My mental game is killing me!!! Help me please

[Prodigy]

ok i shoot in the low to mid 80's now but i am so shaky. I will go and shoot a 83 then a 100. My biggest problem is my confidence on the range i am so relaxed and i know that i can strike the ball well . But on the course i am all up tight and i base my confidence on the last shot. My final problem is leaving birde putts short! i need advice on how to go for them if i start making those i will be in the high 70's more often

please help!!

Thanks for your time

. Chris

[CG031]

Here's a good way to stay relaxed: Who cares. If your just playing for fun, don't worry about your score so damn much. I wish us ameteurs would start to realize we just play for the fun of the game, don't worry what you are shooting. If you are less focused on your score, you'll start shooting real good scores. Focus on your shots, but stop looking ahead, "Oh, I have to shoot 75 today, etc. etc." because then only bad things will happen. Take it one shot at a time, and don't worry so much about your score. If you've shot 100 before, you know their are bad days, can't get much worse...so don't worry about it.

I know it's easier said than done, but...

[thedub]

what i did today at the range is tell myself one thing before i shot, for me it was keep your head down...then i swung. You know how to swing, so trust yourself first...thats all it is, TRUST!!

[Dent]

Here's a good way to stay relaxed: Who cares. If your just playing for fun, don't worry about your score so damn much. I wish us ameteurs would start to realize we just play for the fun of the game, don't worry what you are shooting. If you are less focused on your score, you'll start shooting real good scores. Focus on your shots, but stop looking ahead, "Oh, I have to shoot 75 today, etc. etc." because then only bad things will happen. Take it one shot at a time, and don't worry so much about your score. If you've shot 100 before, you know their are bad days, can't get much worse...so don't worry about it.

I second this. Just chill out man, you aren't trying to make the PGA tour.

[thedub]

In regards to leaving birdie putts short...

i do a drill where i put the ball in my right hand(right handed) and get in my stance without a club, then i throw the ball with my right hand only and that helps me relaize how slow or hard i have to swing, PLUS

prcatice, practice, practice....TRUST again tho, trust yourself to make the birdie putt!!

[Lefty731PM]

. I will go and shoot a 83 then a 100. My final problem is leaving birde putts short!

I don't think I'd be too concerned about leaving birdie putts short if you shoot 100 pretty often.

Pars aren't going to hurt you. I seriously doubt that your scoring woes have much to do missed birdie opportunities. Your problem is keeping the 7 and 8s off your card. If you're scoring 100, there aren't too many birdie putts.

[popey]

Just go out on the course and put your ipod on and try to distance yourself from what your trying to achieve. Yesterday i played for the first time in 3 months and was not expecting to play well, yet scored in the high 70's. This was because i was not expecting to play well so just swung the club naturally, not thinking bout it. My score could have been 5-6 shots better if i could putt but i except that because that is what you loose if you have not played in a long time, touch and feel!

[Prodigy]

I don't think I'd be too concerned about leaving birdie putts short if you shoot 100 pretty often.

its not that bad ive onlty done it twice im almost allways in the 80's

[ChiChiIsMe]

Sunday I looked at every shot as "I've made this shot before" and "I can make this shot" and put my best swing on it. Every shot as in individual shot. I was 1-under at the turn, and personal best. Carded a couple Doubles on the back from bad breaks, but didn't let them get to me, and ended up par-ing the last 3 holes tom come in @ 5 over 40. 4 over 75 for the day my best round ever. Just look at every shot as an indivual shot.

[Prodigy]

Sunday I looked at every shot as "I've made this shot before" and "I can make this shot" and put my best swing on it. Every shot as in individual shot. I was 1-under at the turn, and personal best. Carded a couple Doubles on the back from bad breaks, but didn't let them get to me, and ended up par-ing the last 3 holes tom come in @ 5 over 40. 4 over 75 for the day my best round ever. Just look at every shot as an indivual shot.

thats what i am trying to do easier said then done hopefully it will come

thanks everyone .Chris

[Left Is Right]

I was struggling with this too, and i played nine holes by just going up to the ball and hitting it, i took no practice swings(except on short game) i shot a 41, this even works in some tournaments ive played if im playing bad i just go up and hit it

I no it sounds simple but it works

[Finn07]

Do yourself a favor and go and buy the book "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" by Dr. Bob Rotella, its all about the mental part of the game and is an amazing book.

[beisenhauer]

A birdie putt counts the same on the card as a putt for double-bogey. Just think about the putt you need to make, not what your score will be. The score will take care of itself. Get yourself a good pre-shot routine and follow it on every putt, whether it's for eagle or to save quadruple-bogey on a tough par-5.

[Prodigy]

yea im actually reading Rotellas book now

[AndyinSF]

Concentrate on strategy and not stroke count. Focus on exactly what you are doing, not your next shot, etc. Save that for the walk between shots.

[kurtbayne]

Go to the library
There's almost certainly mental golf books there
Recently I've read Zen Putting (also related Zen Golf)
Those were nice, kinda metaphysical, Buddha-like

Kids in all sports are known for having more ups and downs than adults
Sounds like you are actually better than average in that regard

In addition to others' advice I'll say:
At the least, PRETEND to be cool, relaxed, focused, consistent
and you will, in time, actually become more cool, relaxed, focused, consistent

And lastly:
Even if you do nothing about your mental game,
if you start young and play enough golf,
you'll simply TIRE of all the mental baggage in your golf game
once you do something wrong like
million dollar drive, 10 cent birdie putt
enough times, you'll simply get bored with that
and you'll start doing it less and less

reminds me of a story/joke

supplicant comes to successful CEO type
and says, "how did you become so successful?"
CEO says "good decisions"
supplicant says: "how do you learn to make good decisions?"
CEO says "experience"
supplicant' says: "how do you get experience?"
CEO says "bad decisions"

You've got at least 50 years of bad decisions ahead of you
Lighten up and enjoy the journey
You have the main qualification for being a good golfer:
a willingness to change

[Dent]

supplicant comes to successful CEO type

That is great. Good thing to think of when your in trouble right there.

Sooo true.

[trebmalenad]

I read most of Rotella's book. It really does give you a good insight on how to think about your shots to keep your swing consistent. My problem is that the moment I made a good shot or put (or even birdie a hole), I start telling myself not to screw up a good thing and where do you think that gets me? Yea, it gets me 10 over on the front nine....