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Is There Such Thing As A Clutch Factor In Golf?


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Is There Such Thing As A Clutch Factor In Golf?  

30 members have voted

  1. 1. Is There Such Thing As A Clutch Factor In Golf?

    • Yes
      27
    • No
      2
    • Sometimes you get it done and sometimes you don't
      1


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I voted yes because there are players that perform better "under the gun" than others, some guys can even elevate their games.

With my own game, I've certainly failed under pressure at times but my best shots and rounds have all come in tournaments/competition. For me getting a little nervous helps me focus. Not saying I can always tap into it but I also remember hitting some good shots, making some short putts when I "had to" get it done.

We've all heard Jack and Tiger talk about enjoying pressure and feeding off it. I'm sure there are also pros that get very uncomfortable when they're in the hunt.

What do you think? Are you a clutch player?

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/is-there-such-a-thing-as-clutch

Johnny Miller has gotten a lot of criticism for opening up this area of golf analysis. He doesn’t deny his perspective is informed by his own own frailties as an admittedly jumpy player. But making the subject of choking central to his commentary has been an important breakthrough in the public’s better understanding the sport.

Statistically, pressure generally has a negative effect on performance in golf. Sometimes, memorably, it will act as a spur to a super-focused effort that produces a great round. But mostly scores get higher.

Take Tiger Woods in his prime. His 14-1 record with at least a share of the 54-hole lead in majors, which extends to 54-4 (a 94 percent conversion rate) in all official events, is arguably his most impressive and telling record (the PGA Tour average is perennially below 40 percent). And yet, as David Barrett pointed out in Golf World, from 2003 to 2009, Woods’ final round scoring average of 69.38 was higher than his overall scoring average of 69.11 for that same period. In other words, even Woods played worse than normal on Sunday with a lead.

Mike McLoughlin

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I've always liked and enjoyed pressure.

I like to "show off" a bit, though. I've always liked pressure because I feel like I embrace it and try to say "ha, you think you have me beat… well watch THIS!"

Plus I think it's a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If I think I'm good, I'll have more positive thoughts as I'm about to hit the shot.

Also, if I think I'm great under pressure, I'll write off the times I misfire as anomalies, and the times I succeed I will serve as a bit of confirmation bias to "prove" to myself that I'm as good under pressure as I think I am. :-) Win-win!

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Careful scrutiny of "clutchness" in other sports, like baseball and basketball, has typically shown that it's confirmation bias. We remember the hits and forget the misses. When Derek Jeter hits the walk-off single we remember it, and if he hits into a double play we forget it. The key fact is that he was a really good player generally and played for a really successful team, so he was in those situations a lot.

So I would be wary of declaring someone clutch without analyzing their numbers outside of the emotion of it. There's no denying that Tiger and Phil were just better than nearly everyone else in all situations, so clearly they are going to outperform most in pressure situations, and have many opportunities in those big situations.

Edited by Leebonium
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I've always enjoyed competing for something more than just a score.  My personal best round and one of my 2 aces came during tournament play in my Men's Club Championship.  I don't know if that makes me a clutch player or not, but I know that I focus better when I'm facing a shot from a difficult lie, or when there is money or bragging rights on the line.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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I don't know about clutch factor, but there certainly is a choke factor.

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Julia

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Careful scrutiny of "clutchness" in other sports, like baseball and basketball, has typically shown that it's confirmation bias. We remember the hits and forget the misses. When Derek Jeter hits the walk-off single we remember it, and if he hits into a double play we forget it. The key fact is that he was a really good player generally and played for a really successful team, so he was in those situations a lot.

So I would be wary of declaring someone clutch without analyzing their numbers outside of the emotion of it. There's no denying that Tiger and Phil were just better than nearly everyone else in all situations, so clearly they are going to outperform most in pressure situations, and have many opportunities in those big situations.

I think you'd have to say Daniel Murphy has been clutch for the Mets in the post season.  Murphy is one of the least likely of the core Mets players to hit six consecutive home runs.

In terms of golf, it's comes down to how you handle increased pressure, Spieth is a clutch golfer and Dustin Johnson is not based on their past performances. 

Edited by newtogolf

Joe Paradiso

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Also, if I think I'm great under pressure, I'll write off the times I misfire as anomalies, and the times I succeed I will serve as a bit of confirmation bias to "prove" to myself that I'm as good under pressure as I think I am. :-) Win-win!

The extreme example of this is Jack's claims to have never missed a critical putt.

But, IMO, it takes a lot of time and consistency before we can distinguish between clutch and coincidence.  I would suggest that Tiger's 54 hole closing records are evidence of clutch.  I would then argue that Murphy's little spree for the Mets has to go into the coincidence file for the moment.  

 

But then again, what the hell do I know?

Rich - in name only

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I think the choke factor is much more prevalent than the clutch factor.

It's becomes obvious when someone is betting more cash than they are comfortable. I love it when this happens. I don't have to be clutch, because I just know they are gonna choke.

