

I still have the ability to play crap shots, NGT won't help that, but I don't let it effect me like it used to in the past.

I'm targeting a reduction to 15 next year.



Also beaten a certain someone 4 games on the trot 😎😎

Pleased for u Phil
Especially the last line obviously
But I've never read much about anybody else , changing their season , regardless of whatever other "guff" they spout in its defence

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If it "definitely works" and its been a few months now since you attended it, how many cuts have you experienced since adopting it into your game? Genuine question.

It has gone up 0.2 since the course primarily due to a lack of playing and practice in the last six weeks looking after the wife. I've said it numerous times before when talking about having lessons, sometimes you can't always measure solely in terms of handicap. I'm still trying to get to single figures but I'm much happier now that I'm playing with more confidence and with clarity over the shot and if I'm being brutally honest about the reason for the 0.1's it's more a case of two bad holes per round (an emerging theme before and after NGT but I have the tools to not dwell on it now) and another poor period of chipping and bunker play

 

[Khamelion]

If it "definitely works" and its been a few months now since you attended it, how many cuts have you experienced since adopting it into your game? Genuine question.

Good question
Indeed , how many of all that attended have lowered their handicaps...??

In my case , it hasn't lowered my handicap, I started the season at 17.1 and ended 19.4.**

What is has done is helped me cope more with on course distractions, slow play, meh, it used to annoy me and play on my mind now so what. Playing partners whinging and Whinning, Kraxx moans like an old women, the grass is to long, the sun is to bright, it's too slow, hell he even had a whinge one day cause he forgot his smiley chocolate biscuits. That used to really get on my wick, to the point where wrapped my driver around his next to shut him up was getting close to be an option. Now, he can whinge all he likes, it's just white noise that is easily filtered out and all I hear is the birds.

Playing bad shots, used to get to me, now not so much, I'm not a pro, hell I'm not even average, so I know I'm going to hit a bad shot at some point, so what, it's not like each shot is worth a monetary sum.

NGT has not reduced my scores, but has increased my enjoyment.

** Edit. My HC is currently it is 19.4, there is still a couple of comps that will count towards increasing or lowering my HC, so I could still get a cut, I could end the season playing off 20