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Rory's "Ruthlessness"... Do You Have It?

cyoung2ty

cyoung2ty

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Last week, Rory was quoted as saying he's now got a "ruthlessness" to his mental game where he won't feel bad or feel like he needs to apologize because his game is as good as it is.

When I read that, I started thinking about my game and if I had that same mental edge.

If I'm being honest with myself, I don't... at least not all the time.

If I am playing a match against someone who I don't necessarily 'like'... I DO have the thought process that I want to destroy them. I try my best to win the match as quickly as possible in attempt to stick that needle a little deeper.

If I'm playing against someone who I'm friends with... or someone who is cordial and polite throughout the match... there's a part of me that feels bad. I don't want to embarrass them or make them feel bad... and sometimes I believe that bites me and hurts my game.

Lifetime, I've got a 14-8-3 match play record, so I'm not doing too poorly... but I feel like I need to find that ruthless side of me when I'm playing. Even in stroke play competitions, if I'm having a decent round and any of my playing competitors is struggling... I start to feel guilty, and then I'll level out. I need to put my head down and focus on posting my best possible score.

Does anybody out there feel like they've either got it already or need to find it?
 
cyoung2ty said:
Last week, Rory was quoted as saying he's now got a "ruthlessness" to his mental game where he won't feel bad or feel like he needs to apologize because his game is as good as it is.

When I read that, I started thinking about my game and if I had that same mental edge.

If I'm being honest with myself, I don't... at least not all the time.

If I am playing a match against someone who I don't necessarily 'like'... I DO have the thought process that I want to destroy them. I try my best to win the match as quickly as possible in attempt to stick that needle a little deeper.

If I'm playing against someone who I'm friends with... or someone who is cordial and polite throughout the match... there's a part of me that feels bad. I don't want to embarrass them or make them feel bad... and sometimes I believe that bites me and hurts my game.

Lifetime, I've got a 14-8-3 match play record, so I'm not doing too poorly... but I feel like I need to find that ruthless side of me when I'm playing. Even in stroke play competitions, if I'm having a decent round and any of my playing competitors is struggling... I start to feel guilty, and then I'll level out. I need to put my head down and focus on posting my best possible score.

Does anybody out there feel like they've either got it already or need to find it?
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Well, my game does have some brutality associated with it.
 
I know he said ruthlessness, but I don' know if that word comes to mind for me when thinking of Rory.
 
I'm not even close. I'd rather have a good time and enjoy the company than play with that mind set!!
 
I do terrible things to the left side of most any hole...that's kinda ruthless. :alien: I'm not about beating anyone, I like to win, on the rare occasion I play competition, but mostly I want to have fun and enjoy the golf.
 
Im the same. Why would Rory feel bad about his game being good though? That makes no sense. To me, Rory didnt come off as being ruthless, just egotistical and delusional.
 
I feel badly about beating someone who is playing poorly, but never when I earn it.
Friend or foe, I want to win.


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cyoung2ty said:
Last week, Rory was quoted as saying he's now got a "ruthlessness" to his mental game where he won't feel bad or feel like he needs to apologize because his game is as good as it is.

When I read that, I started thinking about my game and if I had that same mental edge.

If I'm being honest with myself, I don't... at least not all the time.

If I am playing a match against someone who I don't necessarily 'like'... I DO have the thought process that I want to destroy them. I try my best to win the match as quickly as possible in attempt to stick that needle a little deeper.

If I'm playing against someone who I'm friends with... or someone who is cordial and polite throughout the match... there's a part of me that feels bad. I don't want to embarrass them or make them feel bad... and sometimes I believe that bites me and hurts my game.

Lifetime, I've got a 14-8-3 match play record, so I'm not doing too poorly... but I feel like I need to find that ruthless side of me when I'm playing. Even in stroke play competitions, if I'm having a decent round and any of my playing competitors is struggling... I start to feel guilty, and then I'll level out. I need to put my head down and focus on posting my best possible score.

