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Ego for amateurs in golf. What are your thoughts?

SuperStroke
Playdough said:
I'm actually not sure I let me ego come over me at the course. Kristen tells me all the time I'm better than I think I am and that I should be more confident about my game...maybe I let my subconscious override my ego so I dont come off as egotistical.
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PD, having played golf with you, I think we're the same way, we don't think we're all that good, it's almost like the anti-ego. Don't sell yourself short, you have a ton of game.
 
I don't know if my problem is ego or not. I play muscle cavity irons, that about 12 years old now. Back when I got them, I played golf daily. Now, I play twice a week. It's not that I play poorly with them, but I definitely lack consistency. One day, I'll be hitting them all straight. Another day, it may be a bunch of 5-10 yard fades. Then there's that occasional pull-hook (more like pull-draw) that rares its ugly head. Also, I hit the ball too low.

I've hit newer irons, specifically GI irons, like the TM RocketBladez. It's funny, a Rocketbladez stock 6 iron has 26.5 degrees loft. My six iron has 30 degrees loft. But the Rocketbladez iron launched 5 degrees higher and had about 10 yards extra distance. One would think that I would want the iron that goes longer AND, more importantly, launches higher.

But I just can't get over how pretty my clubs and their thin top line look. I also think having a set like the RocketBladez may render one my wedges useless.

Stupid ego.

~Rock
 
arydolphin said:
PD, having played golf with you, I think we're the same way, we don't think we're all that good, it's almost like the anti-ego. Don't sell yourself short, you have a ton of game.
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And I think the same of you. I've never met some one who has the game and ability you have and not know it. And you resist the idea you have more game than you think you do. Its really admirable and speaks volumes
 
I have let my ego get the best of me in the past, no doubt. I look at the iron in my bag, small forged blades, and think to myself, "what were you thinking when you bought those." The answer is simple. The Head Golf Pro I worked with at the time, a very good friend of mine, (VERY GOOD GOLFER) was ordering and playing some Titleist blades, and I wanted to be just as good as him. So I convinced myself that I could play a blade, too. At the time, I could play them, but I wonder if I had got something with some more forgiveness that I would maybe played a little better from time to time. Especially now, when I still use them as I don't have the extra cash to swap them out.
I have found that on the course play is different though. If the course is around 6900 yards or less from the "tips", I'll play them, but more than that? Nope, not going to happen. I know my limits with where my game stands now, and I don't need to loose a bunch of balls or walk away feeling defeated just to let me ego get the best of me. I'd rather have fun, have some shots at a bunch of birdies than hit long irons or more into everything and shoot a bad score. PASS

I would also be lying if I said that I still, from time to time,don't let my ego get the better of me. It's something I'm working on. Might even be a bit of "small man syndrome" if you will. (I know that's what it is) The game of golf is one of the best equalizing sports on the planet, probably why I love it so much. I can be 5'7" and smoke a driver out 300 yards, while a guy 6'5" is 20 or 30 yards back, but he played college basketball and is/was an All Everything Sports guy. (SEE THERE I GO AGIAN)
This is usually when, at the course, I need to take a step back and remind myself to let my game do the talking, and put my ego away. I don't brag (usually don't say anything at all), but I feel the way I carry myself in that situation, that maybe I'm bragging with how I'm walking around? Is that crazy of me to think? It's though sometimes, and I'm guilty of that.
 
Zenger said:
This thread. THP. The knowledge here has finally gotten through my brain. Just scheduled a FULL bag (ball included) fitting with Club Champion in Chicago for early next week. Time to get serious. Lower scores. Take the PAT and work as a teaching professional combining my passion to teach with my education background.

Thank you.
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That's awesome, I did a driver / FW fitting there this spring. Guy's know their stuff. They have all the options to try and get some numbers. I learned a lot during my fitting there.
 
I have zero ego.
 
Canadan said:
Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but is it ego, or preference?

Do you dislike Ping as a company, or is it just that you don't prefer the look of their irons? I personally don't see the idea of being company selective as having an ego. Maybe not an open mind (haha - me either sometimes) to what is the best for you, but is it really ego driven?
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That's a good question and maybe it is just preference. I guess where the ego comes in is in my mind I'd rather struggle with my current setup than play the Pings even if they were better suited for me.
 
Nice post. I think most of us have more or less of an alpha male ego in us. I find nothing wrong with teeing up with a iron if our driver is struggling or moving forward a tee if the course is too long or to tough for our HC level. Nice thread
 
Such a good thread to read through. A ton of great comments and insight about equipment but also the mental side of the game. Really does make you think about your own game and how it can be improved if you are willing to work at it.
 
Hotled said:
Don't know if it's actually ego related but:

I tend to beat myself up allot during a round and say out loud "you are better than that" yet in all honesty when sitting back and looking at old scorecards (no I am not better than that.)
I USED to be better than that, now I am playing hyrons that help my game instead of irons that "look like the in crowd or a betters player crowd".

