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Do you believe you can win?

Trout Bum

Trout Bum

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Reading Freddie's journey back to competition raises a great question about competitive golf.

Do you think you can win when you enetr an event or do you just go in with no expectations and settle for the outcome as it happens?

I used to have a killer instinct and would out practice and out work anyone around and I had a great game. My last truly great round was at a THP event in Florida at Waterlefe where everything was dead on and almost every shot I intended to hit was delivered, I thought differently back then, it wasn't my greatest score but it was a great mental round.

As of today I don't have that killer vibe and I want it back, I believe that I can win early on and then give it away mid round without much fanfare and I find myself beating me in the end.

How about you?
 
Trout Bum said:
Reading Freddie's journey back to competition raises a great question about competitive golf.

Do you think you can win when you enetr an event or do you just go in with no expectations and settle for the outcome as it happens?

I used to have a killer instinct and would out practice and out work anyone around and I had a great game. My last truly great round was at a THP event in Florida at Waterlefe where everything was dead on and almost every shot I intended to hit was delivered, I thought differently back then, it wasn't my greatest score but it was a great mental round.

As of today I don't have that killer vibe and I want it back, I believe that I can win early on and then give it away mid round without much fanfare and I find myself beating me in the end.

How about you?
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not to be funny, but I don't really know how to think that way. I've worked hard on my mental game, and I honestly have gotten worse. I thought I was ready this summer, and fell flat so until I get more tournament rounds in it like I'm in a search mode for something that I don't know what it looks like.
 
Interesting topic. Outside of THP events, work tournaments and the club championship at Andrews (which had 3 flights) back in the late 90s early 2000s I haven't played much tournament golf. I don't know if I have the killer instinct but I have the desire to win. I have tried not to set expectations whenever I play which has helped me play better this year. Not sure if that's the right attitude going into a tournament round but if I were to enter that is the approach I would take and see what the results would be
 
Trout Bum said:
Reading Freddie's journey back to competition raises a great question about competitive golf.

Do you think you can win when you enetr an event or do you just go in with no expectations and settle for the outcome as it happens?

I used to have a killer instinct and would out practice and out work anyone around and I had a great game. My last truly great round was at a THP event in Florida at Waterlefe where everything was dead on and almost every shot I intended to hit was delivered, I thought differently back then, it wasn't my greatest score but it was a great mental round.

As of today I don't have that killer vibe and I want it back, I believe that I can win early on and then give it away mid round without much fanfare and I find myself beating me in the end.

How about you?
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I think it's difficult to have that killer instinct and desire to compete at a high level when there's little more than bragging rights at stake. Even if it's a fairly large and well-known event to prepare for and compete in chances are when Monday morning comes around one will have to roll out of bed at 0 dark 30, get work clothes on, and go back to the daily grind.

Also, the ability to compete at a high level takes an investment in effort, and more importantly, time - a commodity many find in short supply. Even if we may be so inclined to make the investment, it's not always possible. I would say most of us are at points in our lives where we should temper our expectations of our ability to play at a consistently high level and just enjoy the days when it seems like you can't miss. Sometimes we're fortunate enough to have those days when there's a little something extra on the line.
 
Always.

if I play poorly, or if I just don't win, I'll get them next time. Every time.
 
ATLGolfer said:
Always.

if I play poorly, or if I just don't win, I'll get them next time. Every time.
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Part of being a Falcon fan. Haha To answer the question, I'm not really sure. I feel like I am confident and haven't been in many competitive matches. Sunday singles at the MC was a cluster eff for me but Saturday rounds were good. Maybe I am just better as part of a team.
 
Do you believe you can win?

I personally don't think it's anything you can force or create, it's either part of your personality or not. I'd still consider myself competitive, but nowhere to the degree I was in my youth. Kids and family life have definitely softened me. Though I certainly still believe and expect to win if I'm competing in something even to this day.

I do, however, disagree the sentiment that it matters what's on the line. The stakes really are irrelevant if you have a competitive nature, whether it's an elaborate prize or simply bragging rights.
 
Do I believe I can win? Yes, absolutely.

I've done it several times in pressure packed situations. BUT, over the last year or so I haven't practiced nearly as much and while I still "think" I can win, I'm starting to see in actual rounds that I don't execute the way that I used to.

Having the mentality is one thing.....having the game to back it up consistently is something else. For me, they go hand in hand.
 
Good question. the best way I can answer it is, before the first shot of each round, I honestly believe this round has the chance to be my personal best. If it's in a competion, then yes that means I think I can win. If it's just a friendly match, then maybe I have a chance to beat a buddy I haven't ever beaten or beaten for quite a while.

