Fall Apart in Men's League

[adi2008]

this is my first year back in 16 years of golfing.  I play in a small town with a 9 hole golf course.  I have a high handicap which is good for my team, but here is the problem.  when i am out causally playing with a friend or by myself i will shoot in the mid to upper 40's sometimes lower.  When it comes to mens league day i just fall apart.  I am assuming it is from the nerves, but how do you guys overcome this, i know i am a consistant player in the 40;s but just cant bring that same game to the leauge

[amished]

Keep at it.  My first year subbing in men's league I consistently shot 5-7 strokes more per 9 than I did solo.  Eventually, you'll find something to key you into your right swing/mindset to bring your normal "A" game to league as well.  I changed my pre-shot routine very recently and I've been able to do better than I ever have with similar amounts of practice.  Keep it up, and realize it's still just golf 

[adi2008]

3 minutes ago, amished said:

Keep at it.  My first year subbing in men's league I consistently shot 5-7 strokes more per 9 than I did solo.  Eventually, you'll find something to key you into your right swing/mindset to bring your normal "A" game to league as well.  I changed my pre-shot routine very recently and I've been able to do better than I ever have with similar amounts of practice.  Keep it up, and realize it's still just golf 

thanks, it is definatly a mindset, i just get nervous and seems like i forget what i need to do or just tense up.  It just blows my mind how good i do when there is no pressure compared to competition play

[mcanadiens]

I can relate. Still a high handicapper my first few Association events a couple of years ago were a bit stressful. I shot a bit worse than normal and nerves were definitely a part of that..Really it's just because I didn't know the guys I was playing with yet.

Ironically, my club championship is this weekend. Now I know that there is no reason to feel nervous. I don't need to impress them. They are as equally likely to hack it around as I am. Sure there is a bit of incentive to do well, but this weekend will be a lot like several in the past and, hopefully, several more in the future. 

Oh yeah. The weather is supposed to be awesome. Looking forward to it very much.

 

 

Edited August 3, 2017 by mcanadiens

[saevel25]

33 minutes ago, adi2008 said:

I am assuming it is from the nerves, but how do you guys overcome this, i know i am a consistant player in the 40;s but just cant bring that same game to the leauge

Do you play strict rules of golf when you are with your friend?

A person can easily knock off a handful of strokes depending on how liberal they are with the rules when playing a casual round. Maybe the golfer will miss a couple short putts they normally just pick up. Maybe they just drop where the ball crossed OB instead of taking stroke and distance. Maybe they give themselves a better lie from time to time.

It could also be not being used to competitive play. The best I can say is, play more casual rounds as you would your tournament rounds. Try to get use to really focus on playing with in your game and shooting a low score. It is easy to get derailed and never get back on.

[adi2008]

5 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Do you play strict rules of golf when you are with your friend?

A person can easily knock off a handful of strokes depending on how liberal they are with the rules when playing a casual round. Maybe the golfer will miss a couple short putts they normally just pick up. Maybe they just drop where the ball crossed OB instead of taking stroke and distance. Maybe they give themselves a better lie from time to time.

It could also be not being used to competitive play. The best I can say is, play more casual rounds as you would your tournament rounds. Try to get use to really focus on playing with in your game and shooting a low score. It is easy to get derailed and never get back on.

i play every ball like i would in tournament play.  I think i just get nervous and worried about doing bad and it gets in my head.  I just need to figure out someway to stay relaxed and not worry about hitting a bad shot.  All that goes through my head when in competition and when a casual round i just go up and not think about a bad shot because it doesnt matter.  Does that make sense?

[saevel25]

4 minutes ago, adi2008 said:

I just need to figure out someway to stay relaxed and not worry about hitting a bad shot.

I would check out this book then, http://lowestscorewins.com/

The sections on gameplanning could give you a method to really just focus on the shot at hand. Also, it's one of the best golf books written.

[Patch]

Couple of things. Never believe you are the worst golfer on the course that day, or in a tournament. Odds are you are not. 

Second is focus on your own game, and do not worry about the other players. It's just you, Ma Nature, and the golf course. As long as you did your best that day, that's all you can ask of yourself. 

I know golfers who play their rounds in three groups of 6 holes. After each 6 holes they can give themselves a new starting point if need be. One guy I know plays his 18 hole rounds in 6 groups of 3 holes. After each group, they can relax, and refocus as needed. 

Myself, I use my own preshot routine at the beginning of each hole. In between these preshot routines, I just relax, and take in the sites, or what ever else might be going on around me. Some folks call this their post shot routine. 

My point is, that golfers need to relax when playing, especially in the amateur ranks. I don't know anyone who can stay 100% focused on anything for 3 to 4+ hours. 