Reading THP and talking to several people made me swallow some pride "which was ego basically" and play as good as I can on any given day and walk away happy. I don't play enough to be considered a good player, so I probably shouldn't set such high expectations,then beat myself up for not reaching them.
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I struggle with this as well, it's always fun until I start thinking I am better than I really am. Usually comes up in the middle of a blow up hole and then continues until I can get out of my own way. The problem is sometimes it will take a couple of holes for me to let it go and start concentrating again
 
I have a pretty big ego, moreso when it comes to sports, and getting my ego knocked down embarasses me, which in short pisses me off pretty good. Golf utterly vexes me. I think that's why I play. I've gotten pretty good at any sport or physical activity I've stuck with. Golf, not so much. While it may not change the equipment I play, ego, or overestimation of my ability, certainly affects the shots I choose to play, especially off the tee. Case in point: my course starts with a big dogleg right 500 yard par 5. I know when I hit my natural shot shape, about a 10 yard off target line fade, I can get around the corner and find myself a 5 iron and a wedge to the green. But a 3 wood off the tee usually means 4 shots to get on the green, as my second is still just trying to get around the dogleg.

Now I know when I'm swing my driver well, and when I'm not, from when I warm up. Sometimes I can't hit anything but a slice to save my life. But my ego kicks in, and darn if I don't pull that big stick out to tee off, and darn if half the time I'm not triple bogey or worse and feeling behind the 8 ball on the first hole.
 
I see alot of people at my club that actually "reverse sandbag" out of ego...they only turn in the good rounds which keeps their handicaps lower than it should be.

I don't think I have an ego problem when it comes to golf....a self confidence problem, yes....but ego, nope.
 
Howzat said:
It has taken THP to open my eyes and help get my ego out of the way. My game is much better for it.
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This is me..... My last two pair of irons were Cleveland CG Reds and Mizuno MP57s. After THP'ing, I just bought a new set of irons and went with a Game Improvement Iron because of the feedback from people who were much better than me at this game. My choice came down to the Altitudes and the Amp Cells. I have also started playing my driver at 11.5* after a fitting and don't care who knows it anymore.

The scorecard doesn't know what clubs you're playing and at the end of the day, it's the score and the fun that matters and since my ego has left, I'm having more fun and better scores.
 
I see ego trumping any rational thought regarding anything related to golf many times, from a guy insisting on playing blades when he could probably shave 20 strokes off his game with something else, to a lot of players insisting on playing back tees for some reason.

As for me, golf is the one game where I cannot have any type of ego. It's too humbling and humiliating at times to care what equipment or tees I play. Like Jay-Z says, I got 99 golf problems but an ego ain't one.
 
Texasbrons said:
Ego definitely comes into play in all sports, but since golf is such an individual sport, it is more readily apparent I think. Several good points have been made from the egotistical thought that you can hit over that water that it takes 250 yards to clear even though you've actually only hit a ball that can clear that a handful of times, to the thought that you are good enough to play blades, to the refusal to admit that while you used to be a 4 handicap, maybe you are a 9 now or a 12 or whatever.

I don't get too mad over bad golf shots because I know what my skill level is on the course. I also know that I am not playing a perfectly fitted and tuned set of clubs for me and that is also a limiting factor. While I am working on the latter, I also know that I will be somewhat limited in my ability because I am not willing to sacrifice the many other facets of my life to go practice golf on a consistent enough basis to be "THAT GOOD". My one true goal in golf right now is to get my handicap to the mid 80's so that I can at least be considered for a potential spot in the Morgan Cup or whatever other version of a similar.

Like most, I have seen guys that think they can hit the long shot, go for the green two on a par 5 when the smart shot dictates otherwise. While you can call it ego I attribute that, SOMETIMES to the equivalent of the good shot in the round that keeps golfers coming back. They've done it once before and got the eagle or birdie and it got their adrenaline going and the heart racing and they got excited and we all like those feelings so you hit the shot, not with an egotistical thought that you know you can do it, but in the hopes that you can repeat it and experience that euphoria once again. To the outsider, it may look like ego, but to the golfer attempting it, it may just be keeping your fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

I also like the ego of the guy who dresses like Tiger or Ricky Fowler from the expensive shoes, fancy belt buckle and belt and then can't hit the ball 100 yards. That's the ego that I find the most amusing.
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I vehemently disagree with the bolded above. Wearing a nice golf polo, pleated slacks, and a shiny belt with matching hat/shoes doesn't mean someone has ego...it means they have taste.
I'm just curious, what handicap does someone have to play to before a shiny belt buckle is "allowed"?

This thread is awesome with some great opinions on both sides of the proverbial fence and it kind of hits home for me. Could I score better with a more forgiving iron than the J40 DPC? You would think so but not based on the demo'ing and testing that I've done.
I think I made a move in the right direction lately by switching out my 913d2 for a Cobra Amp Cell (at 11.5 no less). I love having a Titleist in the bag but at the end of the day the Cobra is straighter, much straighter.
 
