The Red Mist!!

[mikee247]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions gents. I am already feeling more confident I can manage this better just by doing at least something about it. Personally I know I can play the game well and in deed enjoy it for a whole round even with poor shots as I have don it before. Part of me wants this "phase" to be blamed on other things but to be honest there isnt any. So I am going to do something about it and my game. Starts tomorrow in a club match! Wish me and my playing partner luck!

 

[Smiffy]

Throwing your expensive putter into the ground so hard that you think you have bent the shaft tends to calm you down a little. Try it. I did last Sunday, and it worked!
Short par 3, I hit a lovely wedge to about 5 or 6 feet. Fancied the birdie putt. Two minutes later I walked off with bloody bogie!!!!!! How can you three putt from 6 feet??????
To say I was livid was an understatement. Steam was coming out of my lugs. My putter took a flyer. A real flyer. 13th hole and the first time during the round I had got wound up despite blobbing the first two holes.
I laughed about them 'cos they were such stupid blobs. But three putting from 6 feet???
I thought I had bent my putter. The minute I did it I realised I was being a knob. Checked the shaft, it was still ok. But I had calmed down. Went on to par the next 4 holes.

 

[backwoodsman]

Have been known to have " bit of a temper myself" so can imagine how you feel at times- very frustrating when you're miles off the standard you know you can achieve. One thing that helped me a bit was, before a round, pick a phrase - any phrase, but the sillier or more offbeat the better - and that's what you're going to call yourself when the mist starts. So, when you do carve one into the trees, your anguished cry should be "oh, you green aardvark" or "Nissan Sunny" or something.

It takes a bit of discipline - which is of course in short supply at the time - but a) trying to remember the phrase takes the edge off things, b) its more difficult to chuck a club to the phrase "aubergine risotto" than it is to !$£%&!££%$%"*, and c) it offends your partners less who can see you're trying...

Not a perfect solution by any means but it can help a bit - I still "cuss" (vigorously) from time to time but haven't chucked in ages