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I know there is, my wife is someone who rises to the occasion. She has won six Club Championships and it seems when she is under the gun she makes the shot(s) she needs to make. Me on the other hand I have had my handicap from 5-8 for fifteen years and never won a Club Championship. When it gets to the last day I always seem to gag and end up finishing second or third. I have seen and played with a lot of different golfers who have been playing at all levels and I see some who spit the bit and some who play with no fear. So yes there is a suck a thing as clutch factor and also a choke factor. For over ten years Tiger Woods was the epitome of clutch on the PGA Tour. 

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You can definitely tell there are some people that thrive on additional pressure.  There are "gamers" or clutch performers on and off the tour.  I don't know how it would be measured as a metric though.  It just one of those eye tests, like in other sports.  You either have it or you don't, I don't believe there is a quantitative measurement for it.

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Is There Such Thing As A Clutch Factor In Golf?

I like the responses that cite a "choke" factor as well as the idea that certain players often are just better than most and thus tend to play better when an important situation arises.

 

Brian Kuehn

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I played in our fall member-member tournament with a guy who has won these type events multiple times with multiple partners. We finished second and, if I played anywhere near my handicap, we should have won it going away. Granted, I putted well, but I hit a lot of dicey shots in a 36 hole alternate shot format. My partner handled it all with a composed cool and I think he hit two poor shots all weekend. I understand now why he has won these things so often and I hope he doesn't dump me for holding him back. The cash we got helped salve the self inflicted wounds but I want this clutch guy in my camp going forward.

Edited by phan52

Bill M

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I voted yes because there are players that perform better "under the gun" than others, some guys can even elevate their games.

With my own game, I've certainly failed under pressure at times but my best shots and rounds have all come in tournaments/competition. For me getting a little nervous helps me focus. Not saying I can always tap into it but I also remember hitting some good shots, making some short putts when I "had to" get it done.

We've all heard Jack and Tiger talk about enjoying pressure and feeding off it. I'm sure there are also pros that get very uncomfortable when they're in the hunt.

What do you think? Are you a clutch player?

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/is-there-such-a-thing-as-clutch

I would wonder what the details of the data show on Tiger Woods final rounds being higher.  I would wonder if that average is more telling of Woods with such an enormous lead or even just a convincing lead that he knows he could let off the gas peddle just a tad bit and play slightly less aggressive, conservative to avoid the risky shots where the reward at that time is not justified but could result in a stroke or two (or three) more if executed poorly. Thus putting the tournament back into contention with whoever is in second or third place.

Edited by Gator Hazard
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I don't know about clutch factor, but there certainly is a choke factor.

LOL. 

In the world of golf, there are exact same number of choke & clutch events.  The golf god made it this way to make golf appear to be a fair game.   When a player chokes in a PGA tour, another player in Euro tour makes a clutch winning putt.   They all average out and at the end of the year ---> choke + clutch = 0!   So, if you are choking now, wait.  The law of average will compensate for you later.  

 

:-)

Edited by rkim291968

RiCK

(Play it again, Sam)

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LOL. 

In the world of golf, there are exact same number of choke & clutch events.  The golf god made it this way to make golf appear to be a fair game.   When a player chokes in a PGA tour, another player in Euro tour makes a clutch winning putt.   They all average out and at the end of the year ---> choke + clutch = 0!   So, if you are choking now, wait.  The law of average will compensate for you later.  

 

:-)

The golf gods owe me a lot of clutch hits, hell, at the rate I have/am accruing choke shots I should be turning pro shortly when it comes around.  :)

Actually I guess they are just bad shots.  I think in general I perform better in anything when pressure is added, it focuses and sharpens me.  I will say though that it is a fine edge, and we have even seen pros elevate their game with pressure and at times choke as a result of it.  

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Kevin Na comes to my mind when it comes to choking.  Needing par-par finish yesterday, he screws up an easy (relative to pros) chip shot, leaving a long putt for par.   He misses it.  Needing birdie on the final hole, he misses a medium range put to finish 2nd for two tournaments in a row.   I think he has like 7 - 8 2nd finishes vs just one win.  

RiCK

(Play it again, Sam)

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LOL. 

In the world of golf, there are exact same number of choke & clutch events.  The golf god made it this way to make golf appear to be a fair game.   When a player chokes in a PGA tour, another player in Euro tour makes a clutch winning putt.   They all average out and at the end of the year ---> choke + clutch = 0!   So, if you are choking now, wait.  The law of average will compensate for you later. 

 

:-)

I think players tend to be clutch or chokers.  The golf gods make sure the number of bad shots and good shots seem to even out but I think handling pressure or succumbing to it is more of a personality trait. 

Joe Paradiso

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I think for PGA Tour and other very talented players clutch is just the absents of choke.  Basically, they are more likely than not to make an outstanding shot at any time so if they make another one with everything on the line they are just playing their normal game.  Choking must certainly be real as nerves can inhibit your normal functions.

Also, for an average golfer it doesn't really seem like clutch is possible because if he doesn't have the technique to make mostly good shots normally, then how could he suddenly be more likely to make a good one in a pressure situation?  I guess he could if perhaps he DOES have the technique but just doesn't concentrate very hard for most of the mundane shots.  The same could be true for a pro.

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