Pressure

Doesn't really bother me. I've played this game for a long time and ticked off pretty much everything I hoped to so now I just go out for fun. At the end of the day it's just a game.
 
I was first off in Saturdays comp, so a crowd of maybe 12/15 all excited to see the first tee shot of the day, which fell on me 👀

Happy to say, it was my longest ever drive on the course, so thanks for this thread - it worked!

Rest of the round went downhill...
 
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I’m ok if I’m playing with people I know but if playing a medal etc and I don’t know the people I’m with then the nerves and pressure kicks in. Suppose it all comes from not embarrassing yourself with playing badly.
 
In Poulter’s recent video he chats with Andy Murray on the very subject. Worth a watch.
 
When playing in big events I only felt nervous on the first tee [Like Jack Nicklaus]
In my first Pro tournament I overhit a mid iron and lost a ball on my second shot to card a 7, so probably a throwback to that.
If you are playing well and winning, just keep saying to yourself 'more of the same'
If you are on a losing streak just try to win the next hole not the next three, momentum is massive in any sport
 
It comes up from time to time how golfers feel pressure in a round.

Given that club golfers don’t have to rely on their golf to feed their family nor they represent the country at the Olympics, it’s not very logical. 🙃

Do you feel pressure in your rounds? What does trigger it for you?
I don't get first tee nerves or anything like that but as the round progresses and if I'm on a decent score I do have to battle with some mental demons on 2 and 3 foot putts for par. I'll get all sorts of nonsense running through my head like "haven't missed one of these yet, I'm due to miss one". I'm a bit of a basket case on the course at times, the lad I played with at the weekend said during the round "your mental game probably cost you 6 shots today" as I was explaining on my last shot I got to the top of my backswing and thought "my feet aren't far enough apart here". I basically overthink everything.

The most pressure I've felt was last year when I was standing on the 18th tee level par (never shot level par in my life) and I'd just had 17 straight pars. You would think you would be brimming with confidence but I nearly carved it OB the tee shot was that bad. Luckily I hit a great approach and holed the putt for a birdie and an under par round. I've still never shot level par and with the way my game is just now I'm not sure if I ever will.
 
I don't get first tee nerves or anything like that but as the round progresses and if I'm on a decent score I do have to battle with some mental demons on 2 and 3 foot putts for par. I'll get all sorts of nonsense running through my head like "haven't missed one of these yet, I'm due to miss one". I'm a bit of a basket case on the course at times, the lad I played with at the weekend said during the round "your mental game probably cost you 6 shots today" as I was explaining on my last shot I got to the top of my backswing and thought "my feet aren't far enough apart here". I basically overthink everything.

The most pressure I've felt was last year when I was standing on the 18th tee level par (never shot level par in my life) and I'd just had 17 straight pars. You would think you would be brimming with confidence but I nearly carved it OB the tee shot was that bad. Luckily I hit a great approach and holed the putt for a birdie and an under par round. I've still never shot level par and with the way my game is just now I'm not sure if I ever will.
You might find this video helpful.

 
I don't get first tee nerves or anything like that but as the round progresses and if I'm on a decent score I do have to battle with some mental demons on 2 and 3 foot putts for par. I'll get all sorts of nonsense running through my head like "haven't missed one of these yet, I'm due to miss one". I'm a bit of a basket case on the course at times, the lad I played with at the weekend said during the round "your mental game probably cost you 6 shots today" as I was explaining on my last shot I got to the top of my backswing and thought "my feet aren't far enough apart here". I basically overthink everything.

The most pressure I've felt was last year when I was standing on the 18th tee level par (never shot level par in my life) and I'd just had 17 straight pars. You would think you would be brimming with confidence but I nearly carved it OB the tee shot was that bad. Luckily I hit a great approach and holed the putt for a birdie and an under par round. I've still never shot level par and with the way my game is just now I'm not sure if I ever will.
This might not help you at all, but I was surprised that it actually did help me. In the last couple of medals I've played, instead of thinking the same as what you've said, I thought to myself that I always miss three short putts in medals - so I kind of 'allow' it in a sense. So one I miss the first one I just brushed it off as "that's one" rather than beating myself up about it. But then I noticed I didn't miss anymore that day. And in the next medal round I didn't miss any short putts at all - because mentally I wasn't worried about missing them anymore since I 'allow' myself three of them. The human mind is weird, you have to trick yourself sometimes. :ROFLMAO:

I'm the same as you though, lost count of how many times I have a very unhelpful swing thought halfway through the backswing. "Oh did I just shut the face on the way back, better open it again!" = massive slice.
 
It's all about confidence.
If there was a roaring river 150 yards across in front of the first tee, would you be worried about carrying it? Possibly.
Replace the river with a wide open fairway, would you be worried about hitting the ball 150yds? Probably not.
Be confident about the shot you are going to hit and the nerves will disappear.
This 💯, putting for me as it the weakest part of my game.

Nerves or adrenaline maybe on the 1st if there is big crowd.
 
As Jack Nicklaus said if you're not nervous at some point. then it doesn't mean anything.

I have only felt real pressure three times.
Captain's Drive-In with a 190-yard shot over water to a par-3 green. And only one go at it. Why could Pyrford have not used a wide-open fairway? :-) Nailed it.
Three holes to go on the Old Course St.Andrews and +4 gross with a lifetime ambition to break 80 - nailed it.
Seven holes left in a Club Championship and five players within one shot of the lead. Held them all off to win by two.

It was a case of trusting all the work I had put in practicing and on my swing. And committing to it come what may.
 
Once upon a time I might feel pressure on the first tee or coming down the stretch with a good score. I got over that quite some time ago. The only score that counts is the one you sign for, and the only shot that matters is the next one. We go out onto the course wanting to be in the position to post a good score. Why be all hairy-fairy when we get in the position? We’re where we want to be, revel in it!

And if you’re gonna blow it, go out with the flags flying and the guns blazing… jeez, just enjoy it!
 
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