The mental game, and it's hatred of me.

[live4u120]

Well, today I was practicing, and ever since I started golf, I've been going downhill with confidence. Recently it's gotten to the point where I'll start practice doing really well, and then as soon as I get in the groove, I start doing absolutely HORRIBLE. Fat shots, thin like crazy, and then hook like crazier.

It's almost as if I'm terrified of making a bad shot, and this causes me to do all sorts of nonsense I shouldn't be doing in my swing.

How the HELL do you guys get rid of the jitters and twitches? Or what could I try to increase my confidence?

I suppose this thread could be good for alot of amateurs. I'm sure the mental game is a really over-looked part of golf.

[just hit it]

Do you sometimes drop a ball after your bad shot and try again, if so how does that one turn out. The mental game is a huge part of golf, trying too hard will really screw you up. The key in my opinion is to just relax. I am guessing you have a lot of tension in your initial swing. Accept that for now you will have bad shots and get over it. This is a challenge for me as well. I try and be as casual as I can be when playing, tell jokes, etc. , anything to keep from fixating on my swing. Leave practice to the range, trying to fix something on the course is a disaster.

I think this is one of the many reasons people drink beer while they play, they don't call it "swing lube" for nothing.

[ks8829]

Golf takes time and patience. If your practice session produce results on the course you gain confidence and a sense of accompolishment. You sometimes get worse just before things kick in and begin to work, so just hang in there and keep practicing.

[MiniMoe]

You can not play or swing with any kind of fear of what might go wrong. What are you scared of.. hitting a bad shot. We all do that. It is not a reflection of who you are to hit a bad shot or a bunch of bad shots. Just swing with an alert attitude of indifference. That means you try and focus as much as possible, but without regard for results. If you focus 100% and swing the best you can, the results are what they are. If you swing scared, the results will always be worse than if you just let it go, trusting your swing and instinct. After all, golf is not about your good shots, everyone has good shots. It's about how good your bad shots are and if you can recover. Professional golfers are where they are (especially Tiger) because they recover very well from bad shots. the best in the game recover the best from bad shots.

[Chas]

Nice post Mini.

Try swinging a club with your eyes closed, no ball in front, and focus calmly on the FEEL of the swing, the rhythm of it. Back and forth, back and forth. Listen to the clubhead as it comes on through. Feel the weight distribution between your feet change. Just be aware of the different parts of your body, and forget completely about the blasted course, the ball, the hazards, anyone else in the vicinity etc etc.

In golf you have to become calmly focused and indifferent to the outcome of the shot. And you have to trust the feel of what is happening, which is largely unconscious of course. Too much thinking and not enough feeling will cause your game to go downhill fast. Trust me, I found this out the hard way and it's still very much a work in progress.

[Blades4me]

Well, today I was practicing, and ever since I started golf, I've been going downhill with confidence. Recently it's gotten to the point where I'll start practice doing really well, and then as soon as I get in the groove, I start doing absolutely HORRIBLE. Fat shots, thin like crazy, and then hook like crazier.

LOL, sounds familar. I used to do that until I realized that when I felt I was "in the groove" I'd start try'n to rip the ball and everything went south. Now when I'm feeling I'm "in the groove" I concentrate on a low & slow take away, smooth, full swing and tempo. Many times I won't go the range before a round, but rather to the putting green and practice chipping. That seems to do more for my swing than range time. And of course there is the old adage, "when does a groove become a rut?"

----or, "see the ball Danny, be the ball Danny"

[uttexas]

How the HELL do you guys get rid of the jitters and twitches? Or what could I try to increase my confidence?

Stick to a simple, confident preshot routine. Repeat the same routine with every shot, even on the range.

Here's mine: others might prefer practice swings, or some other routines. 1. Pick a target, standing a couple yards behind the ball, facing the target. 2. Imagine the ball flight you want flying toward the target. (for putting, imagine the ball rolling along the intended putting path) 3. Imagine yourself accomplishing the swing to obtain this ball flight or ball path 4. Breath easy and think positively. Commit to the shot. Here is where I then think of only one swing thought. Walk confidently toward the ball. 5. Align the clubface toward the target, then align your feet and body. 6. Waggle and think of one swing thought. (since I started waggling, I've noticed more confidence and relaxation in my golf swings) 7. Swing with commitment and complete the follow through.

[NormH3]

the title of your post alone will doom you to failure.

Golf is only a game to most of us. Games are suppose to be fun and entertaining.

[Yukari]

...You sometimes get worse just before things kick in and begin to work, so just hang in there and keep practicing.

Boy, ain't that the truth! You'll find that just when you think you got it figured out, BAM!!! it'll hit you and your swing will go south and will make you look like you have never played this game before.

And just as suddenly, your swing will come back. It's a life-long love-hate relationship. By the way, staying calm and within yourself is the key. Don't get too excited if things start to go really well or really badly. Keeping it even keel, will lead to more consistency and more confidence. When nothing works, breathe S L O W L Y to calm yourself.