[saevel25]

3 minutes ago, Patch said:

Myself, I use my own preshot routine at the beginning of each hole. In between these preshot routines, I just relax, and take in the sites, or what ever else might be going on around me. Some folks call this their post shot routine. 

I found this interesting.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-real-cause-of-slow-play-is

Quote

"Amateurs spend less time with each successive shot, which suggests that they lose focus or grow increasingly frustrated. This variation also tells me that amateurs don't have a consistent pre-shot routine. Take it from the pros: the first step toward building a consistent, repeatable swing is to have a consistent, repeatable routine. Which doesn't have to mean a slow routine."

 

[adi2008]

what are some ways you guys relax before teeing off or someway to just get the pressure off

[amished]

3 minutes ago, adi2008 said:

what are some ways you guys relax before teeing off or someway to just get the pressure off

I have a specific thing that I need to work on (getting my weight enough forward) so I picture the shot I want to make, take 1/4 length slow swings until I get the feeling I need for the key I'm working on.  Once I have that feeling successfully in my recent memory banks I trust myself to recreate that feeling.  That way I'm just focusing on the process, and not worrying about the result.  

[chilepepper]

Sometimes it just takes some time to get past the nerves of league/tourney play. Give it some time and realize you are doing this for fun and not to pay the mortgage

Edited August 3, 2017 by chilepepper

[saevel25]

16 minutes ago, adi2008 said:

what are some ways you guys relax before teeing off or someway to just get the pressure off

The only time I feel pressure is on the first tee. The rest of the time I am playing golf. I put too much pressure on myself anyways to really be concerned about the pressure from the competition.

The best way is to have a consistent routine. Something that is comfortable. For me, I'll stand behind the ball and see the shot. Most of the time it is pretty straight forward. Once I pick out my target line, and I start to move towards the ball, I am consistent on how much time it takes me to hit the ball. It's a pretty casual pace to it for me. I might not hit a good shot, but I don't feel out of sorts.

If I do feel out of sorts, then back off and restart. I had trouble aiming the clubhead right enough, and it got into my head a bit. I would stand over the ball and just see the clubface pointing left. I would back off and restart from the point of picking the target line.

They timed Tiger Wood's putting routine from a certain point. He was consistently hitting putts at 18 seconds.

http://www.golftoday.co.uk/news/yeartodate/news05/woods20.html

 

 

[Patch]

Just put yourself in a "screw it" mind set, and just be that guy who always wants to be the guy who wants to be the first guy, hitting off the first tee. I do this all the time. 

It is just golf. Every golfer at every level of play hits bad shots off the first tee. No big deal. Control your own game. Don't let poor shots control you. 

I hit a worm burner off the first tee one time. The starter and the other three guys gave me "that look" in disgusting fashion. When we all walked off the 18th green, I had a 4+ shot lead on all of them. 

Edited August 3, 2017 by Patch

[David in FL]

The best way to get more comfortable in league or tournament play is to simply play more often in leagues or tournaments. 

[inthecup]

I agree with what others have said, the more you play the less you will feel the nerves.  I have played in league and tournaments for a long time now.  I used to feel nerves and it would effect me.  Two things I have learned, everyone has one of those days (or many of them).  Whomever is watching you gets it, don't worry about them, hit the ball.  Standing over the ball occasionally I will feel nerves or anxiety.  Now it causes me to smile, that is why you do it the thrill of competition!  Embrace the nerves that is why you play.  That smile also diffuses the feeling.

 

I had fear of public speaking a long time ago.  I saw someone doing a speech is school and they were literally shaking.  I realized that I really didn't care how they did on their speech, if they fell leaving the podium I would chuckle and forget about it in five minutes.  It freed me from the fear.  The same thing is true on the course.

 

Do pay attention to the casual round, there are lots of ways to shave strokes that you may not realize.

 

Good Luck!

Edited August 4, 2017 by inthecup

[mcanadiens]

22 hours ago, adi2008 said:

what are some ways you guys relax before teeing off or someway to just get the pressure off

Simply talking to the guys a little bit helps a lot for me.

Being a bit shy, just breaking the ice makes a big difference for me if I don't already know the guys I'm playing with. You don't have to chew their ear off and It could be anything really. Some random question about the competition, the weather or current events will suffice. As long as the guys you play with aren't raging a-holes, it should make that first tee shot a bit easier. Otherwise its too easy to isolate yourself and blow up the importance of every mishit ball. When you get the me (or us) versus them attitude it usually isn't very helpful.

Edited August 4, 2017 by mcanadiens

[Hategolf]

This is an interesting topic. 

I don't battle with it as much as I used to.  

I would show up solo at a course during prime time to get paired up with strangers and  put my swing thru the test. Over time I started to do better. 

Jason Day,s routine works for me.. Close my eyes, really breath, picture my mechanics and the shot, then  one last deep breath and commit...if the shot  doesn't go well, I analyze and prepare for the next one.