I Used to Play This Game With Fear!

[The Tin Man]

There's fear and there's FEAR .

Golf is not "The Hunger Games".

[Precis1on]

Originally Posted by logman

Is it just me, have I missed something about Patrick???? but I'm pretty much agreeing with most of what Patrick writes here. Most of everyone else here treats him like the guy that got too drunk at the work Christmas party and took his clothes off and then tried to fight the boss. Come on people we've all been there.....haven't we!!!  but yeah I play with a combination of excitement....often very close to nervousness, fear? yeah that the next tricky shot will ruin my score. What everyone else is just some kind of Ice man automaton or something? Emotion's part of golf....isn't it???

That's your choice to agree with him. He seems to enjoy doing things HIS way, and only his way, whether there's a simpler way out there or not (see his putting thread that got closed).

Back on topic though... Fear is probably the first level that golfers conquer. After fear, imo, there's pressure... I think that's a different beast (although Patrick would probably disagree and lump pressure in with fear).

[I-league]

Patrick, this reminds me of a method called "A.W.A.R.E" that people  use in everyday life to deal with fear and anxiety.The core principles are to accept your fear (the first A), watch it (mindfully watch your fear, including rating it 1 to 10 if it helps) and act despite your anxiety (the second A).

logman, people in general are reluctant to admit to their own fears. There is such a stigma associated with any form of perceived mental weakness that anyone admitting to it will inevitably be told to toughen up.

[logman]

Thank you doctor, how much do I owe you

[logman]

I also have this funny rash

[Patrick57]

Originally Posted by iacas

And your proof is where?

I don't need proof, I only have to open my eyes and ears and listen to what golfers have to say about their rounds. I don't think I have ever met a golfer, in tournament golf at least, who has played more than 2 shots without displaying some levels of fear. This fear can diminish if you don't give a damn what your results are but that's a different story, then their fear turns into submissiveness and a feeling of low esteem.

Originally Posted by iacas

I can't remember a time I had "fear" on the golf course. It's just a game. I've lost some matches, won a few more than I've lost, and enjoy the game whether I have it that day or not.

Be careful Eric, I think your advanced equipment is turning you into one of the 'Replicants' in 'Blade Runner'. Anyone who tells me they have never felt or can't remember the last time they felt fear playing this game is not a person I can take seriously.

I love playing this game and I have learned how to play the game without fear but this is not an absolute because this is an on going commitment that although I have won many battles against fear, I still haven't won the war.

You also have to make up your mind here, either "you can't remember the last time you had fear" or "you enjoy the game whether you have it that day or not." Your words.

[Patrick57]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5339

Fear would indicate that you take the game way too seriously.  Today I had a 200 yard carry over a pond to an elevated green.  I didn't fear the shot.  I knew there was a good chance I would not carry it with my 7 Wood, which was the only fairway wood I was carrying today.  I tried the shot anyway, knowing the risk vs. reward of making it.  There was never any fear involved.  I knew the chances and chose to take the risk, which ended up with a plugged ball in the bank of the pond.

It's a game that I play to get away from the stresses of normal life with work, teenagers and a wife.  If I feel fear or anger on the course, it's counter-intuitive to what I am trying to accomplish by being on one of the last prime pieces of real estate left on earth.

Another Replicant.

I work hard to combat fear on the course and I am not alone. Given the choice I would love to play without fear but its not something you can just shut off by standing back or alerting yourself to stop. Some golfers learn to live with it, others don't recognise it or work to conceal it but I try to eliminate it. Once you recognise that it exists, its only then that you can begin to work on eliminating it.

Golf is a great life lesson, the macho men out there who can't admit to having fear on the golf course are probably hiding and smothering other feelings in their regular life. I only have to play nine tournament holes with someone and their and my true personality becomes transparent. Bottom line: Golfers don't need to go to a shrink to have their inner demons exposed, standing on the back nine with a chance to beat your record ought to do it.

[Patrick57]

Originally Posted by The Tin Man

There's fear and there's FEAR.

Golf is not "The Hunger Games".

Yes I mentioned this in the OP

[Patrick57]

Originally Posted by Precis1on

That's your choice to agree with him. He seems to enjoy doing things HIS way, and only his way, whether there's a simpler way out there or not (see his putting thread that got closed).

