Why am I doing this! After a poor shot... I step back up, no pressure and knock it flush... I’m confused.

[UnbreakableBoy]

I’m sure this isn’t uncommon but after a poor shot I’ll sometimes throw another ball down, quickly adress the ball and, as I said in the title... knock it pure. I know it’s easy to suggest that the pressures off, therefore it’s a nice, fluid easy swing. But is that just it? I need to relax? And I’d love to know how to do that on every shot. My only thoughts on what I’m actually doing is this— I’m gripping the club too tightly, as well as my shoulders, wrists and arms. How do I change this? Relaxing sounds so easy but I would love some thoughts on what y’all do to get in that “adress and preshot calm”. Drills and routine rituals? Thanks. 

[Patch]

I do all my "swing thinking" at the practice range. A poor shot during practice means more to me than hitting a poor shot when playing. 

When on the course for a score, all I really think about is club selection, and where I want the ball to go. After those two decisions have been made, I just address the ball, and hit it. The shot either goes as planned, or it doesn't. 

I think that alot of times golfers let their brains get in their way. Over thinking has caused many a bad shot. 

As for being relaxed during a round, I am out there to have fun, and get some exercise. Golf is not my job, and I don't really care how I play. If I play well, that's a good thing. If I play poorly, well, that's not a bad thing either. It's just a fun challenge for me. It's just my 80+/- swings against the course's 18 hole layout. 

Most amateurs pay to play this game. Why would anyone pay to do something that can cause them undue pressure/grief when they don't have to? Just hit the ball, go find it, and hit it again. How simple is that based on the golfer's talent level?

[MacDutch]

The second shot is like playing tennis, basketball, like walking. You don’t think about it, just do it.

Maybe read some books about the mental part of golf.

[UnbreakableBoy]

6 hours ago, MacDutch said:

The second shot is like playing tennis, basketball, like walking. You don’t think about it, just do it.

Maybe read some books about the mental part of golf.

 

6 hours ago, Patch said:

I do all my "swing thinking" at the practice range. A poor shot during practice means more to me than hitting a poor shot when playing. 

When on the course for a score, all I really think about is club selection, and where I want the ball to go. After those two decisions have been made, I just address the ball, and hit it. The shot either goes as planned, or it doesn't. 

I think that alot of times golfers let their brains get in their way. Over thinking has caused many a bad shot. 

As for being relaxed during a round, I am out there to have fun, and get some exercise. Golf is not my job, and I don't really care how I play. If I play well, that's a good thing. If I play poorly, well, that's not a bad thing either. It's just a fun challenge for me. It's just my 80+/- swings against the course's 18 hole layout. 

Most amateurs pay to play this game. Why would anyone pay to do something that can cause them undue pressure/grief when they don't have to? Just hit the ball, go find it, and hit it again. How simple is that based on the golfer's talent level?

Hey, thanks. I’m with you on the game. I’ve never yelled or broken a club or gotten angry. I love the game beyond measure. At the same time I’m always trying to learn. I’m aleays trying to improve my game. I shoot about 90 every time I go out and am thrilled when I shoot in the 80’s. And yes, I know it’s a mental thing but I’m lioking for what other folks are doing. Peace. 

[Moxley]

6 hours ago, Patch said:

Most amateurs pay to play this game. Why would anyone pay to do something that can cause them undue pressure/grief when they don't have to? Just hit the ball, go find it, and hit it again. How simple is that based on the golfer's talent level?

 

Because for some, myself included, being highly invested in the outcome greatly enhances the enjoyment of the good outcomes. Not saying that isn't complete madness, mind you 😉

[saevel25]

11 hours ago, UnbreakableBoy said:

I’m sure this isn’t uncommon but after a poor shot I’ll sometimes throw another ball down, quickly adress the ball and, as I said in the title... knock it pure. I know it’s easy to suggest that the pressures off, therefore it’s a nice, fluid easy swing. But is that just it? I need to relax? . 

