Gotta get my mind right (long, sorry)

I never thought the mental aspects of the game would be so hard to overcome. Yesterday I went out by myself, there was one group a hole and a half ahead of me, but they were moving pretty quickly so no hold up and nobody pushing me from behind so I could play at my own pace.

First hole is a short (330 yard) par-4 from an elevated tee. I stuck my tee shot to about 95 yards out and hit a nice easy gap wedge to the green. I mis-read where the pin was and had to putt up over a rise, but still made par.

Second hole is by handicap the toughest on the course. Only 374 yards, but with fairway bunkers on both sides of the landing area and a really tough bunker complex at the green. Again I split the fairway, but pulled my approach into a bunker. Got out of the bunker in one and two-putted for bogey. At this point I thought I was rolling pretty good and had high hopes for the round.

Go up the hill to the 143 yard par-3. Pin is in the middle so I pull my 8 iron thinking I could land it a few yards onto the green and let it roll out to the middle. Unfortunately, I caught it absolutely perfectly and it went clear over the green, hit the cart path and bounced into the woods. Doh! Got a new ball and my 9 iron and tried to hit it slow and smooth. Hit another near perfect shot and wound up with the ball on the fringe at the back of the green and three-putted for an ugly 6.

Next tee I topped my drive, shanked my 2nd into a bunker (the only one anywhere near the green btw) and wound up with a 7. I double-bogeyed the next hole, a par-5. My confidence off the tee was shot and even my trustworthy 3hybrid was shooting balls off in random directions.

I've got to find a way to get back to form after a bad hole or two. To go from splitting fairways and clearing fairway bunkers to topping shots & pulling approaches 50 yards offline is absolutely maddening. Heck, I almost hit a guy (I yelled, he ducked) on a teebox adjacent to the green I was shooting for.

Sorry for the length of my rant.

Norm,
When you find out how to overcome that, let all of us know. I know for myself, if I could get over a bad hole, I would make up at least 2 shots per round.
3 Deep breaths is what my wife says.. I've always been too mad to try it though!!

Mike

If i can get out there and just play at my pace i never have a problem. Its when we wait on every hole for every shot that i get mad and i start to play terrible. I wish i could not get so mad.

think back to when youve had your stretches of your best holes ever and tell yourself you know you can do it, you just gottatrust it.

Like in this tournament I really wanted to do well in, I bogeyed my first 6 or 7 holes, it was disgusting. But i knew I could get over it because ive made a lot of birdies before and even shot a 31 so I mean, shit happens. You just need a good pre shot rutine and remember that you know how to do this because youve done it plenty of times before, you just gotta trust it.

Yeah, this happens to me too--I lose my rhythm when I have to wait 15 minutes for the slow foursome ahead to hole out.

@Norm: When you find out how to overcome this, you can write a book and make millions. I'd be sure to buy it, too.

LOL, this is why I posted this here. You guys at least understand. My idea is to go back and play again today like I don't care what happens. Instead of trying to analyze what goes wrong, just go with the flow. If I can maintain it for 18 holes I bet my score is much better. We'll see.

Check out this book:

http://www.tgw.com/customer/category...TEGORY_ID=3399

I'm about a third of the way through it and it's already helping me quite a bit.

David D -

Give us the full account when you are done please!

hello room, I too am a complete head case when it comes to golf.

However, I am in recovery...well, on my way to recovery.

I had a problem looking at "PAR", everything I did, my complete mental health on the course revolved around par. I could make putt for 6 from anywhere on the green, but for a 3, forget it. Same with full shots, hit 2 balls OB from the tee, I could flush my 6th shot approach to a few feet, make my putt for 7.

I made a committment this year, that each shot was only 1 stroke, and based on the advice in the book "Fearless Golf", am working at treating every shot like it might be the last golf shot I ever get to hit. At the same time, realizing, if I hit a bad shot, I am no worse a person that I was before nor if I hit a good shot, am I am better person.

I no longer report my scores to player partners as "birdie" "par" or "bogey" all my reports now are in numbers. I don't have birdie putts, I have a putt for a 3. I no longer make a bogey, I have a 5.

I know this makes me a complete headcase, but it works for me, and I bet it would work for you too.......we are all in this boat together....lets start playing better golf!

Thanks for posting this !

My friend and I are regular victims to slow play, and when we start playing poorly and spend 10 minutes over the next shot, it can get ugly. We have resorted to a portable ipod speaker system and some music of our choosing, taking care to not disturb others. Maybe some James Brown after a topped iron? Seems to help