Back on topic though... Fear is probably the first level that golfers conquer. After fear, imo, there's pressure... I think that's a different beast (although Patrick would probably disagree and lump pressure in with fear).

I was quite serious with my putting thread but was happy it got closed because I quickly realised that the brainiacs here were just to clever for simple logic. Back on topic though...

Pressure is a point you reach because of fear. The fear of failure or success. A 6 foot putt for birdie or par, whether you sink it or not there is a decrease in pressure once its over. Relief from an intensity of fear.

[Patrick57]

Originally Posted by I-league

Patrick, this reminds me of a method called "A.W.A.R.E" that people  use in everyday life to deal with fear and anxiety.The core principles are to accept your fear (the first A), watch it (mindfully watch your fear, including rating it 1 to 10 if it helps) and act despite your anxiety (the second A).

logman, people in general are reluctant to admit to their own fears. There is such a stigma associated with any form of perceived mental weakness that anyone admitting to it will inevitably be told to toughen up.

Yes, macho men don't cry and don't admit to fear.

[Patrick57]

I also have a funny rash on my manlihood

Originally Posted by logman

Is it just me, have I missed something about Patrick???? but I'm pretty much agreeing with most of what Patrick writes here. Most of everyone else here treats him like the guy that got too drunk at the work Christmas party and took his clothes off and then tried to fight the boss.

It was a great party though. Its when the boss commented on the size of my manlihood, I had to hit him.

Originally Posted by logman

Come on people we've all been there.....haven't we!!!  but yeah I play with a combination of excitement....often very close to nervousness, fear? yeah that the next tricky shot will ruin my score. What everyone else is just some kind of Ice man automaton or something? Emotion's part of golf....isn't it???

They're all Replicants.

A bunch of machos with manlihoods that are six times bigger than mine.

Yeeha! Where's the spittoon so that I can spit like a macho man.

[Patrick57]

Originally Posted by I-league

Patrick, this reminds me of a method called "A.W.A.R.E" that people  use in everyday life to deal with fear and anxiety.The core principles are to accept your fear (the first A), watch it (mindfully watch your fear, including rating it 1 to 10 if it helps) and act despite your anxiety (the second A).

A: Accept - one of the hardest parts to recognise.

W: Watch - that's the first step in the combat. Intention: I intend to get to know my fear when it appears.

A: Act - or action. Commitment: did I stick to my intention or did I get sidetracked.

R: Repeat - I'm guessing here but repeat would be my best stab at it.

E: Evaluate - Are those numbers dropping? Another guess but E is also in the method I use.

This method takes the position that you have already recognised that fear exists in your game and that the remedy is something that needs repeated practice. R could mean something else but as I was saying I'm guessing...

I - Intention. I intend to work on my fear factor on the course by keeping my attention on its intensity.

C - Commitment. I know I committed to my intention because I was able to rate the level of intensity

E - Evaluation. What are the feedback numbers from 1 to 10 on the course compared to driving range etc.

ICE that fear but not like a Replican or Iceman. In other words... earn it!

[Gresh24]

Originally Posted by logman

Is it just me, have I missed something about Patrick???? but I'm pretty much agreeing with most of what Patrick writes here. Most of everyone else here treats him like the guy that got too drunk at the work Christmas party and took his clothes off and then tried to fight the boss. Come on people we've all been there.....haven't we!!!  but yeah I play with a combination of excitement....often very close to nervousness, fear? yeah that the next tricky shot will ruin my score. What everyone else is just some kind of Ice man automaton or something? Emotion's part of golf....isn't it???

First off logman, there is very good reason that Patrick gets treated the way he does.  He has zero credibility due to his comments and treatment of others.

As far as the topic, I can't recall a single time on the course that I played in any fear.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Patrick57

I don't need proof, I only have to open my eyes and ears and listen to what golfers have to say about their rounds. I don't think I have ever met a golfer, in tournament golf at least, who has played more than 2 shots without displaying some levels of fear.

Yeah, who needs proof? It's apparently okay to just make stuff up like good ol' Patrick. You must not have met many people, unless in your world ANYTHING is a sign of "some level of fear." You realize you've once again shifted your goalposts, right? Is it "displaying" some levels of fear or simply having fear (because you could be fearful and not display it)?

Rhetorical question. Don't answer.

