why do I choke?

This is the first year I have played tournament golf and I each time I played I choke Big time like 10- 20 strokes over my handicap. It kills me as I play the ball down and putt our everything all the time so don’t play different rules than in tournaments, but come tournament time I fall apart. I hope by next year I can calm my nerves and play well in completion as it sucks to choke!

Yeah as you play more and more in tournament play you'll get more comfortable. Also just get comfortable in your swing and put that swing on the ball each time, even if its not a perfect shot it wont be a duff.

You may have answered your own question brother...NERVES! I too find that while just out w/the guys, so to speak, alls well...my THUR tourney is for the $$$, and I often loose confidence in my shot, thus the CHOKE! You/We kno what we're capable of and have to trust our capablilities...hang in there!

Control your breathing... before each shot!!!!!!!!!

Clear your head and make sure the only thing you're focused on is you hitting your shot at the intended target.

The one thing I can't get used to is using the adreline for good in golf. I played contact sports at high level until I was in my early 20's. Getting "pumped" for game day was great in football and Rugby as I would go out and cream a few guys early in the game. In golf I have not found a way to stay calm or chanel the extra omph I get when I compete though my brain still tells me to get pumped up as its game day.

Today on the first hole I cranked my drive off the frist tee looong, follwed up with a good layup, only to hit my gap wedge 140yards to a pin 100 yards away. it was all down hill from there.

LOL sounds like me. On one of the easiest holes of the course I hit my 54 wedge about 200 yards into the woods from 40 yards out. My partner could not stop laughing as I took the 2 stroke penalty to end the day.

So what do you do different in a casual round than in a tournament round?
You might be breathing flatter, you might tense up, your nervousness might increase your grip strength - all things, you wont recognize immediately and will figure out over time.

If you have time on your hand during a round - do some stretching and before taking the shot or putt - take 2-3 deep breaths and then fire away.

he best way to stop choking...not trying to be funny here is to bet on every possible round you can get a game. Playing for money changes the way you approach golf and the green on #18 looks a hell of a lot smaller when you know if you hit a good shot you win...bad shot you lose!!

Tournament golf is much the same. One shot can kiil you so must learn to handle the nerves. Love to gamble!!

Well there you go. I've learned this (and still occasionally have problems with it). You can't let a bad shot ruin your round, especially if it comes on the first hole. You're most likely going to have multiple bad shots during a round, I know I do. You have to forget about them and move on. It's possible to shoot a good score after a triple bogey or something of the like.

I do allot different. For one I think about for days before hand, play the shots in my head, planI do most days things out, then I show up much earlier than usual and warm up more than I do most days. I find I can play bad golf when I don't care or when I really care. When I am in that nice zone of being relaxed but still focased I have my best scores. I figure the more tourny I play in the better I will be. I guess it like when I first started golfing and you have those 1st nerves, than after a while you lose them. Now I love to have a big crowd on the first tee and I tend to hit my best drive of the day for the crowd.

I am very fragile when it comes to the mental side of the game. A bad start can cause me touble as can a good start (the old - I am my way to a great score don't mess it thinking).

I am not sure how to work on it other than maybe I should keep a journal (wow that sounds cheesy) of my thoughts and mental state and look back and see what worked and what didn't

TV golf announcer and consciousness-raiser Johnny Miller has a pretty good definition for choking - and it covers sports other than golf. JM sez that choking is caused by varying your normal routine in a pressure situation.

So, in a tournament, keep it simple. Think alignment and hit it. If you can't buy into a bold shot, play it safe. Don't try to pull off a Sergio or Tiger special that you wouldn't attempt during normal times.

Also, read the field. If everyone is taking double-bogey 6 on the No. 1 HDCP par 4 into the wind, maybe you should play it safe and try for bogey.

I'm back playing regularly for the first time in about five years, and next year I want to play some tournaments. You've given me something to think about.

Bob Rotella has some good books you should read - Golf is Not a Game of Perfect has helped me a ton. It's tough, but you need to just forget about bad shots and let nothing encroach on your focus.

Good book, I got it on cd and listen to it in the car once or twice a week. I can probably recite it word for word. It helped big time at first but it is not working anymore

Well, that is why they say the game is 90% mental and 10% physical.

My biggest problem is choking on the last hole or two when I am playing well. I played last week and shot a 79 with a double on 17 and a double on 18. Honestly not a great round, but I was putting so badly that I figured if I parred out for a 75 I would be happy.

I grew up on a little 9-hole course and more times than I care to remember, I would be a couple under, or right near par and end up quadruple bogeying #9.

Brew

practice.

Make sure you practice enough that it gives you confidence. I know I personally dont practice enough so tournaments are quite often hit or miss....It makes me uncomfortable going into them not knowing how im going to play particularly if its a tough driving course.


Lee Trevino often talked about practicing giving him confidence.

I second this. His books have been a great help. I feel the mental side of my game has improved over the last year. I used to have a bad hole and that would affect the rest of the round. On most occasions I can now put them to the back of my mind and get the round back on track. Comp not so long ago I had a 9 and an 8 after going along OK. I then managed to go par, par, par, bogey and double bogey to finish my round off and play to my handicap for the first time in a comp. Previously I would have let it get to me and messed up the whole round.