Fix My Head

**CarlSpackler** · May 28, 2009

I think I have a problem with the mental approach to the game. I am not talking about course management, but I think I have a problem convincing myself that I can score well. Many times, I stripe a drive down the middle but have a hard time hitting approach shots. I hit most tee shots decent except on 3 pars. I am working with a pro to make sure there are no swing flaws that cause bad iron shots, but it seems that I can hit my irons and wedges good on the range. If I am on the course practicing, I can usually drop a second ball and put it within reasonable birdie range. Has anyone else gone through this? Is my head broken where I would be better off visiting a shrink instead of a PGA Pro? HELP!!!

**opie** · May 28, 2009

subscribed.. I'm interested also. My coach asked what I shot this past weekend, when I told him 86 his exact words were.. "How awful is your short game?"

I'm a driving range pro and working on confidence in my swing when I hit the course. I don't know why looking down a fairway makes me not trust it

**lumpuckeroo** · May 28, 2009

Not sure this helps, but when I play my best I don't think about a score, just making solid contact and positive advancement of the ball. If I hit a solid drive, the last thing I want to think about is making birdie or any score for that matter. I just want to make solid contact on my approach shot, knowing that if need be I can pitch and putt my way to a good round.

**ted dibiase** · May 28, 2009

Check out the book Zen Golf. The philosophies described in this book have helped me with the "mental approach" to golf.

**CarlSpackler** · May 28, 2009

My best scoring days are definitely when my short game is working. What amazes me is how some days it is there, but most... *sigh* I know I can hit good shots but can't make myself do it.

**lumpuckeroo** · May 28, 2009

My best scoring days are definitely when my short game is working. What amazes me is how some days it is there, but most... *sigh* I know I can hit good shots but can't make myself do it.

Find your happy place! Seriously, tell yourself you have the best short game ever, believe it and you will be happy with the results.

**Eeryck** · May 28, 2009

I am going to say take one shot at a time.

I am sure you have heard it before, but here is what it had meant to me when I am playing better, and I have only had glimpses prior to this. For me:

It means forgetting about your last shot, it is in the past good or bad.
It means forgetting about the next shot you are going to make, you don't know what this result is going to be yet.
It means don't worry about your score with respect to par, or with respect to anything else for that matter
It means don't consider how this shot is going to affect how you play the rest of the hole
Pick the shot and execute and accept the result you will get
If you don't get the result, pick the next shot and execute again

I really had a break through moment with this when I put up the thread that had every shot planned out for an entire round. Picked an easy driving distance and second club. So the drive was 225y looking for a fairway. Then it was done. The second shot was written down, so I checked my distance and made that shot to the green. Then it was short game time. Then putting time.

The whole time I just marked the stats on my card, and I had no idea what my score was till I finished the round. Even on the individual holes, once I holed out I had to go back and think about the shots I hit to determine my score for the hole.

I don't know what it will take for others to play one shot at a time, but I think once you find your meaning there, you will get over the mental hurdle you are describing.

FWIW,
-E

**CarlSpackler** · May 28, 2009

Find your happy place! Seriously, tell yourself you have the best short game ever, believe it and you will be happy with the results.

I will give this a try. BTW - My happy place is Hooters and they told me I couldn't practice in there any more.

I am pretty good at leaving bad shots behind and concentrating on the next. My bad shots actually tend to follow good shots for some odd reason. Maybe a mental hurdle where my subconscious is telling me that I am incapable of hitting back to back good shots? Although I did birdie the last hole last night where I smoked a drive on a long par for into the wind, hit a four iron to 12' and drained it dead center. ...or maybe I am just psyching myself out here. I dunno.

**billm408** · May 28, 2009

Read Rotella's books. Start w/ Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect.
Believing you can is huge. It's the single biggest obstacle that I've seen between someone who can improve their scores and someone who settles into their comfort zone.

**CarlSpackler** · May 29, 2009

Read Rotella's books. Start w/ Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect.

I actually do have

Play To Play Great , but I will have to check that one out.

**beachbreak** · May 30, 2009

Ray Floyd's book The Elements of Scoring is a great read.

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