Does anybody out there feel like they've either got it already or need to find it?
Click to expand...
Hasn't it been like 9 or 10 months since he won on the PGA tour? I know he's great and I know he's won in Europe more recently. But I'm sorry, using the word "ruthlessness" when you are in a bit of a drought comes off as Big Hat, No Cattle to me.
 
I agree, 100%. That's why I put it in quotes.

The term, itself, is more what I'm asking.

He hasn't really put the fear in anybody in quite awhile... but when I read what he said, it made me question myself.

I feel like there's too much 'nice guy' in me... and you all know the saying about nice guys and where they finish.

I finish closer to last than first way too often!

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Wouldn't you have to have pretty firm grasp on the game to even consider a ruthlessness. I mean, I don't think there is too much ruthlessness in pars and bogies winning holes. Now of those are birdies and pars, then maybe I can see it.
 
Not sure I'd think of "ruthlessness" as a word I'd even relate to golf just by the definition itself.
But if I did, not sure why skill level would make a difference.
I like to think of golf as a gentleman's game.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Wouldn't you have to have pretty firm grasp on the game to even consider a ruthlessness. I mean, I don't think there is too much ruthlessness in pars and bogies winning holes. Now of those are birdies and pars, then maybe I can see it.
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In terms of professional golfers... I agree. In relating it to amateur golfers... I think just the mental aspect of wanting to win without consideration of the feelings of your opponent is more what I mean (in the competitive spirit).

I post more doubles and triples than birdies, pars and bogeys combined. I'm not what anyone would confuse for a 'good' golfer... but I'm competitive in almost everything I do. I don't like to lose... whether it's on the golf course or playing tic-tac-toe a paper tablecloth at a restaurant.

Golf is great because someone with a high handicap like my 17+ can play a competitive match against a low single digit handicap. Whether it's a low handicap golfer putting for gross birdie or a high handicap golfer putting for net birdie, it's still a birdie.

I play a lot of competition golf... granted, not at a high level, but competitive nonetheless. I haven't won a tournament yet... but I did finish runner-up in a flighted match play Club Championship. It's a desire of mine to win... but I feel like I lack that killer instinct (or ruthlessness) when it comes time to close things out.

I guess I was just wondering how other competitive golfers viewed themselves.

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Focus on your game.

You can't help the other guy with his issues. It's golf and it's that day. If you are having a good day, take advantage of it.

He is trying to beat you into submission. If it was his day, he would feel nothing for you.

Play your game, and shake his hand and share a beer afterwards. But during, steel yourself.
 
Desmond said:
Focus on your game.

You can't help the other guy with his issues. It's golf and it's that day. If you are having a good day, take advantage of it.

He is trying to beat you into submission. If it was his day, he would feel nothing for you.

Play your game, and shake his hand and share a beer afterwards. But during, steel yourself.
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See... now that fired me up!

Exactly what I needed to hear heading into this weekend. I'm gonna keep repeating that to myself throughout the round Saturday.

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cyoung2ty said:
In terms of professional golfers... I agree. In relating it to amateur golfers... I think just the mental aspect of wanting to win without consideration of the feelings of your opponent is more what I mean (in the competitive spirit).

I post more doubles and triples than birdies, pars and bogeys combined. I'm not what anyone would confuse for a 'good' golfer... but I'm competitive in almost everything I do. I don't like to lose... whether it's on the golf course or playing tic-tac-toe a paper tablecloth at a restaurant.

Golf is great because someone with a high handicap like my 17+ can play a competitive match against a low single digit handicap. Whether it's a low handicap golfer putting for gross birdie or a high handicap golfer putting for net birdie, it's still a birdie.

I play a lot of competition golf... granted, not at a high level, but competitive nonetheless. I haven't won a tournament yet... but I did finish runner-up in a flighted match play Club Championship. It's a desire of mine to win... but I feel like I lack that killer instinct (or ruthlessness) when it comes time to close things out.