First, are you actually not relaxed? What are you thinking about? How do you feel? What pressure are you feeling and why? Should you really care that much since it's just a game?

11 hours ago, UnbreakableBoy said:

My only thoughts on what I’m actually doing is this— I’m gripping the club too tightly, as well as my shoulders, wrists and arms. How do I change this? Relaxing sounds so easy but I would love some thoughts on what y’all do to get in that “adress and preshot calm”. Drills and routine rituals? Thanks. 

You'd be surprised how firm you can grip the club and not cause tension in the arms. I doubt you are gripping the club that firmly.

You are a 15 handicap, you will have a wide variation of results just by the nature of your golf swing.

I might put it more to, you just hit a bad shot, your body has this feedback on what you just did, and the result it produced. You then make a subconscious adjustment and hit the ball well. There are a lot of instances were a person will always hit a better 2nd shot/putt than the first.

[UnbreakableBoy]

10 hours ago, saevel25 said:

First, are you actually not relaxed? What are you thinking about? How do you feel? What pressure are you feeling and why? Should you really care that much since it's just a game?

You'd be surprised how firm you can grip the club and not cause tension in the arms. I doubt you are gripping the club that firmly.

You are a 15 handicap, you will have a wide variation of results just by the nature of your golf swing.

I might put it more to, you just hit a bad shot, your body has this feedback on what you just did, and the result it produced. You then make a subconscious adjustment and hit the ball well. There are a lot of instances were a person will always hit a better 2nd shot/putt than the first.

Oh, I DO care that much !!! I have an absolute blast every single time I hit the course. But I am always trying to get better. And it’s so good to hear what others think of a given situation. I played nine this afternoon with one of my sons. The only thought I focussed on was this— loose and easy swing. I played very well. The swing thought in my mind was— smooth. Thanks. 

[Piz]

The great thing about golf is that you can go from s*** to shinola in one swing.  It is especially mind-numbing when the poor pass is relatively simple.  Bear in mind that we would not have it any other way.  If everything worked, all the time, we would have to find something else to do.

[cooke119]

On ‎7‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 1:15 AM, Patch said:

I do all my "swing thinking" at the practice range. A poor shot during practice means more to me than hitting a poor shot when playing. 

When on the course for a score, all I really think about is club selection, and where I want the ball to go. After those two decisions have been made, I just address the ball, and hit it. The shot either goes as planned, or it doesn't. 

I think that alot of times golfers let their brains get in their way. Over thinking has caused many a bad shot. 

As for being relaxed during a round, I am out there to have fun, and get some exercise. Golf is not my job, and I don't really care how I play. If I play well, that's a good thing. If I play poorly, well, that's not a bad thing either. It's just a fun challenge for me. It's just my 80+/- swings against the course's 18 hole layout. 

Most amateurs pay to play this game. Why would anyone pay to do something that can cause them undue pressure/grief when they don't have to? Just hit the ball, go find it, and hit it again. How simple is that based on the golfer's talent level?

I second that. I try never to think about or try to correct a bad swing on the course. If I start thinking, especially during my backswing, I'm dead. I guy once told me "you dance with the girl you brought to the party"

[Yukari]

90%+ is mental.  Any slight mental distraction will cause a bad swing.  That's why if have problem at work or in my personal life, no matter how much I think I am concentrating on my swing during a round, it will affect my swing.

Even though you think you are concentrating on the tee shot that "counts" - first one not the second one - consciously or subconsciously you are thinking about it more than the "second" shot.

You have to practice with that type of pressure when you are at the range in order to improve your swing "under pressure".

On 7/11/2018 at 11:15 PM, Patch said:

I do all my "swing thinking" at the practice range. A poor shot during practice means more to me than hitting a poor shot when playing. 

...

I think that alot of times golfers let their brains get in their way. Over thinking has caused many a bad shot. 

...

That is so true.  I am really bad at this during a round.  As soon as my swing goes south, I start thinking about how to swing a club and then my game spirals down the rabbit hole.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Yukari said:

90%+ is mental.

