I'd Be Scratch with a Better Mental Game

[whatwoodtigerdo]

I can be an angry guy and get told all the time on the golf course " Man you got to think positive" and I always respond "I am positive I am not hitting good golf shots right now so just go hit your ball and leave me alone. Oh by the way did you see where my 7 iron landed?"

I never knew before now if I fixed that I would be on tour. I will give it a shot.

[14ledo81]

How about simple club selection?  Taking into account factors like elevation, wind, etc..  Would this be considered mental game?

Of course, you would first have to have a consistent enough swing to know more precisely how far each club is going.

[Lihu]

This thread should be entitled "I'd be scratch if my mentality was to get my ball striking better."

[iacas]

Quote

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

To be honest I used to think I could be a really good golfer but I have come to be honest with myself and realize that if I can ever break into single digit HC it will be a miracle and I'll be happy with that. This guy may have the same problem I used to have, which is mistaking the fact that he can hit some good shots with the idea that he is a good golfer. It took me awhile to realize that anyone can hit good shots, that doesn't make you a good or potentially a good golfer. It just makes you a normal golfer.

This is a quote from a draft of Lowest Score Wins :

Quote

They’ll say “I don’t understand it. I hit bad shot after bad shot and then on 14 I hit the most perfect tee shot with a baby draw. It’s so frustrating because I know I can do it . I know I’m a good ball striker, but if I could just repeat that swing every time I could really be pretty good!” When we hear this, we know that this golfer is looking at his situation 180° from the wrong side. Though he sees himself as the golfer who hit the one amazing shot and believes that he should be able to do that 99% of the time, his view is backward. Unfortunately, he is exactly the golfer who hits almost exclusively bad shots. The one great shot is the anomaly .

[Jeremie Boop]

This is a quote from a draft of Lowest Score Wins:

Ha, guess I was pretty close on what I said then.

Wait.... That makes me the golfer who hits almost exclusively bad shots :-(

Veiled insult! Sneaky sneaky.

[14ledo81]

This thread should be entitled "I'd be scratch if my mentality was to get my ball striking better."

How about "I'd be mental with a scratch game"????

[Lihu]

How about "I'd be mental with a scratch game"????

Scratched my head a little bit before figuring out it was a positive thing. Yes, I agree!

Had to look it up:

This phrase has commonly been misinterpreted as the complete opposite of its actual meaning. when someone asks "Are you mental?!" it means that they are asking if you ARE in fact mental and your brain is functioning PROPERLY. In todays society it has been disregarded as a phrase that implies being "mental" is a bad thing, when in fact being "mental" means your brain is working correctly.

John Madden: Are you MENTAL?!

Generic Football Player: Yes actually, I am!

[Yukari]

While it seem, he was oblivious to his lack of skill, may be--just may be--he may be right.

For example, when I have something else on my mind while playing golf, my swing disappears.  That is purely due to lack of concentration on my part.

Maybe he meant, if he can focus on his swing rather than letting something outside of golf bothering him effect his concentration.

Perhaps that is what he is talking about.

Just a benefit of doubt.

EDIT:

Like when Tiger had all that personal stuff happening to him that he couldn't play like himself?

[14ledo81]

Or you could consider that the mind (mental game) controls everything about the swing.  Looking at it that way, he was right too.

[Lihu]

Or you could consider that the mind (mental game) controls everything about the swing.  Looking at it that way, he was right too.

I wonder if you could transplant the "muscle memory" from a pro golfer into your brain, if you would physically be able to play well, like scratch?

Wasn't there a "Schwarzenegger" movie called "Total Regolf" about a man who thought he was a pro golfer on Mars?

[14ledo81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14ledo81

Or you could consider that the mind (mental game) controls everything about the swing.  Looking at it that way, he was right too.

I wonder if you could transplant the "muscle memory" from a pro golfer into your brain, if you would physically be able to play well, like scratch?

Wasn't there a "Schwarzenegger" movie called "Total Regolf" about a man who thought he was a pro golfer on Mars?

Good question.  I would think I could play to scratch.  Certainly I would not be able to be a pro golfer though.

[Gunther]

I don't think I could get to scratch if I won the lottery and was able to play 5 days a week. May be able to shoot par a couple times in 20 after a year or so but people don't realize the consistency required.

[iacas]

While it seem, he was oblivious to his lack of skill, may be--just may be--he may be right.

