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TripleThreat802

TripleThreat802

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A buddy told me the other day that the two biggest mistakes beginning golfers make are: 1) taking the driver out of the bag too often and 2) over-analyzing putts.

Do you agree?

I really do believe this game is 90% mental. When I look back after a round and analyze my bad shots, it's typically due to over-swinging, rushing, not managing the course, nerves, pressure, etc.

What examples can you think of where a mental mistake really cost you a hole (or maybe a round!)?

I know they say to forget the last shot and focus on the next shot, but wow is that tough to do sometimes!!
 
Mental side is one of my biggest set backs. I can go out in a match play event and give total 110% focus. The second I start playing stroke play I start thinking about my bad shots. If I throw up a bogey I dwell on it. I focus on trying to get back to par instead of focusing on the shot in front of me like I can with match play. It's really something I'm trying to work hard at and I'm definitely getting better at it. One thing I'm trying and having some decent success at is trying to break it down into 3 3 hole rounds for 9 and 6 3 hole rounds for 18. I definitely think one of if not the hardest thing to do is just focus on the shot ahead of you and nothing else.
 
I don't agree with the biggest mistakes he listed for me, I actually need to focus more. Learning after the MC that I really miss the pressure on the course this week.
 
WardF said:
I don't agree with the biggest mistakes he listed for me, I actually need to focus more. Learning after the MC that I really miss the pressure on the course this week.
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DUDE, you and I both! I can totally feel my lack of motivation and I can just feel myself going through the motions. Even when practicing the other day where I usually get into another mode I couldn't get to it. I just kept swinging without a purpose. It's so frustrating. I can actually feel my lack of focus on the course.
 
That's interesting, I never really thought about the flip side of the coin.

Good tip on breaking down the holes.

I'd love to hear more tips being used to overcome the mental mistakes.
 
I don't really agree with the initial statement unless by "beginning" he means "8-20 handicaps" or something.

The mental side, to me, becomes more important once you've got a repeatable, if not good, swing and have hit the point where course management actually comes into play.
If you don't know where the next shot's going, or never hit a putt where you aim, those things mentioned aren't what's hurting you.

For golfers over the initial learning curve, and beyond...sure. Makes sense. I myself could do with leaving driver in the bag more often, and if I adjust my initial read I'm usually wrong on greens.
For actual beginners or newer golfers, the issues I notice most are swinging with the arms and distance control on putts.
 
One of my mental mistakes is my inability to turn it off and on. When I play with with people that I just want hang out with, or be social with its tough for me to turn it off and on. I've gotten better, but it takes a constant self reminder to stay in the round.
 
Learning to play in the moment takes as much work as the golf swing of not more. It took me years to learn to be present and not think a head or dwell on what has happened. There is no magic switch, you just have to commit to the present and let everything else be.
 
I had a triple bogey on the 15th hole on Sunday of my city tournament. Just lost total focus I guess. Not that you can ever point to one particular hole, but I projected bogey for the hole, and had I got it, I would have been in the playoff to win the City Tournament.

On a side note, I could tell the guys in my group were concerned for my mental well being. I simply responded "it's just a game." I then finished the last 3 holes strong.

~Rock
 
I am returning to golf after a few years of doing triathlons, many of which had ocean swims in sometimes big surf. I used to suffer from nerves frequently on the course, but have found that after competing in triathlon, the nerves have gone away. The first tee box is no where near as intimidating as standing on the beach watching heavy surf come in, knowing you are about to enter the water and get kicked, elbowed and potentially swam over while fighting your way through. It is very nice knowing if I mess up on the golf course I'm not going to get injured, unlike doing 20+ on a bike, or in the ocean. I have also found I spend much less time standing over a shot. When I started triathlon, I never thought it would help mentally on the course. A welcome surprise!
 
My mistakes can probably be mostly traced back to being mental. But I think it's forgetting to do something. Usually it's forgetting to swing easy and falling back into an over aggressive swing.

Six4three5 said:
One thing I'm trying and having some decent success at is trying to break it down into 3 3 hole rounds for 9 and 6 3 hole rounds for 18. I definitely think one of if not the hardest thing to do is just focus on the shot ahead of you and nothing else.
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I've heard of this a couple times now. I think I wanna give this a try and see how it goes. So you give yourself a target score for each 3 hole set; e.g. 1 over par for the 3 holes?
 
drp3434 said:
I've heard of this a couple times now. I think I wanna give this a try and see how it goes. So you give yourself a target score for each 3 hole set; e.g. 1 over par for the 3 holes?
Click to expand...

Yep! I try to go even par tho. Knowing the bogeys will come with a few birdies along the way as well. But it helps my focus as if once the first 3 hole round is over I can't get it back so move on to the next round.
 
Breaking the course down into 3 hole sets still limits you on the course. You will always think you can make it up on the next hole to have a good three holes. Instead of just taking each shot as it comes and hitting the best shot you can.
drp3434 said:
My mistakes can probably be mostly traced back to being mental. But I think it's forgetting to do something. Usually it's forgetting to swing easy and falling back into an over aggressive swing.



