I Used to Play This Game With Fear!

[Bullitt5339]

Originally Posted by Patrick57

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.

I have had enough true FEAR in my life that I'm not going to let a GAME (I don't get paid to play) induce that much emotion in my life.

Have you ever sat in Baghdad Iraq or Afghanistan and realized that all of a sudden, you and your men are the only ones on the street in a normally crowded area?  That's FEAR.

Have you ever seen your brothers traveling in a vehicle in front of you disappear in a cloud of smoke and fire?  That's FEAR.

Have you ever sat next to a hospital bed beside someone who you can't live without, and not knowing if they're ever coming home?  That's FEAR

I could come up with multiple more responses, but I think I've proved my point.  Once you've experienced real FEAR, there's nothing as trivial as hitting a white ball off some grass that can induce that type of emotion.

If golf induces that kind of emotion in you or the people around you, maybe you should quit the game.

[dak4n6]

Bullit, don't you realize that Patrick knows your golfing emotions better than your do? You're obviously in denial.

BTW, thank you for your service bro.

[Bullitt5339]

Originally Posted by dak4n6

Bullit, don't you realize that Patrick knows your golfing emotions better than your do? You're obviously in denial.

BTW, thank you for your service bro.

Thanks,

Sorry for the rant, but the whole "You're too macho to admit you have fear" kind of struck a nerve with me.

[dak4n6]

Patrick strikes a nerve with me, and I'm a newb! He seems to extrapolate things that are valid for him into being valid for everyone everywhere.

[Ernest Jones]

I used to randomly click on Sandtrap threads without FEAR; now I always have a lingering FEAR that the thread may have been started by Patrick57.

[Th3R00st3r]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

I used to randomly click on Sandtrap threads without FEAR; now I always have a lingering FEAR that the thread may have been started by Patrick57.

THIS! HAHA.

I wouldn't call it fear but more of the anxiety of looking like a moron. The problem is most everyone wants to hit the perfect shot on every shot. The reality is we won't and I accept that. I don't really care what my buddies think, we just laugh it off anyway. Hell, even the pros don't always make good shots. I watched the last round of the shell open and saw some pretty bad ones from some consistent players. i used to have that anxiety. The beginners think "Come one, I hope this goes in the fairway" feeling because they are kind of at a disadvantage by not knowing HOW to hit the ball.. As you progress and get better, that feeling diminishes because you know what to do and what the ball should do.

[Patrick57]

I have had enough true FEAR in my life that I'm not going to let a GAME (I don't get paid to play) induce that much emotion in my life.  Have you ever sat in Baghdad Iraq or Afghanistan and realized that all of a sudden, you and your men are the only ones on the street in a normally crowded area?  That's FEAR. Have you ever seen your brothers traveling in a vehicle in front of you disappear in a cloud of smoke and fire?  That's FEAR. Have you ever sat next to a hospital bed beside someone who you can't live without, and not knowing if they're ever coming home?  That's FEAR

Well if we're only allowed to talk about fear when we've been on a battlefield, then I shouldn't be mentioning it. However there are different levels of fear and different types. Does the fear that a golfer feels when he has a 6' birdie putt compare to the emptying streets in Bagdad, probably not. But its still a type of fear.

[Apotheosis]

I was going to add my own piece but Builltt summed it up quite nicely. If your afraid on the golf course your letting your sense of self worth be defined by the score you shoot. Personally I know who I am and dont let my score define me.

[Patrick57]

Thanks, Sorry for the rant, but the whole "You're too macho to admit you have fear" kind of struck a nerve with me.

Calm down, calm down. Its golf we're talkin' about.

[Patrick57]

Patrick strikes a nerve with me, and I'm a newb! He seems to extrapolate things that are valid for him into being valid for everyone everywhere.

I think its clear that everyone feels fear on the golf course. Not bullet dodging fear but certainly some lesser anxieties.

[Patrick57]

I used to randomly click on Sandtrap threads without FEAR; now I always have a lingering FEAR that the thread may have been started by Patrick57.

