The Mental Game

I haven't seen too much discussed on this so I figured on a new thread to hopefully get some suggestions and share techniques.

What are some examples of "the mental game"? How do you NOT let things get to you? What do you tell yourself to shake off having to card a double, triple, quadruple bogey.

Today I played a different course. I was having a really good round. At the end of 9 holes I was at 39. The guy who I was playing with (who doesn't play by the rules) had his son-in-law show up. This guy wouldn't shut up. He had NO kind of respect or etiquette. I let it get to me and just blew a potentially great round. I shot a 56 on the back nine.

Last week the "thing" that got me was loosing a ball.

Out of all the guys that I know that play, I'm the only one who cares anything about playing by the rules. I've always heard that if you want to play better, then play with people who are better than you. Easier said than done. I've decided to quit playing with these guys.

I've been playing for over 30 years now and I still struggle with distractions, mostly from annoying players I'm unfamiliar with in my group. It truly can readily be a "good walk spoiled" if you get an overly-testosteroned idiot joining you who decided to play the game because he failed at other sports and realized golf is a game where you have a captive audience to potentially show-off to for over 5 hours. It's easy to not care about these fools personally, but very difficult to block out their violations of etiquette -- what golfers and non-golfers alike use to refer to as common decency.

Few people realize the very first section of the Rules of Golf covers etiquette, including "Consideration for Other Players." I've been a golf coach for the past three years and I'm a stickler about having my players be still and quiet while others in their group are playing. I tell them "I don't even want to hear you blink an eye!" They get plenty of dirty looks from me when they rustle around when others are playing during matches and tournaments.

For me, I try to play with the same group of players. They know my nuances and phobias, and I know theirs. And if I have to, I remind them if they're doing something annoying, such as standing behind me down my target line on the tee box -- you'd be surprised by the number of people I regularly play with who know that gets to me, and others in the group will politely correct them if it happens. It's not personal.

This game is far too expensive and time-consuming to allow others to annoy you. I tell my players that they are their own best representatives, and if they won't speak for themselves, who will? By saying something, those who truly don't know about etiquette will learn, and if they're decent, they'll show respect. And if not, then you've identified yet another narcissistic bore you can remove from your golfing life.

I appreciate your thread.

People play golf for different reasons. Some want to shoot a low score. Some guys just want to guzzle beer and knock the ball around. If you like the guys you play with, then keep playing with them. The fact that they don't play by the rules has nothing to do with your score. If you don't enjoy their company then stop playing with them. Go out as a single and get paired up with different people. You might make some new golf friends.