Mental Game

[Neil]

Anyone any good hints tips on the following mental problem.

My handicap is 11 and my average score over the past 10 rounds is around 82 (par 68 course). I have the usual short game problmes, stubbed chips, three putts etc and I hit my fair share of wayward tee shots however I think my main problems are mental.

I have a good looking swing and hit the ball long and high with a pleasing draw. Indeed I look the part of a much better player than my handicap suggests. I think I am a better player!!!

Anyway, when I play in a competition I often sense my playing partners thinking this guy's a shark playing off 11 and for some reason I start hitting wayward shots or crappy chips etc just so that I can shrug and say, 'that's why I'm, off 11.'

My problem is that instead of proving to myself I'm better than 11 I try to prove to others that I am worthy of 11.

Anyone suffer from the same type of problem - any hints, tips or thoughts?

[m11]

You know you can hit the shots and you have before, yet you arent performing.

When you are in those situations, do you feel you are losing focus? Even good golfers require a lot of focus to perform properly. And focus doesnt necessarily mean you are tiger woodsing it all over the place---walking chest out with a stern look---but it means that you are very keen on what you are doing.

Its important that you dont think..well im an ok golfer....therefore if i dont setup for this shot with full focus..its not a big deal...im an 11hdcp anyways.

You really need a touring pro's mindset regardless of your skill. That doesnt mean that because tiger woods can hit 4iron from 210 yards into teacup floating in the atlantic ocean without touching water....that you should be thinking that you can take any shot possible. It means you evaluate every shot like a pro would. You check the lie, evaluate the surroundings (overhanging trees or your in an open fairway) and figure out what kind of shot you can hit. If you are looking for the green you also check for pin position and understand how the green reacts. You really need to do this on every shot to maximize on your ability.

Also around the green...if you are facing a 40 foot putt or a tough chip...do you just go with the "**** it im not gonna make it anyways... i just want to get it close attitude" ..or do you study the green and try to bang it through the middle of the cup? Youre probably gonna miss a whole lot of those putts and chip...but you should try to hole out every single one of them and therefore you'll be leaving very few outside of 1putt range.

You need to think like a solid golfer before you become one. If you are trying to show them why you are a 11hdcp instead of trying to play like +1...your mentality needs to change.

Just a caveat...im not suggesting going out every sunday in your red shirt and black pants...but just play confident and expect to hit the shots that you know you have hit before. Because you carried your 3wood 240 over a water hazard once doesnt mean that you should Tincup it every time the opportunity arises, but if you need a solid drive off the tee.... setup like you know you can hit those and be confident the swing you worked hard to develop will come through.

[GaijinGolfer]

I think you need to just stop worrying about what others think and just play your game. Take it one shot at a time and just do your best.