Oh boy.

[Hardspoon]

On 7/11/2018 at 11:47 PM, UnbreakableBoy said:

I’m sure this isn’t uncommon but after a poor shot I’ll sometimes throw another ball down, quickly adress the ball and, as I said in the title... knock it pure. I know it’s easy to suggest that the pressures off, therefore it’s a nice, fluid easy swing. But is that just it? I need to relax? And I’d love to know how to do that on every shot. My only thoughts on what I’m actually doing is this— I’m gripping the club too tightly, as well as my shoulders, wrists and arms. How do I change this? Relaxing sounds so easy but I would love some thoughts on what y’all do to get in that “adress and preshot calm”. Drills and routine rituals? Thanks. 

It's just random chance.  Most likely, you're not doing anything different at all.  Your first shots and your second shots are just as likely to be good, or bad...you just remember those times when the second one is perfect!  If your first swing led to a good result, you're probably not dropping another ball - so you don't get to experience those times when your first shot would be great and your second one would be crap.

That's a good thing, though, because it makes the solution easier: don't worry about any potential subtle differences between the first and second swings (tension, pressure, grip strength, etc.)...just work on your swing.  As you get better, those first shots will be better and better.

[UnbreakableBoy]

2 minutes ago, Hardspoon said:

It's just random chance.  Most likely, you're not doing anything different at all.  Your first shots and your second shots are just as likely to be good, or bad...you just remember those times when the second one is perfect!  If your first swing led to a good result, you're probably not dropping another ball - so you don't get to experience those times when your first shot would be great and your second one would be crap.

That's a good thing, though, because it makes the solution easier: don't worry about any potential subtle differences between the first and second swings (tension, pressure, grip strength, etc.)...just work on your swing.  As you get better, those first shots will be better and better.

Great advise. Much appreciated. What you’re saying makes perfect sense. I guess it’s the same principle as someone saying they have a great practice swing and step up and duff the ball. In reality, the practice swing may have been exactly like the “duff” but they didn’t have a ball before them. So it felt great but may have been equally as flawed. 

[iacas]

6 hours ago, UnbreakableBoy said:

Great advise. Much appreciated. What you’re saying makes perfect sense. I guess it’s the same principle as someone saying they have a great practice swing and step up and duff the ball. In reality, the practice swing may have been exactly like the “duff” but they didn’t have a ball before them. So it felt great but may have been equally as flawed. 

Not really. Practice swings are often very different than the regular swing with a ball.

[UnbreakableBoy]

3 hours ago, iacas said:

Not really. Practice swings are often very different than the regular swing with a ball.

Thanks for this profound input. 

[boogielicious]

7 minutes ago, UnbreakableBoy said:

Thanks for this profound input. 

They are different. When you have a ball to focus on, the swing changes. Practice swings are more to determine what feel you want during the actual swing. So we really need to film actual swings with a ball to figure out what to correct.

[saevel25]

30 minutes ago, UnbreakableBoy said:

Thanks for this profound input. 

His input is correct.

How many times do you see a golfer brush the grass with his practice swing and then proceed to take a giant divot on his full swing? That can easily be going from 0 degrees downward angle of attack to negative 10 degrees.

24 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

They are different. When you have a ball to focus on, the swing changes. Practice swings are more to determine what feel you want during the actual swing. So we really need to film actual swings with a ball to figure out what to correct.

^This

I don't take full swing practice swings anymore. Right now I am just doing backswing feels to shorten my swing. Really the only time I make realistic swings are in pitching or chipping, where I want to feel out the contact with the rough.

[Kalnoky]

On 7/12/2018 at 7:55 AM, saevel25 said:

You are a 15 handicap, you will have a wide variation of results just by the nature of your golf swing.

I think this ^^^ is true. Minor variations in your swing will bear out during a round. I also think this is more apparent when you play 18 vs. 9. 

Are you getting in your head too much on the tee?