The curse of the card

[JohnnyDee]

After this weekend's mad round (32 points with 5 blobs!) I've been really quite brassed off, especially as 33 would've seen me in the buffer.

I played some brilliant golf but some awful dross too, and when it's boiled right down to the nub of the problem it was that little bit of folding cardboard I was carrying.

Despite what I try and tell myself it gets to me, the pressure of the card I mean. If I could find a working strategy that allowed me to forget it and play my own game I'd be a good 2 or 3 shots lower handicap.

I know I'm not unique having this weakness, and I know overcoming this weakness is part of the overall challenge of the game, but what do you do to put it out of your mind and allow you to play your 'normal' game.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

How long have you been playing this game??

 

[Imurg]

I know I'm not unique having this weakness, and I know overcoming this weakness is part of the overall challenge of the game, but what do you do to put it out of your mind and allow you to play your 'normal' game.

Play your normal game......play it as an ordinary game.
I always find it strange that people get uptight about having a card in their hands..
All that's at stake is 0.1 on your handicap. That's all.
If you get a 0.1 its not the end of the world.
The Sun will rise tomorrow
There will be more beer to drink.....

Relax, go and play some golf!

 

[SugarPenguin]

Theres been a few threads like this recently.
All of this - "just focus on your next shot and dont think about winning" and "never play to score or even look at your card"

I completely disagree. You KNOW when you are playing well. No matter if you arent looking at your score you instinctively know if you are in with a chance or not. My argument is that if you feel as if you are playing very well then look at your score. If you are say 36 points with 3 holes left - plan your next 3 holes. Use the trusty hybrid off the tee, lay up on par 5s and lag your putts etc..
That gives you an easy 6 points (in theory).

if you dont know your score then you may just end up doing the opposite and throwing your good work with a wayward drive or an aggressive putt. People who say dont think about it are wrong in my eyes. How can you plan what to do on a hole if you have no good idea of your score?

 

[JohnnyDee]

How long have you been playing this game??

About 15 years!!

Why??

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

About 15 years!!

Why??

I thought so, surely by now you have learned to cope with the situation?

 

[the_coach]

the answer is the same it's always been, you gotta stay in the present.

don't project into the future - index coming down - best ever score - first few lines of the acceptance speech - you'll crash & burn.

focus on the next course management decision, see the shot, psr, execute the swing, take 15 secs to process the result - move on & repeat - hole out at 18 - sign the card.

 

[full_throttle]

JD, do you mark a card during bounce games?

 

[Region3]

If you forget you have a card in your pocket it's then just another game. Not for me.

As coach said, you just need to stop projecting into the future.

Enjoy the feeling of it meaning something, or stop playing comps.

 

[Craigg]

I thought so, surely by now you have learned to cope with the situation?

obviously not or he wouldn't be asking the question!To the op. It's a difficult one to overcome. Some people, mainly professionals I would suggest, need a small amount of pressure to perform at the top of their game. However, most of us mere mortals will crumble into pieces when faced with a shot we have to make. We all deal with pressure differently. The only way I can deal with card pressure is to constantly tell myself to swing smoothly and relax, as I do in practice. I can see the thinking behind keeping score, but I'm of the opinion that what's gone is gone, and you can now only have an influence on the hole in front of you. So with this in mind, I don't keep score as I go.

 

[JohnnyDee]

I thought so, surely by now you have learned to cope with the situation?

Sometimes yes, other times (mostly I'd say) no. I do get a bit uptight about it and it's all my own doing letting it get into my head. However I know that I'm in no way on my own in this negative mind-set, having discussed it with many golfers from high to low handicap and who suffer the same woes.

Seems you have the secret...do share as I'd be all ears if it's foolproof :thup:

JD, do you mark a card during bounce games?

Yes but not very often an individual score as more often than not, when not playing a comp it's likely to be a stableford team thing of some sort.

But I see what you mean though. Think I'll start to keep my own medal one as well. Good plan.

Oh, and lest anyone is running away with the thought that I'm a gibbering wreck come comp day, I have to say I've won more than my fair share, but have also blown many other opportunities too.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Seems you have the secret...do share as I'd be all ears if it's foolproof :thup:

It's fun, it's a hobby, you play the game to relax and unwind.

