The Pressure Shot

[njrose51]

Situation - beautiful drive leaving anything from a 9-7 iron to the green. no dram or risk.

Outcome - duff the shot 100 yards!!!

I don't feel any pressure, nerves or tension. But there is the train of thought that I have a great chance of getting on the green in two, which ultimately places pressure and tension on my swing.

Any simple words of advice would be appreciated - calming thoughts, pre shot routine etc.

Thanks,

Nick

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

On a couple of holes at my home track I was struggling with 7-9 irons approaches - until I realised that in my head I was thinking too much about the outcome of the shot and actually trying to 'place' the ball on the green. And of course it became a vicious circle - chunk it - place it - place it - chunk it - chunk it - place it ...

As soon as I stopped doing that and just concentrated on hitting the shot - and not worrying at all about where it was going to go - things improved. I still struggle a bit - they are tricky approach shots - one to a very raised green, the other raised and blind - but things are a lot better.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Having played with you at H4H the main advice is that you need to calm down when playing, you are very intense and seem desperate for the scores to be low to the point that when you have a bad shot or bad hole then you beat yourself up badly. You may not feel pressure on yourself but your body language whilst playing doesn't say that.

Ultimately right now your HC is what it is - get comfortable playing to that - expect the bad shots to happen so when they do they don't cause damage

 

[Maninblack4612]

Very hard to do but swing as if you don't care where the shot is going. I've, on occasions, got into this mindset & the result is a free flowing, tension free swing. Bit like a practice swing, only at the ball. When stressed, I tend to grip too tight & this destroys the rhythm of my swing. Getting into a "don't care" frame of mind seems to release the tension.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Relax, have a solid (but quick) pre-shot routine you stick to each time and accept you'll hit bad shots. It's how you hit the next one that counts

 

[richart]

Can't help you Nick, but is one of the worse feelings in golf to cream a drive down the middle, and then duff the second shot. I am rubbish from the middle of the fairway, but not too bad out of the cabbage.

Perhaps it is law of averages that higher handicap golfers are less likely to hit two good shots in a row ?:mmm:

 

[User62651]

I don't feel any pressure, nerves or tension. But there is the train of thought that I have a great chance of getting on the green in two, which ultimately places pressure and tension on my swing.

You've kind of contradicted yourself there, some tension is ok that it's part of focus and desire to do well, nothing wrong with that imo. The more you get used to pressure probably means you're scoring better. Golf is target based, brain needs a precise target to aim at and I don't agree with the view that you should just blot out any targets and swing free. My advice would be to club up, a few deep breaths, solid pre shot routine focusing hard on where you want the ball to go, then swing. Thinking you've too much club in hand will make you swing smoothly, slower and under control, so better ball striking and as 80% of hazards are in front of green you'll be more likely to miss those too.

 

[Dasit]

You a high handicapper who expects far more from your game than it is worthy of.

Believe me, I know all about it.

 

[njrose51]

Having played with you at H4H the main advice is that you need to calm down when playing, you are very intense and seem desperate for the scores to be low to the point that when you have a bad shot or bad hole then you beat yourself up badly. You may not feel pressure on yourself but your body language whilst playing doesn't say that.

Ultimately right now your HC is what it is - get comfortable playing to that - expect the bad shots to happen so when they do they don't cause damage

That is very true! And some good advice! ta!

 

[njrose51]

Thanks Forumers! I'll try and take the advice to the course.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Three, slow, deeps breaths gets rid of a great deal of tension before a shot if needed but it's not getting to the root cause. Expectation. We've no right to expect a shot to go where we want but can only try our best to make it happen. Focus on the shot in hand (club, shape, lie, wind, how you're hitting on the day etc. etc.) and learn to accept whatever the outcome is. Rinse and repeat. Takes practice like anything but will help.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Very hard to do but swing as if you don't care where the shot is going. I've, on occasions, got into this mindset & the result is a free flowing, tension free swing. Bit like a practice swing, only at the ball. When stressed, I tend to grip too tight & this destroys the rhythm of my swing. Getting into a "don't care" frame of mind seems to release the tension.

I see this in my sons golf. Play with any juniors and they have a devil may care attitude. They take on everything without a care in the world. I envy them. It doesn't mean they always make it but they certainly play more freely and play better shots because of this attitude.

I have this problem with 7 iron and longer. I need to try harder to copy what you say, you are right.

 

[Craigg]

" Ok, I've hit a decent drive, middle of the fairway, 9 iron in. I'm making 5 at worst here. Target is the green but anywhere within chipping distance is good. Chip on, 2 putts and off you go" Takes a bit of pressure off hitting the green and you'll probably hit it. :thup:

 

[clubchamp98]

You a high handicapper who expects far more from your game than it is worthy of.

Believe me, I know all about it.

slightly harsh.

under pressure I just go for the middle of the green.

just imagine you are on the range and hit a full shot , get your yardage right this takes guess work out of the equasion.

 

[Region3]

I've only felt very nervous over 2 shots. A 2' putt when I thought I had a chance of winning a comp, and a 9 iron when par would give me a new best score.

I just tried to think about the process rather than the ball. Just swing and let the ball get in the way.

1 shot went well and 1 didn't (but turned out ok in the end), but the more times you put yourself in that position the better equipped you feel to deal with it the next time (past experience from another game).

 

[Hobbit]

Will you starve if you duff it? Will you be evicted? Will govts fall?

Its not important in the true context of your life. Learn to laugh out loud at yourself... you will, like the rest of us, get plenty of opportunities to do so. You might as well enjoy it

 

[MadAdey]

Take a chill pill and relax. You've hit a good drive and now got a short iron in your hand so your probably thinking about maybe making birdie. Forget it and empty your head. I always, unless the green is huge or flag tucked tight to one side, go for the middle. Make sure you take plenty of club and put a nice easy swing on it.

Work out what club will put you on the back half and what will put you on the front half, then take the club that will be on the back. If you catch it well you are on the back half of the green, if you don't quite catch it properly then you are on the front part, or just off the front chipping. When you start concentrating on the flag too much then you can start to tense up and then your not going to put a nice smooth swing on it. Aim for the biggest target which is the green and you will relax more.

 

[garyinderry]

You really shouldn't be getting worked up if its any old good drive and short iron approach. Sure near the end of the round and you are trying to keep it together for a personal best score or possible win then fine. Nerves will creep in.


Hitting greens in two will become the norm soon enough. Don't sweat the small stuff. Isn't that what they say.

If you must, think of the positives. You have just hit a sweet drive and put yourself in a good position. Sure beats the crap out of chipping out from behind a tree. :whoo:

 

[Fish]

I'm surprised nobody has asked what kind of duff! and is it the same kind of duff shot you do, such as a fat or thin in these circumstances?

I think identifying that goes someways to eradicating it, for example, if it's what we all describe as 'knobbing' it you are simply anticipating the shot far too much and looking for it before you've hit it by coming up, this is very common, especially when your telling yourself you should now being putting this shot on the green and are thinking about a birdie opportunity or par before you've even taken your shot!

If you hit a great drive that leaves only a mid or short Iron into the green then forget about the drive and getting all worked up in anticipation to make a birdie or par, imagine it now as a par 3 with a fresh mind set, what the worse you do on a par 3? play to your strengths, golf is and can be more about a state of mind than anything else.

 

[Craigg]

what the worse you do on a par 3?

I made 11 once