I've heard of this a couple times now. I think I wanna give this a try and see how it goes. So you give yourself a target score for each 3 hole set; e.g. 1 over par for the 3 holes?
Click to expand...
 
TripleThreat802 said:
A buddy told me the other day that the two biggest mistakes beginning golfers make are: 1) taking the driver out of the bag too often and 2) over-analyzing putts.

Do you agree?

I really do believe this game is 90% mental. When I look back after a round and analyze my bad shots, it's typically due to over-swinging, rushing, not managing the course, nerves, pressure, etc.

What examples can you think of where a mental mistake really cost you a hole (or maybe a round!)?

I know they say to forget the last shot and focus on the next shot, but wow is that tough to do sometimes!!
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree that a large majority of strokes added to a score are the fault of decisions made. We can pretend that we don't swing harder on a tee box or press after silly mistakes have occurred, but I think for the most part it happens.

I talked to my team during Morgan Cup prep about the phrase "aim small miss small" and that plays into the mental game a lot. Rather than going for the guarded flag from your max 3 wood distance, hitting to wedge distance and dropping one close from there. If you miss with the 3w and put yourself in trouble, the pressure increases and your frustration level fluctuates. Instead, hitting to wedge distance, getting on the green and two putting will keep you on a level mental line the whole way.

It's also pretty amazing watching people under pressure of competition. Things change quickly, and the concept of quicksand comes into play in a hurry. It's all about settling down and playing like you're out for a casual round with friends.
 
Canadan said:
It's also pretty amazing watching people under pressure of competition. Things change quickly, and the concept of quicksand comes into play in a hurry. It's all about settling down and playing like you're out for a casual round with friends.
Click to expand...

This is so true, but for some people that's a hard concept to grasp. Nerves happen, if they don't you're almost not human.

Playing between your ears can sometime be just as hard as the game itself. It can be difficult to replicate that feeling of nerves when you're just playing with friends on the weekend.

So how would you do that? How would you put yourself into that feel and state of mind, so that you can overcome that when the time comes? I think that's a better question to ask, maybe? I would imagine that a few of us, like myself, who grew up in competitive golf have this decently under control after having been put in these situation's before. But for the average golfer, like the OP, that may not be the case.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Breaking the course down into 3 hole sets still limits you on the course. You will always think you can make it up on the next hole to have a good three holes. Instead of just taking each shot as it comes and hitting the best shot you can.
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There's a good chance you're right. But this is a goofy game and sometimes all it takes is something goofy to help make things click. It may not always make sense or work for everyone, and maybe it's a placebo type effect, but if it works, it works.
 
I recently read "Every Shot Counts" which is an in-depth statistical look at golf.

A quick summary of it is:
1) Putting doesn't count as much as you think - all shots are important
2) Too much conservatism doesn't always pay off

The data this book presented has caused me to modify my approach somewhat. The book basically advocates you pick a conservative target and then swing aggressively to it. The better golfer you are, the less conservative your target need to be.

That makes perfect sense. If you pick an appropriately conservative target, you can and should swing with confidence towards it. If your target is too aggressive, you are almost certain to make a tentative swing, and bad things will result. But if your target is too conservative, you are giving up strokes. So, for example, if I'm 240 out from a green with no trouble in front, I'm now going to try to get closer to the green, not layup to a number. Yes, I know many pros advocate laying up to a comfortable number. That works great for someone who can stick within 6 feet from 100 yards. Not so much for the rest of us. The data shows an amateur who averages a score of 80 or more is far more likely to be farther from the hole if hitting from 100 yards than they are if hitting from 30 yards.

Don't get me wrong - I'm still all about making the smart play. However, I'm now looking for opportunities to make a smart play with some aggression, rather than always taking the most conservative play possible.

So in summary, I think you have to strike a balance. You can't play good golf being a "always go for it no matter what" idiot. But you also can't play good golf by playing in fear. You have to find a balance that allows you the freedom to be committed, but doesn't lead to disaster should the shot not work.
 
Agent Jay said:
This is so true, but for some people that's a hard concept to grasp. Nerves happen, if they don't you're almost not human.

Playing between your ears can sometime be just as hard as the game itself. It can be difficult to replicate that feeling of nerves when you're just playing with friends on the weekend.

So how would you do that? How would you put yourself into that feel and state of mind, so that you can overcome that when the time comes? I think that's a better question to ask, maybe? I would imagine that a few of us, like myself, who grew up in competitive golf have this decently under control after having been put in these situation's before. But for the average golfer, like the OP, that may not be the case.
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I think to an extent it can be controlled. There's no denying the pressure in a tee shot with 40 guys and a camera watching you, but when you step into your next 70 shots or so, it's all about focusing on each shot individually and forgetting that there is a match going on around you. This was a big issue for me personally a couple years ago, but I got into enough tournaments and pressure rounds (money games every weekend) to be able to settle down a lot better for my shots.