I guess I'm pretty lucky in that ego has never really been a part of my game. I have never been a long hitter and the only way I'm even remotely successful at the game is staying in the short stuff. Looking at my WITB however would cause most people to think ego is a big part of my game (in real life I use headcovers so nobody can tell what I'm playing). There was no ego involved in the choice of my equipment, I'm just shallow. I bought and played my Ping Zings, Ping Ansers, Mizuno MP60s and now my MP67s because I liked the way they looked. As a high capper I can't take advantage of the capabilites of my 67s and I'm fine with that. Especially since my results with the Zings (shovels) and MP67s (not shovels) are exactly the same. Heck, on a properly struck shot both my Zings and my 67s feel equally as "buttery". Hmm, maybe my exwives were right, I am an unfeeling ingrate.
 
Golf has shut me down too many times to get an ego, I've been playing on and off since I've been 8 and I hope ill be back to stay this time. I've been swinging a club at least a few hundred times a week lately its been coming around. I've never hit my irons better, but I still have a nasty slice in my driver to work out. But its getting there. last time out I actually hit the broad side of a barn :/

Golf is beautiful at giving people well needed reality checks.
 
Texasbrons said:
I also like the ego of the guy who dresses like Tiger or Ricky Fowler from the expensive shoes, fancy belt buckle and belt and then can't hit the ball 100 yards. That's the ego that I find the most amusing.
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Ooooh, you are getting it all wrong. Looking fabulous is the one thing EVERYONE can do on the course. Can't hit a fairway to save your life? You can look fabulous in the rough. Or the woods. Can't sink a putt? You can easily look awesome while you three-jack.

There are a million reasons why you might miss badly on a shot or a putt, but there is no reason to not look good doing it.
 
This entire discussion is interesting. Armygolf's response got me thinking. People dress like a pro, does it make them egotistical? I don't think so. People wear football jerseys of their favorite players, that doesn't make them egomaniacs. It just says they are a fan. Judging others action as ego or not is somewhat misguided. People have every right to buy equipment that makes them happy, attempt the shots they want, and dress however is comfortable to them. They may have a hundred reasons why they do what they do, but that doesn't mean it has to be ego driven. I guess in the end we can only truly define our own egos fairly.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Yes, ego is killing the game. It slows the pace of play, it turns people into monsters no one wants to be around and it kills golf games. I hear I need as all footprint all the time and these guys can't break mid 80s. I'm all for playing what you want but don't Ty to his behind reason if your game isn't in top form because you need a small top line.

it took me a long time after I played full time to get used to the fact I was leaving so much on the table with my game by using thin top line clubs. I dropped shots like War dropped pounds when I went to a stylish looking club with forgiveness. It was like night and day. I'm on the edge with my xforged and swinging well but even I know that wont last forever. When I can't play them and score, I will get a more forgiving set.
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GregDan said:
I tend to agree that ego is such a big topic of discussion in golf. I know I have been guilty of it at some point and I see it all too often with people I play golf with.

Freddie rolling it out there. This statement hits home for me.

Sometimes it's tough to acknowledge that you aren't as good as you think you are or admit that someone has a greater skill set than you. Once people realize those things and play the game how they should, they find that the game is much more enjoyable. If I can do it so can everyone else.
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gregdan, I read this and instantly thought. He's talking to me! Well said buddy.

this is an awesome thread. Thanks for kicking it out there Jman, and everyone that has contributed thus far. THP for me has been just what I needed to get past a lot of the ego mess. In the end it's about posting a low number, regardless of the brand, the category or the price tag of your equipment. We all love this game, and it's a game built on integrity. So why not be true to yourself and p,ay what you play.
 
MO_Hacker said:
That's a good question and maybe it is just preference. I guess where the ego comes in is in my mind I'd rather struggle with my current setup than play the Pings even if they were better suited for me.
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I still say that's preference over ego buddy! You game what you think looks and feels right to you. You're also not the only one to feel that way about Ping. Some of their iron offerings have a VERY unique look about them.
 
goalie said:
Ooooh, you are getting it all wrong. Looking fabulous is the one thing EVERYONE can do on the course. Can't hit a fairway to save your life? You can look fabulous in the rough. Or the woods. Can't sink a putt? You can easily look awesome while you three-jack.

There are a million reasons why you might miss badly on a shot or a putt, but there is no reason to not look good doing it.
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I'm with you on that. Look as goofy as you want to on course... As long as you're not playing at PGA tour pace, I'm good with it.
 
I have a huge ego. In everything. Ego/personal preference entirely dictate what is in my bag. Compared to having fun out there and enjoying my equipment, I couldn't care less about playing like crap. My score is pretty much my last concern, so I just sit back and let ego dictate what I do. It's fantastic.
 
I personally feel when you golf the way you dress is just an indication of who you desire to be like.My favorite is Payne Stewart. I want to dress like him because i feel like that is how a golfer dresses. If you choose to dress like Rickie then dress that way.Its not ego.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2
 
I honestly don't pay much attention to the clubs that people use. I could not tell you the brand or model of irons & wedges the two other guys in my threesome today were using today. I remember their drivers and putters, but that's it. As far as bad golfers dressing like pros - it doesn't bother me at all. I'd much rather see someone dressed well than wearing shredded cargo shorts, no belt, and their shirt hanging out.
 
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