So in short, I guess the answer would be yes, as strange as that may sound to some who've played with me :D
 
Martsy said:
I do, however, disagree the sentiment that it matters what's on the line. The stakes really are irrelevant if you have a competitive nature, whether it's an elaborate prize or simply bragging rights.
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I don't wish to veer the topic off on a tangent, but I must ask:

You have two six foot putts. One to get your name on a trophy and one to put $10,000 in your bank account. Are you saying you're going to react to both in precisely the same manner? If you can honestly answer "yes", you're a rare exception.
 
I'm not sure why but in a casual round I am usually just relaxed and don't really care about the end results but if there is something on the line, i.e. a tournament, a few bets or pride, then I'm going for blood. It's like a switch flips on and the competitive juices get flowing.
 
JohnSinVA said:
I don't wish to veer the topic off on a tangent, but I must ask:

You have two six foot putts. One to get your name on a trophy and one to put $10,000 in your bank account. Are you saying you're going to react to both in precisely the same manner? If you can honestly answer "yes", you're a rare exception.
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The nerves would certainly be different, but I don't believe that has anything with being competitive or not. My resolve to hit either putt would be the same... I'd want to make them both.
 
I went into yesterday knowing I could post a low score without any issue. The reality and the thought process were very far part from a score stand point. I accomplished 1/3 of my goal, fairways. I fell short on GIR and putts. The putts just did not fall and I had 6 good looks and 3 prayers. I've been working on the game and just failed to put it together.
 
Against people in the same handicap range, undoubtedly, yes. But to go into a tournament against scratch golfers with my 9 hcp, no way, but I also wouldn't play in a tourney vs those guys either. If I'm getting strokes or in a flight based on handicap, I most assuredly believe I'm going to win. History shows most of the time I do win.
 
It has a good bit to do with the state of your game. If you're kicking on all cylinders the confidence level for winning is there. With that said, I DO expect to take folks to the woodshed every time! :bomb: It's my job :D
 
Unfortunately for me I don't have many events where I can enter and compete. The highest I've competed in a while has been at THP events that have not been as "serious" as others. I tend to enjoy the company and rarely go to my "competitive" zone because when I do I get tunnel vision and don't have as much fun.

The only time I'll focus more is when I'm paying for money. I still have fun and joke around, but I tend to concentrate a little harder.
 
Do I think and feel that I can win? You're dang right, it's carried over from other areas of my life.

If you don't think you have a chance, what's the point in even saddling up?
 
In something like aa head to head match? Absolutely. I'm confident enough in my game that I can put together a round that will be competitive.

In a tournament with a number of low handicap guys, getting no strokes or something? Less so - there's just too much that would need to fall into place. But I'm going to go out there and play as hard as I can.
 
I'm pretty competitive and usually go into a tournament with the mindset that there's no reason I can't podium.

My mental fragility comes when I have a bad hole or two, I tend to beat myself up to the point that it takes a handful of really good shots to get me going again. I typically play worse in casual rounds than I do in competitive ones.
 
Most of the time, I won't enter a tournament if I think I don't have a chance of winning. If you go into a tournament thinking you can't win, you might as well just stay home. There is one tournament I play in every year that I don't really care if I win. I play in it because I've met a bunch of great guys that play it every year and that's the only time I get to see them. I still think I can win, but for just that tournament, I really don't care if I do or not. All the other tournaments, though, I play to win.
 
Every time I tee off.
 
I've never been in a tournament, but I've done plenty of match play and a few rider cup style events. I always go in thinking I have a good shot. So much can happen in golf, you're never out of it (until you're out of it).
 
I hate to lose. I play to win. I'm not good enough to play competitively, so I don't play competitively... in stroke play. Once you have a bad hole in stroke play you're pretty much done unless everyone has a bad hole. Those at the top will not have bad holes with the same magnitude as you. My Game Golf tells me just how bad one needs to play to shoot my best score of 89. Golf is hard. Very hard. I didn't start when I was 5.

Match play is a different story. I love match play. I can have a bad hole, move on and win the next. I prefer playing against people of my own relative ability. There are types of people I don't like playing with.
 
do i believe i can win? no. i don't have a killer instinct. but i also don't enjoy competition. i hate losing, and to be honest i'm a sore loser. i'm a very gracious winner, but i'm a big sourpuss if i lose. it's why i avoid playing card games, or betting on golf, or really anything where there's a winner and a loser.
 
In a flighted event I absolutely feel I can win. Rakes, gimme's, mulligans lead to phony handicaps and I relish the opportunity to play another 9 in a real match because on 3 to 5 holes a round their ESC pickup or raked putt or 3 foot gimme won't be allowed.
 
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