I always enjoy the golf movies that try to portray it. Vardon in the greatest game ever played making everyone disappear. Junuh in Bagger Vance shortening the hole.
 
The mental aspect of the game definitely gets to me including over thinking shots. Too many times I will start to walk through the "what ifs " as I am lining up for a shot. I am finding the more I practice, the less I am doing it. I have a feeling a lot of that stems from having trust in how I am swinging.

I have also found that there is a fine line between playing fast and playing too fast. I like to play at a decent pace, but if I get too fast I start making mistakes and not thinking shots through. I don't think it was a coincindence that one of my best rounds happened on Sunday and the round was slow.
 
drp3434 said:
There's a good chance you're right. But this is a goofy game and sometimes all it takes is something goofy to help make things click. It may not always make sense or work for everyone, and maybe it's a placebo type effect, but if it works, it works.
Click to expand...

From a logical stand point, if reducing a round into (6) 3 hole rounds makes you play better. What will reducing it even further do for you. With a 3 hole approach it will snow ball. First within the 3 hole round then it will carry over into the next set of holes to make up for short comings.
 
TripleThreat802 said:
A buddy told me the other day that the two biggest mistakes beginning golfers make are: 1) taking the driver out of the bag too often and 2) over-analyzing putts.

Do you agree?

I really do believe this game is 90% mental. When I look back after a round and analyze my bad shots, it's typically due to over-swinging, rushing, not managing the course, nerves, pressure, etc.

What examples can you think of where a mental mistake really cost you a hole (or maybe a round!)?

I know they say to forget the last shot and focus on the next shot, but wow is that tough to do sometimes!!
Click to expand...

Yep I think it's mental mistake, lack of planning and execution, and most of all lack of discipline(too much ego).

If you put a 95 shooter skills in to a 5 cap, he's be shooting in the mid to low 80's, simply because he'll just make what skill he had work. He'll see that the shots he has in the bag is a 20 yards right to left he'd aim for it. If his mid to long irons is not as reliable, he can take his medicine and lay up and minimize his lost. He'd know that hitting a drivers is probably a bad idea since he does not have enough control, so hitting 3 wood or 5 wood would put his ball more in play and if he hits one in the wood, he would chip the ball back in play not trying to make one up with a hero shot.

I was that person in January, after 10 years hiatus, I picked up the game and have realistic expectation of my game. When my irons game are all over the place and my drive was not at the level I was. I left both out of my bag and chose to hit shots I know that would keep me in play and eliminate unnecessary mental mistake shots. 6 months later I was back to where I left the game at 4 handicap, last few rounds at my clubs I've been shooting under par. I don't know how it happened but I'm not questioning it either, I'm just going to have a great time while it lasted.

Unfortunately, this is the mental hurdle that 100's, and 90's shooter have to breakthrough on their own. Most overestimate their skills and the shots they have in their bag. They also view hitting driver and playing from the blue tee as "right of passage", the better player do it, and if they do it, therefore, they are better player. That's my 2 cents
 
i have read through this thread and there are some very valid and interesting points. i have an opinion on the subject. a good major league baseball player fails 70% of the time at the plate. if he is afraid to fail because of his mental approach he is doomed. he has to go to the plate believing he will succeed EVERY at bat. when he does not, he must put the failure behind him and concentrate on his next at bat. he must have a short memory. same with golf, we (meaning us mere mortal amateurs) must understand we are going to fail, missed drives, chip shots, putts, ect, however we must stand over every shot and know we are going to succeed, or we will be doomed to failure. a good example is when we miss a drive and end up with a par or even a birdie on occasion. forget the bad drive and hit the next shot believing we will succeed! and may all you putts look like home sick gophers!
 
A common theme in here seems to be " forget the bad shot you just hit, and concentrate on making your next shot a good one."

This is certainly sound advice that would definitely save some strokes.

However, sometimes or maybe most times, those bad shots come from a mental mistake to begin with.

I try to remember on each shot to slow down, relax, swing smooth...etc but sometimes it's difficult to get out of your own head.

Going back to my original post, I do think beginners probably over analyze putts...but I wouldn't necessarily agree with hitting the driver too much. My goal this year is to break 90...and my driver is one of my favorite clubs to hit because at least for now I have confidence in it.
 
I agree with the statement about driver but disagree about putts.
 
Six4three5 said:
One thing I'm trying and having some decent success at is trying to break it down into 3 3 hole rounds for 9 and 6 3 hole rounds for 18.
Click to expand...
I do this also. It is a good way to compartmentalize, increase focus and let things go. If you screw up a 3 hole stretch it is okay...time to reach the goal on the next three hole stretch. Ideally this would be a baby step toward being able to go one shot at a time for 18 holes, something that is too hard for most everyone.
 
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