Don't you just hate it when....

[Damien45]

I played in a command golf event on Friday. We did a 4man, best ball sort of thing. This may or may not be what you think, I can clarify if needed. Anywho, my team was in the fairway about to pitch onto the green. We had a tree just barely in our line.

Golfer 1: Hits his shot while focusing on the tree....off the toe and just about nowhere.

Golfer 2: Hits his shot while focusing on the tree.....better results, but only about half the distance and way right (tree was on left)

My turn: I was taking my practice swings (focusing on a bit of a draw to go around the tree). I step up and address the ball.....when:

Golfer 2 says "Don't think about the tree, just hit it like it isn't there. That's the mistake I made".

What do you think happened? Yeah, I hit the tree. My ball went up into the branch above, and directly down to the cartpath. Two nice bounces on the path put me about 5yrds from where I started. Yes the tree was about 30yrds away.

So I looked at him, dropped a ball and said "This is why you shouldn't have said anything about the tree". I hit my draw and put it about 6' from the pin. Of course we couldn't use that shot.

Luckily Golfer 4 put us on the green about 11' away.

So, don't you hate it when someone waits until the worst time to say something they really didn't need to?

[PiKapp23]

It's when they say something negative right before I hit that I hate. In a case such as yours I would not have been thinking about the tree, but once mentioned the subconcious comes alive. I remember hearing Bob Rotella (or one of the other sports psychologists) say that before you swing do not be thinking about what you do NOT want to do because the brain doesn't understand the difference between yes and no. If you are thinking 'don't hit the tree' then the brain is thinking 'hit the tree'. I find this to be about half true for me. If I'm thinking 'don't hit tree' I'll either end up hitting the tree (or close) or the exact opposite and end up with a bad shot the other way. I always try to make sure my last thought it where I want the ball to go, not where I don't want to go. I think you would have been justified to have used a PW or less on your partner (any longer club than that is reserved for more severe violations of etiquette).

[Damien45]

Yeah, I was thinking "nice draw to the green". I didn't even "see the tree" until he said something.

[Zeph]

I like hitting over the trees.

I see what you mean and understand. Each players should play his/her own game and not.

[iacas]

I think Nick Faldo or maybe Rotella said that the brain doesn't understand the word "don't" or really the difference between positive and negative.

"Hit it at the tree" is the same thing as "don't hit it at the tree." "Avoid the bunker" is the same as "A bunker!!! Wheee!"

[David in FL]

I hate it when I allow anything someone else says to get into my head. After a certain point of physical execution, this game becomes all about mental toughness.

[rjfan91]

"A bunker!!! Wheee!"

LOL!

Although I don't ever say it out loud, I pick out spots I don't want to be almost by reflex and think "I don't wanna be there!". Of course....

[Eeryck]

I think Nick Faldo or maybe Rotella said that the brain doesn't understand the word "don't" or really the difference between positive and negative.

Pretty sure it was Rotella, from 'Golf is Not a Game of Perfect' perhaps it is in his others as well.

Regardless, it is some of the best golf advice I have ever read.

[youngskip40]

I had to explain that thought process to my Dad not long ago. I mean, it was just a practice round for a tournament next week, and I'm glad he was helping me out with where the hazards were, but I had to explain how big a difference it is to point out where it is that you DO want to go vs. where it is you DO NOT want to go.

It sounds so stupid, but there is just a huge difference between "you want to hit this to the middle of the green" vs. "you don't want to go left because there's water over there."

I felt bad because he was just trying to help, but it gets in my head, so I had to ask him (politely) not to point out where not to go on the golf course.

[iacas]

Pretty sure it was Rotella, from 'Golf is Not a Game of Perfect' perhaps it is in his others as well.

Yeah, the more I think about it the more I realize it was Rotella, and Faldo said it in a Playing Lessons with the Pros, but he was probably quoting Rotella (without attributing it to him - not that it'd be required or anything).

[tjy355]

I played in a command golf event on Friday. We did a 4man, best ball sort of thing.

This is called a "scramble" by the way. Best ball is a different kind of competition.

[schapman]

It's funny I was playing a round on Sunday and had a fierce uphill to hit off of from about 200 out in the rough. I pull out the hybrid and one of the guys I'm playing with is like "man, not to tell you what to do but are you sure you want to hit that club and not an iron". I proceed to hit my best shot of the day nailing it about 180 just into the fairway in front of the green. His response "hey man, guess I won't tell you how to play golf anymore :) "

[HSip]

Funny how the brain works. Someone saying "Hit it close" usually won't bother me but the "don't think about.... or don't hit it over there..." really plants a bad seed. It's hard to have a good positive target when some clown pipes up with advice just as you're making your backswing. Hopefully your 2nd shot shut him up. Cheers

[Dub]

Rotella offers some excellent suggestions.



It's a shame that you couldn't have backed off the shot....regained composure and then stepped up and stuck it 6ft.

I kick myself for letting someone gripe me off that way. It's like once that "don't hit here" area is registered....it becomes a freaking magnet for your ball.

[kfowler]

I remember hearing Bob Rotella (or one of the other sports psychologists) say that before you swing do not be thinking about what you do NOT want to do because the brain doesn't understand the difference between yes and no. If you are thinking 'don't hit the tree' then the brain is thinking 'hit the tree'.

That's really interesting and incredibly funny. I was playing with a group this past Sunday that ended up as a five-some due to the course being backed up. This one hole has tons and tons of bailout space to the right. The left side is OB and lots of trouble. This first thing someone says is "Well you don't won't to hit it left. Three golfers hit it left OB, one golfer hit it left but managed to stay in play, and only one golfer actually hit it right. The mind is a funny thing.

[Elvisliveson]

I hate it when

I couldn't agree more. And, there's no rule stating you can't back off the shot and regain your composure if you're the type of person who gets worked up by what others say on the course.

[youngskip40]

Definitely no shame in backing off a shot. Reminds me of the book "Paper Tiger" when he talks about making sure to "get to yes" before every shot.

[Damien45]

Rotella offers some excellent suggestions.

I was barely listening to him when he said it. I was more amazed at how much it effected my shot just hearing it as "background noise".

There are some people I play with who will not, or can not, stop talking. One usually says something in my back swing, or asks me a question about my setup just before. I was hitting my driver straight for a while at the begining of this year. He asked if I realized I stood a certain way just as I started my backswing. The BAM! Slice-O-Matic! That was 3 weeks ago and I only just got my driver straight again last Friday. I am thinking of just taking my iPod when I golf with these people.