As Imurg said, the worst that can happy is you get 0.1 back.

That's the secret.

 

[JohnnyDee]

It's fun, it's a hobby, you play the game to relax and unwind.

As Imurg said, the worst that can happy is you get 0.1 back.

That's the secret.

All very true, but show me the man who when playing golf doesn't cop the right hump when missing an 18 inch putt, or knifing one through the green OOB, or taking a double bogey on the 18th, and I'll show you an android or perhaps His Holiness The Pope in disguise.

Hobby? Yep. Play to relax? For sure (most of the time) but sometimes...just sometimes ...it does my head right in.

 

[Imurg]

I guess it depends on how you treat a round of golf.
Surely missing an 18 inches is going to annoy you whether it's on the last in the Medal or the 5th in a game against mates...? Maybe not...and if that is the case, to my mind, you're playing 2 different games.
Do you go out to try and shoot your best score ever every time you play? Regardless of conditions, course, situation or playing partners..?
If not, you're practising and not playing - subtle difference.
I always play to score as well as possible regardless, I switch off between shots and refocus when it's time to play again.
If you're concentrating fully on your shot then its the same whether it's a comp or not - and if it isn't then it should be, otherwise you're just out for a bit of fresh air....
Getting stressed simply because you may get 0.1 on your handicap is giving in to the Golfing Gods...

 

[Smiffy]

Show me the man who when playing golf doesn't cop the right hump when missing an 18 inch putt, or knifing one through the green OOB, or taking a double bogey on the 18th

I am that man.
And more

 

[JohnnyDee]

Do you go out to try and shoot your best score ever every time you play? Regardless of conditions, course, situation or playing partners..?

Of course I do. Every time

I always play to score as well as possible regardless, I switch off between shots and refocus when it's time to play again.

Same here

If you're concentrating fully on your shot then its the same whether it's a comp or not - and if it isn't then it should be, otherwise you're just out for a bit of fresh air....

May be a tad deficient on this

Getting stressed simply because you may get 0.1 on your handicap is giving in to the Golfing Gods...

With me it's getting annoyed because I want my handicap to decrease. The 0.1 isn't the thing really. It's getting into a good place and then doing something stupid. Something I'd rarely do in general bounce play that annoys the bejabbers out of me

I am that man.

And more

I feel your pain brother:cheers:

 

[shortstuff]

I'm with you on this one. All you can do is console yourself in the fact that you got into a good scoring position so you will do it again - but next time nail it. If there was any particular technique that let you down then practice that before the next round.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I think you need to re-adjust your expectation levels JD.

Sure, we all want to shoot our best ever score every time we play but if you are teeing off in a gale or lashing rain (or both!) in an open competition on a course that you are not familiar with then quite simply, it isn't going to happen. Some days it's just about limiting the damage and making the buffer can be a good result. Going out on your home course in perfect scoring conditions and not taking advantage can be frustrating and you just have to live with it but there will be other days when you don't feel the love stood on the first tee and everything mysteriously clicks into place.

That is the beauty of this game and it's what keeps bringing us back.

 

[JohnnyDee]

I think you need to re-adjust your expectation levels JD.

Sure, we all want to shoot our best ever score every time we play but if you are teeing off in a gale or lashing rain (or both!) in an open competition on a course that you are not familiar with then quite simply, it isn't going to happen. Some days it's just about limiting the damage and making the buffer can be a good result. Going out on your home course in perfect scoring conditions and not taking advantage can be frustrating and you just have to live with it but there will be other days when you don't feel the love stood on the first tee and everything mysteriously clicks into place.

That is the beauty of this game and it's what keeps bringing us back.

Can't disagree with this and put aptly.

 

[Scratch lefty]

Some good points have been made already, especially about expectations.

Here is some thoughts.

One of the worst mistakes you can make is going out thinking you can bust your PB every time, get rid of this thought.

The fact that you admit you wilt to the pressure of having a card in your hand explains that your applying unnecessary pressure on yourself. When you have a card in your hand relax and enjoy the game even more like you were a bounce game.

Lastly as you become better sometimes when pressure is applied you may well have a swing flaw which becomes magnified.

Between the ears this game.