Originally Posted by Patrick57

Be careful Eric, I think your advanced equipment is turning you into one of the 'Replicants' in 'Blade Runner'. Anyone who tells me they have never felt or can't remember the last time they felt fear playing this game is not a person I can take seriously.

So you've created another vague, self-selecting, goalpost-shifting bit of baloney. Anyone who doesn't have fear is a "Replicant" and someone you don't take seriously, so your mental model of "everyone has fear" (or is it "everyone displays fear"?) can continue to be true. Riiiiiiiight.

Crazy Train. All aboard!

Originally Posted by Patrick57

You also have to make up your mind here, either "you can't remember the last time you had fear" or "you enjoy the game whether you have it that day or not." Your words.

You misunderstood. "It" had absolutely nothing to do with "fear" in that sentence.

Crazy Train.

Originally Posted by Patrick57

I was quite serious with my putting thread but was happy it got closed because I quickly realised that the brainiacs here were just to clever for simple logic.

Your putting thread was a joke with entirely made-up stats and you not understanding the difference between measurements of angles and distance.

[dak4n6]

Originally Posted by Patrick57

Anyone who tells me they have never felt or can't remember the last time they felt fear playing this game is not a person I can take seriously.

I used to feel fear when I first started league play, but that was 10 yrs ago, and I can't remember the last time I felt fear playing this game , during Sun matches or even in the club championship. My emotions during a round tend to be closer to 'I can't wait to hit this next shot'.

I am new here, but I can already tell that it's a good thing that you won't be taking me seriously Patrick.

[Patrick57]

Originally Posted by dak4n6

I used to feel fear when I first started league play, but that was 10 yrs ago, and I can't remember the last time I felt fear playing this game, during Sun matches or even in the club championship. My emotions during a round tend to be closer to 'I can't wait to hit this next shot'.

I am new here, but I can already tell that it's a good thing that you won't be taking me seriously Patrick.

Au contraire! You've been seriously added to my Replicant list.

[Patrick57]

Originally Posted by iacas

Yeah, who needs proof? It's apparently okay to just make stuff up like good ol' Patrick. You must not have met many people, unless in your world ANYTHING is a sign of "some level of fear." You realize you've once again shifted your goalposts, right? Is it "displaying" some levels of fear or simply having fear (because you could be fearful and not display it)?

Rhetorical question. Don't answer.

I can't get a hang of the multi quote so I won't use it. I'm not technically minded or haven't you noticed?

So you've created another vague, self-selecting, goalpost-shifting bit of baloney. Anyone who doesn't have fear is a "Replicant" and someone you don't take seriously, so your mental model of "everyone has fear" (or is it "everyone displays fear"?) can continue to be true. Riiiiiiiight.

If you require to breathe oxygen to live then you will have fear at some level while playing golf. I didn't know there were so many Replicants around.

Crazy Train. All aboard!

Name calling is PEANUTS

You misunderstood. "It" had absolutely nothing to do with "fear" in that sentence.

Crazy Train. PEANUTS

As the aforementioned post with the full sentence has been removed, I can't refer to it and ask you then what "It" did mean then.

Your putting thread was a joke with entirely made-up stats and you not understanding the difference between measurements of angles and distance.

Yeah shoot me for saying open the club face by one millimetre. I should've said 1/100 of a degree. Kelley understood degrees right. And he directed golfers to hit the ball 2 dimples inside of centre.

PEANUTS

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Patrick57

Au contraire! You've been seriously added to my Replicant list.

Exactly. Anyone who doesn't fit the mold of the statistics Patrick makes up gets excluded.

I'm starting to understand the putting "study" now. Patrick hit ten putts. Eight or nine left of the hole - he can't remember - so now 80-90% of players miss putts left.

Originally Posted by Patrick57

As the aforementioned post with the full sentence has been removed, I can't refer to it and ask you then what "It" did mean then.

It has not been removed. It's right there: http://thesandtrap.com/t/56719/i-used-to-play-this-game-with-fear#post_695360

If you don't know what "I didn't have it that day" means, then sorry. Pretty common expression.

Originally Posted by Patrick57

PEANUTS

And back in the Penalty Box. I'm going out for awhile and can't be bothered to let you run loose. You've been warned repeatedly and your blue post contributed nothing of value to the conversation.