I must admit I enjoy posts like this. No substance and a poor attempt at humour.

[Patrick57]

[quote name="Th3R00st3r" url="/t/56719/i-used-to-play-this-game-with-fear/36#post_695773"] THIS! HAHA. I wouldn't call it fear but more of the anxiety of looking like a moron. [/quote] I call it the fear of looking stupid in the OP [quote name="Th3R00st3r" url="/t/56719/i-used-to-play-this-game-with-fear/36#post_695773"] As you progress and get better, that feeling diminishes because you know what to do and what the ball should do. [/quote] You really think so. I have been playing for over 40 years and I can count my fearless competitive rounds in one hand, the ones where I hadn't surrendered to a submissive state. I wish I knew your secret. You don't sound like a Replicant as you once felt fear playing golf.

[Domenic]

hey, Patrick when you realize that some people will just hate your threads *cough* Shorty, then you just learn to deal. When you deal, come over to the "domenic" side of things, but dont take it too far, you won't be able to come back for a month on here.

Back on topic, I like your topic. Last time I played I shot my record tying 46, and when I needed a 3 hyrbrid to clear, I just thought something like "big risk, big reward, no risk no reward."

[Bullitt5339]

Originally Posted by Patrick57

Well if we're only allowed to talk about fear when we've been on a battlefield, then I shouldn't be mentioning it. However there are different levels of fear and different types. Does the fear that a golfer feels when he has a 6' birdie putt compare to the emptying streets in Bagdad, probably not. But its still a type of fear.

I didn't just mention the battlefield, there are situations in life where fear is acceptable and warranted.  On the golf course is not one of them.  Like I said, if you feel fear on the golf course and aren't getting paid millions of dollars to play, you're not doing it right.  We are supposed to enjoy our time on the course, and not feel anxiety because of it.  If you feel anxiety while on the course, you should quit playing.

[Patrick57]

I was going to add my own piece but Builltt summed it up quite nicely. If your afraid on the golf course your letting your sense of self worth be defined by the score you shoot. Personally I know who I am and dont let my score define me.

Yes you have a point there but do you just accept bad results or do you not really care. You must have played below your expectations in the middle of a round and felt disappointed. Perhaps your bravado is a cover up. Sounds like it to me.

[Bullitt5339]

You're really out there dude.  I for one accept bad results on the course as a product of a bad swing on the ball.  It happens.  I'm not a pro, I'm never playing for more than a few bucks, and I realize that I'm playing a game.  By definition, you're supposed to enjoy Playing a Game.  If you don't, you're taking things way too seriously.

Originally Posted by Patrick57

Yes you have a point there but do you just accept bad results or do you not really care. You must have played below your expectations in the middle of a round and felt disappointed. Perhaps your bravado is a cover up. Sounds like it to me.

[Patrick57]

hey, Patrick when you realize that some people will just hate your threads *cough* Shorty, then you just learn to deal. When you deal, come over to the "domenic" side of things, but dont take it too far, you won't be able to come back for a month on here. Back on topic, I like your topic. Last time I played I shot my record tying 46, and when I needed a 3 hyrbrid to clear, I just thought something like "big risk, big reward, no risk no reward."

I don't really get your first paragraph and come to think of it I don't get you 2nd paragraph. Big risk - some fear. No risk - no fear. Correction: No risk no chance of playing an extraordinary golf game.

[Patrick57]

You're really out there dude.  I for one accept bad results on the course as a product of a bad swing on the ball.  It happens.  I'm not a pro, I'm never playing for more than a few bucks, and I realize that I'm playing a game.  By definition, you're supposed to enjoy Playing a Game.  If you don't, you're taking things way too seriously.

Bulliit, we got off on the wrong foot. Your definition of fear and mine are different ball parks but as I said in another post, if you take risks on the course then the very wording hints towards anxiety or fear. If you don't take risks then you are playing a boring game that doesn't sound like fun to me.