Nervous at competitions...

[Jacob Klintberg]

Hello!

My name is Jacob and im a Swedish exchange student and goes to school in nebraska!

I've been playing golf for a quite long time but i have never really gone below 38-40 strokes, and one reason for that is because I get really nervous.

When I practice with the golf team in our high school my shot are beutiful with a slightly turn to the right but nothing that wouldnt be able to shoot below 40 if I had the chance to stay focused.

My putting is going good asweel mostly 2 putts and sometime 3 strokes has to be done.

So that was when I practice but how does it look when im at the course just for fun or serious competition?

Well Its way worse drives out in forest iron shot that kills snakes and putting that demands four strokes when the ball is on green at only 2 shots (par 5)

I made my issue really clear and I need some tips and tricks because I have as a goal to take myself to state may 22 this year, so I can be the first exchange student in the school to do that, which is really rare for any sport that some guy from a diff country does.

I have the capability to do it but it's just the fact that every single competition I played during my maybe 3-4 years of compiting it's gone bad.

Thank's

//Jacob

[Joehuggy]

there's a good book called the mind factor by karl morris. check it out

[seniorgolfpro]

Hello Jacob.

I love your post,and love your passion for the game of Golf.I hope i can help you.I took up golf at the age of 10 and became good quickly.I was playing off handicap 1 when i was 14 then scratch at 16,I turned Pro at 17, and made it onto the South African Tour few years later.Never won but made good money.When i got to 30,I decided to give up my job as golf coach,and just go and play,get myself a top swing coach,a short game coach,a mental coach and fitness coach.I got expert advice on how to become great,but i never did become great,i went backwards.

I would love to be like you again,young and starting out in the golf world,And if i could be,there would be one thing i would change to what i did when i tried to become great at golf, and that would be..... STOP TRYING

Your scores are not important,just go and play,just enjoy it,practice hard for sure,hve someone keep an eye on your game and help you improve,but just remember its only a game,and by doing this your scores will take care of themselves.

I wish you all the best.Kind Regards,David

[Jacob Klintberg]

Hello Jacob. I love your post,and love your passion for the game of Golf.I hope i can help you.I took up golf at the age of 10 and became good quickly.I was playing off handicap 1 when i was 14 then scratch at 16,I turned Pro at 17, and made it onto the South African Tour few years later.Never won but made good money.When i got to 30,I decided to give up my job as golf coach,and just go and play,get myself a top swing coach,a short game coach,a mental coach and fitness coach.I got expert advice on how to become great,but i never did become great,i went backwards. I would love to be like you again,young and starting out in the golf world,And if i could be,there would be one thing i would change to what i did when i tried to become great at golf, and that would be..... STOP TRYING Your scores are not important,just go and play,just enjoy it,practice hard for sure,hve someone keep an eye on your game and help you improve,but just remember its only a game,and by doing this your scores will take care of themselves. I wish you all the best.Kind Regards,David

Thanks you so much helped me a lot!!

[boogielicious]

Great advice SeniorGolfPro.  Have fun when you play and stay in the moment.  Enjoy the beauty of the course and how the designer set up the challenge of each hole.  Don't think about consequences, but look forward to the challenge.

[saevel25]

I agree, stop beating your self up over it. There is only one shot in golf that is final, and that's the last putt. Besides that, you always have a next putt, a next shot, a next drive, a next chance. Stop dwelling on every bad shot you made because your going to make them. Everyone does.

Really its learning that you will hit bad shots. Its knowing your game, and its knowing your going to have a bad round, or a bad few holes. Its knowing you can then make up lost shots by playing the good golf you know you can play. If you get on a bogey stretch, just try to hit some shots you know, and makes some pars.

There's really no way to get rid of all negative emotions. You can get rid of a lot of them through accepting that bad shots happen and they are going to happen, and you are going to have to strap on the big boy shoes and make a shot to bounce back. Believe me, after many years of playing golf were one bad shot would ruin my game for the next 4 holes. I learned that, i got the next shot, and sometimes Bogey isn't bad. I played a round of golf were i lost 7 golf balls, and i shot in the mid 80's. Why, because when i lost a golf ball, i got up and down for bogey 5 times. Because i knew i could make a good next shot and still play good golf. I accepted i just made my golf hole a par 5 instead of a par 4, and i went from there. Do i still get mad, yea, but it takes a long time, basically consistantly playing bad. Even then, i don't let it effect me.

But basically all this takes practice. Just keep playing, when you start playing bad, or your emotions are causing you to play bad, step back and analyze how you feel, and compare it to when you play good golf, and then try to reset your frame of mind. it takes practice, so all you can do is keep playing.

[seniorgolfpro]

welcome Jakob

keep at it,and if you need any more advice write to me at sandtrap anytime,regards,David

[hacker101]

Jacob you will find all kinds of great advise on here.

