Sports Psychology

[HomerJSimpson]

The stuff I did with GM was a very broad and designed to be very easy to dip in and out of. This is something designed specifically for me and addressing my issues having already sat down with the guy for two hours and gone through what I do well and badly in terms of my thinking on the course. As it's something I'm doing for an online magazine and therefore I am getting free access to the guy it was too good an opportunity to pass up. I'd read the Rotella stuff and was still using the Natural Golf Thinking techniques (albeit not as diligently) but this is on a deeper level

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I totally see your point however mental aspect is my complete weakness and can wreck my game, I'm reasonably fit and healthy so that doesn't have the same effect on my golf game.

I always socialise on the course but for some people when you stand over the ball you simply can't 'shut off', that's what I need to learn to do live in the present shot. Not worry about the previous or next just the present shot.

I do most of those things in the morning just out of routine really. I stretch in a morning otherwise my lower back gives me jip, have my morning weetabix and then hit 25 balls on the range before my round to loosen off and spend half hour on the putting green.

For example:

I've got 2 cards towards my handicap which would currently give me a handicap of around 4, I went to play a further round with the intention of beating my previous scores and that benchmark never left my mind. I ended up shooting 9 over. As unimportant and without pressure a handicap card is over putts i'd never miss I'd almost load the pressure of the bloody ryder cup winning put on my shoulders instead of clearing my thoughts and rolling it in.

I very much have a battle with my own mind on a day to day basis not just golf so it's something that will help me in all facets of my life really.

Needless to say I won't be handing in that third card and hope to get my final card on saturday employing more of these techniques to clear my mind when i'm stood over the ball. Ultimately I have a great laugh on the course it's just thoughts when stood over a shot that can make me make silly mistakes.

It is silly really as you're right I'm not playing to pay my mortgage or really anything of great importance, but my mind still makes a big deal of my score and I put needless pressure on myself

Sorry, I’m confused, surely you shouldn’t be picking and choosing which cards you hand in?
Did you not ask someone to mark your card (the 9)before the round started with the intention of handing it in?
Surely if you end up with a lower handicap than you should be, then fail to “live up” to that handicap in comps, you’ll be putting more mental pressure on yourself?

 

[thanhthanh]

I will have a word with Mike, and hopefully he can post the two pages on here.

 

[bobmac]

Do you feel pressure on a drive that is over a 10 foot pond 20 yards in front of the tee?

 

[Fish]

Sorry, I’m confused, surely you shouldn’t be picking and choosing which cards you hand in?
Did you not ask someone to mark your card (the 9)before the round started with the intention of handing it in?
Surely if you end up with a lower handicap than you should be, then fail to “live up” to that handicap in comps, you’ll be putting more mental pressure on yourself?

I read this the same at the time but knew someone else would spot it!

I wonder if he scored what he wanted on the Saturday and handed that card in, if not, like that last round (+9) he didn’t bother if it wasn’t good enough?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I read this the same at the time but knew someone else would spot it!

I wonder if he scored what he wanted on the Saturday and handed that card in, if not, like that last round (+9) he didn’t bother if it wasn’t good enough?

Smells of vanity to me

 

[Britishshooting]

Smells of vanity to me

Not at all. It’s not my first handicap I know my playing ability and I know that wasn’t reflective of my game at all.

I kind of gave up on the round as I was frustrated so felt it would be unjust to enter that card.

Not like I’m cheatint anybody out of anything or protecting a handicap to be more competitive.

For the sake of playing an additional round (which I did) I don’t see the harm. It was comparable to the other two scores.

Likely I won’t be winning any competitions unless I have the round of my life but I’m more concerned with playing my own game and getting as low as possible to a handicap I can play to (not vanity) rather than have an inflated handicap and being competitive at a club comp level.

 

[Fish]

Not at all. It’s not my first handicap I know my playing ability and I know that wasn’t reflective of my game at all.

I kind of gave up on the round as I was frustrated so felt it would be unjust to enter that card.

Not like I’m cheatint anybody out of anything or protecting a handicap to be more competitive.

For the sake of playing an additional round (which I did) I don’t see the harm. It was comparable to the other two scores.

Likely I won’t be winning any competitions unless I have the round of my life but I’m more concerned with playing my own game and getting as low as possible to a handicap I can play to (not vanity) rather than have an inflated handicap and being competitive at a club comp level.

But your club is at fault allowing this!

You should declare you are playing a card for handicap purposes before going out, that card should be handed in whatever happens, it’s not, or shouldn’t be, a choice to hand it in or not, or worse, not declare and hand cards in as & when you want!!

 

[Jamesbrown]

I do new members handicaps all the time being a “buddy”. there’s no ruling what cards to hand in for initial handicap. Can put what ever three you like (providing one is with a committee member or a member off 10 or below at my club)
In fact I had 5 goes at mine. I had the shanks. Got my handicap at another club which just had to be signed by a member.

The +9 card would only slightly upset the algorithm in this case. It could be handed in and still receive around 4-6
Hcp

I see no issue in someone wanting a handicap reflecting their ability.
Don’t do what I did and hand in shanky cards and win everything.

 

[merv79]

I have found the Bob Rotella books to be useful

 

[duncan mackie]

The +9 card would only slightly upset the algorithm in this case. It could be handed in and still receive around 4-6
Hcp

I see no issue in someone wanting a handicap reflecting their ability.
Don’t do what I did and hand in shanky cards and win everything.

The +9 card would simply have been discarded and completely ignored in the calculation

 

[Wolf]

I totally see your point however mental aspect is my complete weakness and can wreck my game, I'm reasonably fit and healthy so that doesn't have the same effect on my golf game.

I always socialise on the course but for some people when you stand over the ball you simply can't 'shut off', that's what I need to learn to do live in the present shot. Not worry about the previous or next just the present shot.

I do most of those things in the morning just out of routine really. I stretch in a morning otherwise my lower back gives me jip, have my morning weetabix and then hit 25 balls on the range before my round to loosen off and spend half hour on the putting green.

For example:

I've got 2 cards towards my handicap which would currently give me a handicap of around 4, I went to play a further round with the intention of beating my previous scores and that benchmark never left my mind. I ended up shooting 9 over. As unimportant and without pressure a handicap card is over putts i'd never miss I'd almost load the pressure of the bloody ryder cup winning put on my shoulders instead of clearing my thoughts and rolling it in.

I very much have a battle with my own mind on a day to day basis not just golf so it's something that will help me in all facets of my life really.

Needless to say I won't be handing in that third card and hope to get my final card on saturday employing more of these techniques to clear my mind when i'm stood over the ball. Ultimately I have a great laugh on the course it's just thoughts when stood over a shot that can make me make silly mistakes.

It is silly really as you're right I'm not playing to pay my mortgage or really anything of great importance, but my mind still makes a big deal of my score and I put needless pressure on myself

This bit stands out for me besides the Card issue. If your having this battle on a day to day basis, I'd suggest addressing that more as a priority than the golf side, as if you can get it right daily you can transfer these skills into your rounds of golf. If you haven't read it or come across it a great place to start is with a book or audio book by Stephen Covey called "The 7 habits of highly effective people" theres a lot in there to digest which is why some find the audio book easier, but it helps realign your mindset and adjust the way you approach life, problems and yourself. Once you learn the habits they really are easily transferable into sport, work, anything at all. One that stands out is "Begin with the end in mind" about never starting something until you know what you want to achieve this may be a life skill, but is it any different to a golf shot, do you hit and hope or do you know what you want to do before you hit the ball.

Give it a go and help every aspect of life not just golf