RPJ,BRU,JLW

Jan 4, 2003
44,489
86
38
did something yesterday I'd never done before....will preface this by saying it was from senior tees at only 5800 yds......I had it 1 under after 12....thought I was even par but I had charged myself a penalty shot when I shouldn't have (local rule)...this was a "seniors match".......so to make a long story short I went 5 over on the last six holes to finish 4 over which ties my best ever......should have just kept hitting it but I got cute and started playing defense......I 'm a dumbass
 

RichardPeterJohnson

New member
Dec 7, 2010
12,636
108
0
did something yesterday I'd never done before....will preface this by saying it was from senior tees at only 5800 yds......I had it 1 under after 12....thought I was even par but I had charged myself a penalty shot when I shouldn't have (local rule)...this was a "seniors match".......so to make a long story short I went 5 over on the last six holes to finish 4 over which ties my best ever......should have just kept hitting it but I got cute and started playing defense......I 'm a dumbass

That is one of the great challenges of golf. I've done it a hundred times. It's called choking. There was a book written 30 years ago called "The Inner Game of Golf". It talks about comfort zones. You weren't comfortable being -1 after 12. It wasn't your norm. So you subconsciously reverted back to your comfort zone. Of course we have the law of averages in play too. But when you're playing well, exceptionally well compared to your norm, you get uncomfortable and let your mind become overly analytical in the physical process of hitting shots.

Any time I'm playing better than usual ( for me it's when I get 3-4 under at any point in a round these days) I get nervous. I freely admit it. I shouldn't. I've shot hundreds of rounds in the 60s in my life. But I get nervous and lately I have trouble finishing a round. When I'm even par after 15 or even -1, I'm fine. But when I have a chance to shoot in the 60s, I tend to gag these days. The key is amnesia. Forget about what you've done and where you are and concentrate on the next shot. Easier said than done.

My son told me a story a couple summers ago after he came him after playing a round with Scott Stallings. He said they were somewhere on the back nine and Scott had reeled off a bunch of birdies. My son asked him how many under he was. Scott's reply....I have no idea. He was completely comfortable.

Nice round anyway though!
 

JLW71073

New member
Aug 7, 2003
6,499
7
0
Nice Snow! I actually graced the course yesterday. Well, not really. I took my son to golf team practiced and watched and helped him a little bit on the range. I did get a chance to hit maybe 10 balls. A few felt really nice and a few were awful.
 

COOL MAN

Member
Jun 19, 2001
34,645
85
48
Not that you asked for my comments.......but I've said it before and I'll say it again that, for many (or perhaps most) players, the toughest part of shooting low scores remains the mind rather than the mechanics.
 

WhiteTailEER

New member
Jun 17, 2005
11,534
170
0
the toughest part of shooting low scores remains the mind rather than the mechanics.

When I'm playing well, my only thoughts are where I want the ball to go. When I'm playing poorly, my thoughts are dominated by everything I don't want to do and where I don't want the ball to go.

For whatever reason, I can't seem to force myself to always do the former. I know I'd play much better if I could.
 
Jan 4, 2003
44,489
86
38
When I'm playing well, my only thoughts are where I want the ball to go. When I'm playing poorly, my thoughts are dominated by everything I don't want to do and where I don't want the ball to go.

For whatever reason, I can't seem to force myself to always do the former. I know I'd play much better if I could.
you said it was a game of the mind.....that does me in....I have none left:mad:
 
Jan 4, 2003
44,489
86
38
That is one of the great challenges of golf. I've done it a hundred times. It's called choking. There was a book written 30 years ago called "The Inner Game of Golf". It talks about comfort zones. You weren't comfortable being -1 after 12. It wasn't your norm. So you subconsciously reverted back to your comfort zone. Of course we have the law of averages in play too. But when you're playing well, exceptionally well compared to your norm, you get uncomfortable and let your mind become overly analytical in the physical process of hitting shots.

Any time I'm playing better than usual ( for me it's when I get 3-4 under at any point in a round these days) I get nervous. I freely admit it. I shouldn't. I've shot hundreds of rounds in the 60s in my life. But I get nervous and lately I have trouble finishing a round. When I'm even par after 15 or even -1, I'm fine. But when I have a chance to shoot in the 60s, I tend to gag these days. The key is amnesia. Forget about what you've done and where you are and concentrate on the next shot. Easier said than done.

My son told me a story a couple summers ago after he came him after playing a round with Scott Stallings. He said they were somewhere on the back nine and Scott had reeled off a bunch of birdies. My son asked him how many under he was. Scott's reply....I have no idea. He was completely comfortable.

Nice round anyway though!
 
Jan 4, 2003
44,489
86
38
That is one of the great challenges of golf. I've done it a hundred times. It's called choking. There was a book written 30 years ago called "The Inner Game of Golf". It talks about comfort zones. You weren't comfortable being -1 after 12. It wasn't your norm. So you subconsciously reverted back to your comfort zone. Of course we have the law of averages in play too. But when you're playing well, exceptionally well compared to your norm, you get uncomfortable and let your mind become overly analytical in the physical process of hitting shots.

Any time I'm playing better than usual ( for me it's when I get 3-4 under at any point in a round these days) I get nervous. I freely admit it. I shouldn't. I've shot hundreds of rounds in the 60s in my life. But I get nervous and lately I have trouble finishing a round. When I'm even par after 15 or even -1, I'm fine. But when I have a chance to shoot in the 60s, I tend to gag these days. The key is amnesia. Forget about what you've done and where you are and concentrate on the next shot. Easier said than done.

My son told me a story a couple summers ago after he came him after playing a round with Scott Stallings. He said they were somewhere on the back nine and Scott had reeled off a bunch of birdies. My son asked him how many under he was. Scott's reply....I have no idea. He was completely comfortable.

Nice round anyway though!
.......you should be one of them there golf psychologists