Everyone has there times, play a few rounds with out the score card, make it fun. When you not keeping score you will settle down, you try and keep score in your head but will find after a little time it is all about a nice swing, great tee shot or the one putt and slowly forget the few bad ones.

I can tell you that if you only dwell on the bad rounds you may just stop playing. I don't play any more with big group style tournament's like I did when I was a bit younger and gave up the game for many years because of it just what you are saying. Not to say I was really good could hold my own middle of the pack for the most part. Now I play for the fun of the game, and always on the look out for that one really great hole, shot or putt. You are puting a lot of stress on yourself according to your statement of wanting to be the first exchange student to make state. That in it self will mess you up.

Have some fun, slow it down enjoy yourself i bet in a couple rounds you will see a difference!

[Jacob Klintberg]

I agree, stop beating your self up over it. There is only one shot in golf that is final, and that's the last putt. Besides that, you always have a next putt, a next shot, a next drive, a next chance. Stop dwelling on every bad shot you made because your going to make them. Everyone does.  Really its learning that you will hit bad shots. Its knowing your game, and its knowing your going to have a bad round, or a bad few holes. Its knowing you can then make up lost shots by playing the good golf you know you can play. If you get on a bogey stretch, just try to hit some shots you know, and makes some pars.  There's really no way to get rid of all negative emotions. You can get rid of a lot of them through accepting that bad shots happen and they are going to happen, and you are going to have to strap on the big boy shoes and make a shot to bounce back. Believe me, after many years of playing golf were one bad shot would ruin my game for the next 4 holes. I learned that, i got the next shot, and sometimes Bogey isn't bad. I played a round of golf were i lost 7 golf balls, and i shot in the mid 80's. Why, because when i lost a golf ball, i got up and down for bogey 5 times. Because i knew i could make a good next shot and still play good golf. I accepted i just made my golf hole a par 5 instead of a par 4, and i went from there. Do i still get mad, yea, but it takes a long time, basically consistantly playing bad. Even then, i don't let it effect me.  But basically all this takes practice. Just keep playing, when you start playing bad, or your emotions are causing you to play bad, step back and analyze how you feel, and compare it to when you play good golf, and then try to reset your frame of mind. it takes practice, so all you can do is keep playing.

Thank you guys so much for these long very good answer/advices. I'll take with me this tomorrow when im playing a pga course called champions run in omaha nebraska. Thanks and kind regards jacob

[460CompMark]

so how did you play?

i was like you in high school.  could go low during practice rounds, but in competition never could let loose and go low.  could only advance to regionals, never made it to state.  i was like that in my amateur qualifiers as well.  i think mine has to do with just not having enough competition experience under my belt.  i would and still do get butterflies when my round counts for something.  only advice i can give you is to play more.  the more you play, the more experience you gain and the more confidence you will build.  confidence in yourself = better scores

[WUTiger]

This builds on advice from seniorgolfpro :

When you're practicing, work to develop the different types of shots. Also, do practice drills to develop different parts of  your swing.

Develop a consistent, simple pre-shot routine so you don't have to think about 10 things before you hit the ball.

Then, when you get on the course to play, focus strictly on shot alignment and let your swing take over.

[amac]

Such an interesting thread.  This brings back memories to my high school competitive golfing days.  I was known to shoot 43-33!  I would be so nervous on that first nine and would post a big number, then settle down on the back.  I read somewhere that if you're not nervous on the first tee, you're not alive.  I think pro's still get shaky on that first hole, but their practice and confidence in their swing takes over.  I was never able to shoot a pair of 33's, but would occasionally shoot a pair of the other. :)

My advice is to play as many competitive rounds as you can to get comfortable with the pressure - it doesn't have to be a tournament, just a friendly round with a co-golf team member.  The important thing is to try and remember how you felt and what you thought about when you played well.  In future rounds, try to go back to the mental state of mind that allowed you to be successful.

Being successful at any competitive sport will require you to overcome the pressure to perform.  I've never read any books on handling the stress of competition, but I'm sure there is a lot self image related issues at hand.  It sounds as though you are putting extra pressure on yourself because you are foreign.  You may want to start with a little self examination and see what's causing you to feel the pressure.  Personally, as a young golfer, I didn't believe I was good enough.  I didn't take lessons.  I didn't have the best clubs.  My clothes weren't as nice.  My shoes were cheaper.  I dug balls out of the woods.  All this added up to me being mental - lacking self confidence and being overly conscience about how I "look" or appear as a golfer among my peers.  Once I started beating the competition, I gained confidence and settled down.  The new Ping's helped too!  Take a look in the mirror and be honest with yourself - what do you see?

Nerve's are part of the game.  As posted earlier, try to relax and enjoy where you are and what you are doing.  Golf is the greatest game ever played!  Hope my rant helps.  Please report back your progress.  Good luck.