For example, when I have something else on my mind while playing golf, my swing disappears.  That is purely due to lack of concentration on my part.

No. You don't go from practically whiffing a few times to playing scratch golf.

[Yukari]

No. You don't go from practically whiffing a few times to playing scratch golf.

True, I've not whiffed a ball no matter how distracted I am.

Just thought I would give him the benefit of doubt.

But may be that was the exaggeration on his part, i.e., playing scratch golf.

All I know is, when my mind is not clear for whatever reason, my game goes down the drain.

[mvmac]

Just off the top of my head

Good mental game

- Enjoy the pressure

- Not getting down on yourself, looking at recovery shots/missed greens as opportunities (Mickelson)

- Being realistic. Nicklaus would "allow" himself so many bad shots/bogeys a round. If he bogeyed the first hole, or even made double, his thought was "Eh, got my bad hole out of the way early". Hogan called golf a "game of misses". These guys understood that they were going to hit bad shots, so when it did happen they dealt with it, it didn't shock their system.

- Basically what every sports psychologist has said, summed up in one sentence: Be process oriented and not results oriented.

Bad mental game

- Bi-polar golfing- super happy one shot, next shot wants to quit golf

- "Giving up" after bad shots

- Letting fear of a certain result "control" you. We've all done it, water or OB left and we block it way right. This is more specific to a few shots during the round, not the entire round (guy Erik played with can't use this as an excuse).

B)  The "opposite" of "mental game" is "physical game," and decision making certainly doesn't fall in that category.

Perhaps a lot of people just consider "decision making" to be its own third category?

I would say it's in the Strategy or Game Planning category.

Would not say club selection is in the mental game category.

[saevel25]

Just off the top of my head

Good mental game

- Enjoy the pressure

- Not getting down on yourself, looking at recovery shots/missed greens as opportunities (Mickelson)

- Being realistic. Nicklaus would "allow" himself so many bad shots/bogeys a round. If he bogeyed the first hole, or even made double, his thought was "Eh, got my bad hole out of the way early". Hogan called golf a "game of misses". These guys understood that they were going to hit bad shots, so when it did happen they dealt with it, it didn't shock their system.

- Basically what every sports psychologist has said, summed up in one sentence: Be process oriented and not results oriented.

Pretty much. This year so far I am reversing that mentality. Last year I would shrug off bogeys and doubles, this year I am worrying about when they happen. Need to get my head away from being result oriented.

[GolfLug]

Just off the top of my head

Good mental game

- Enjoy the pressure

- Not getting down on yourself, looking at recovery shots/missed greens as opportunities (Mickelson)

- Being realistic. Nicklaus would "allow" himself so many bad shots/bogeys a round. If he bogeyed the first hole, or even made double, his thought was "Eh, got my bad hole out of the way early". Hogan called golf a "game of misses". These guys understood that they were going to hit bad shots, so when it did happen they dealt with it, it didn't shock their system.

- Basically what every sports psychologist has said, summed up in one sentence: Be process oriented and not results oriented.

Bad mental game

- Bi-polar golfing- super happy one shot, next shot wants to quit golf

- "Giving up" after bad shots

- Letting fear of a certain result "control" you. We've all done it, water or OB left and we block it way right. This is more specific to a few shots during the round, not the entire round (guy Erik played with can't use this as an excuse).

I would say it's in the Strategy or Game Planning category.

Would not say club selection is in the mental game category.

Very well put. Good reminder of how golf is a microcosm of life n general.

[inthecup]

Someone that is regularly in the 90's or 100's can't expect a drastic move to scratch, not going to happen.  BUT that perfect baby draw hit once a round (by mistake or not) is what keeps people coming back, don't sell the one shot short.  It is a powerful draw to the game.

The "mental game" means different things to different people.  If I could keep concentration for a full round my scores would be better.  Is that what mental game means?  It does to me.  Do I make bad decisions when my "mental game" starts to fade, not really.  Do I make bad swings because I lose concentration, yes.

I do not think I have the time or ability to be a scratch player.  My goal is to get into the upper single digits.  I have dropped my handicap slowly over the past 5 years of playing regularly.  During that time I was making swing changes every winter.  This winter I finally figured out how to not flip the club.  It is a major revelation.  I am not consistent with it yet and still can get fast which causes all kinds of problems.  It somehow messed up my driver swing terribly, I am still working to figure that out.

I stand by the quote in my signature.  Thank god she is a dirty girl or I would have given up long ago.