Attitude on the Course

[iacas]

Yesterday I invited two of my junior (high school) golfers out to play 18 holes. They were both cracking jokes and being sarcastic. One, who I've played with more frequently, quickly took my words to heed and wisened up.

The other continued to be, well, let's say his behavior was not nearly in the right mindset. He's been playing out of his head lately, and he happened to be hitting the ball only so-so that day. Several times I stressed to him that I didn't care how he was hitting the ball day to day, but only that his attitude was okay. Several times I told him that you can score while striking the ball poorly.

No good - I had to send him home after he teed off on the 8th hole. I was sick of playing with him, he was taking the fun out of the group, and if he wasn't there to play golf - only to bitch and complain about it - then so be it, and hasta la vista.

This guy is a freshman who has moved up to being the #2 guy on the team, less than a stroke behind the #1 guy. He has a lot of potential, and I've spent very little time working with these guys on their swing mechanics this year and a lot of time working on their thought processes. Some seem to get it, others do not.

He's talented, but unless he gets the mental game thing going in the right direction, heck, he may have already reached his potential, I feel.

I was just the same as these guys back in high school - I would constantly try to work on my swing while playing a round of golf, even competitively. I'd get down on myself when I wasn't playing good golf, even if I was winning the match(es). Even if a shot had a good result, I'd get mad if the contact wasn't good or whatever...

The one difference between me and them was that I had a sound course management and I realized that every hole was a new hole, especially in matches. These guys double the first hole and then just go through the motions for the other 8 (or 17). Maybe a birdie can snap them back, but they're unlikely to birdie going through the motions.

On the back nine yesterday with the kid who listens, we had a great time. We teed off from the ladies tees and I made the kid play a specific shot on every shot. For example, from the tee, I'd have the kid hit a stinger draw with a 4-iron, then a punchy cut 6I into the green. On a 105-yard par 3 with a pin tucked front right behind a bunker, I had him play a low cutting 8-iron. I stressed the use of visualization and a pre-shot routine that didn't focus on mechanics, but simply on "feeling" the shot. Whether it was a 50-yard slice that starts at the trees with a driver or a low big draw with a 7-iron, the pre-shot routine and visualizing the shot were important each time.

This kid isn't the best mechanically. He casts and loses power and his usual shot is a weak cut. These shots took him outside of his comfort zone - he usually looks at the yardage, takes a club, and hits it - and he played really well. Had we been keeping score, he would have probably shot 40 when his normal score is 45 (we didn't putt out much and we did play from the ladies tees, albeit with irons usually).

Okay, rant over. I have a lot more to say about attitudes on the golf course, but I'll leave this one for now. I'm sure nobody wants to read a book.

[OTCameron]

I'm just the same. Like today, I started by getting on a difficult par 4 in 2, but I ended up 3 putting, I got over that and went to the next par 4 and got on in 2 again, but I 3 putted, for the last 7 holes I just plain sucked and lost all concentration. If I'm not in the right mindset, I might aswell walk off, because I just don't enjoy it.

[Rickins]

As a fairly new golfer, my wife has gone through the usual frustration we've all faced. One problem, if it can be described as such, is that she can hit the ball well. 170-190 yards on a drive isn't out of the question, and it's generally pretty much down the middle. The other problem, as one might surmise, is that it doesn't happen frequently enough.

The errant shots often turned into a complete debacle leading to complaining that the whole game is a waste of time and money. (Not a whole lot of fun for either of us. ) So, I came up with a "system". Not novel by any means but, now she's got par + 3 to reach the green. After that, she picks up and waits for me to finish the hole. (If she reaches the green in par + 3, or less, she has to putt out.)

As a result, not only does each hole have significance, i.e. she doesn't want to record a "P" for "pickup" but, she's aiming at eliminating ALL "pickups" from her game. (Only had five in our last round of 18 holes and she bettered my score on two of the other thirteen. )

I don't know if this ties in with your point of "mindset", Erik. I do know that my wife is looking at making solid contact (as opposed to laughing about missing the ball all together - three times - while my 250-yard drive up the middle lies languishing ) and has intermediate goals that have nothing to do with "score" alone. (Hell, we're having fun again...)

Rick

[bnlongdriver]

You have to keep it in perspective .... golf is a GAME!! I'm a 4-5 capper - shot 88 Monday and then Wednesday I shot 77 bogeying the last 2 holes. From an attitude POV ... you'd have never known which rounds was which! I just tell myself .. you have to have bad days to have good days, so why get upset at a bad day, it just make the good days sweeter!

... I had rather play with someone that shoots 120 and has fun, than a Pro who shoots 68 and is all serious .....

[Rafcin]

... I had rather play with someone that shoots 120 and has fun, than a Pro who shoots 68 and is all serious .....

There is a significant difference between having a "game face" and having a wrong attitude. I always play with assistant pros from my home course, that are almost 1/2 my age, but we're playing very serious game... and having a lot of fun doing it.

[bnlongdriver]

One thing I know for sure .... i'm going to have fun and enjoy my day! Other wise I won't play. A few of the guys I play with regularly will shoot 65-70 everytime they tee it up. One guy is cool and fun to be around, the other guy is a stick in the mud. I had rather play with a hackin 35 capper than a serious -4. Playing in a $10 nassau or a $5 skins game is nothing to be serious about. Maybe my perspective is what you're missing ... I have 3 daughters 11, 9 and 5, I work days my wife works nights. My escape from reality is 4 hours on the course once ...maybe .... twice a week. So the last thing I want to do is go out to play with someone who feels that their life depends on each and every shot. Just hit it, go find it and hit it again until you get it in the hole and add up the scores at the end of the round.