I guess I was just wondering how other competitive golfers viewed themselves.

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i don't think I've ever considered the feelings of my opponent. During the point I'm not worried about my opponent, do you? Serious question..

ive never viewed a stroked birdied a real bird. I've always viewed it as a nessassary evil in golf to equalize the game. I undertand strokes must be given but I am not a fan. I embrace it because it makes things interesting and some gamesmanship can be used. But if I had my druthers I would not give shots.
 
Tadashi70 said:
i don't think I've ever considered the feelings of my opponent. During the point I'm not worried about my opponent, do you? Serious question..

ive never viewed a stroked birdied a real bird. I've always viewed it as a nessassary evil in golf to equalize the game. I undertand strokes must be given but I am not a fan. I embrace it because it makes things interesting and some gamesmanship can be used. But if I had my druthers I would not give shots.
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While I'm making my strokes... no, my opponents feelings don't come into consideration. Between shots or when I see them dejected about playing poorly... I do feel bad for them at times, depending on who the opponent is.

When I was a running back in high school and college... I just wanted to run over, through and around the other team because there was very little time to consider their feelings.

I suppose I have to learn to block all that other stuff out.

LOL

As for gross vs. net... I tend to agree. I don't like handicapped competitions as much as I enjoy flighted competitions. Still... I make way more net birdies than gross birdies, and until I can dedicate proper time to the game to get better, I have to settle for what I can get.



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My reaction was very much in line with Freddie's comment - I don't have enough game to be thinking about ruthlessness.

But when defined this way
cyoung2ty said:
without consideration of the feelings of your opponent is more what I mean (in the competitive spirit).
Click to expand...

I understand what you are saying. It took me one time of losing focus and giving away a match to learn how to close someone out. Most of that was mental, not physical.


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If I'm just playing a casual round with friends I have a hard time tapping in to any "ruthlessness", even if we may be playing for money. A lot of times I've played some pretty mediocre golf because of it. However, if I'm in a tournament playing I'm able to flip some kind of mental switch and I am doing everything I can to bury my competitor.
 
I've learned things having been in a league. It's about playing and winning the weekly competition. There is no socialization that anyone really cares about. Sure the ones at the bottom of the pack play more friendly. But among the better players in the group it's cut throat. The smiles are not genuine.

If you want to have fun and play friendly golf, don't play competitive golf.
 
Ruthless sounds a bit too harsh. To me focusing on my own game is lots already, I just do that and enjoy my game.
 
InTheRough said:
I've learned things having been in a league. It's about playing and winning the weekly competition. There is no socialization that anyone really cares about. Sure the ones at the bottom of the pack play more friendly. But among the better players in the group it's cut throat. The smiles are not genuine.

If you want to have fun and play friendly golf, don't play competitive golf.
Click to expand...
This is kinda the mentality I think I need to adopt. I enjoy social golf, certainly... but the competitive side of me needs to have a focus on winning.

Way too often, I've found myself having a good round and someone will make a comment that'll throw me off my game.

For example, during a two-day 'major' tournament last April, I played like crap the first day and was pretty much out of it. I started really well on the second day and was making putts from everywhere and pulling up & downs out of areas I had no business scoring from. Everybody else in our group was struggling. Someone made a comment about how I made enough putts already and to slow down on about our seventh hole. I laughed about it, but I thought to myself that he was right... I had been killing it and it wasn't me, it was just 'luck' evening out from the day before. I leveled out and then played my final hole like it was my first hole ever. I ended up 2 shots out of a playoff.

I was angry at myself afterwards, but I really need to focus on getting my mind right in the moment and not feeling bad about playing better than someone else. That 'ruthlessness' (on an amateur par/bogey level) that Rory spoke about last week, essentially.

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I used to focus on other people's game way too much and it would effect mine during competition and rounds. Now I just focus on me and it has definitely helped me maintain any momentum or rhythm I have in a round. I wouldn't call myself ruthless but definitely more focused on my own game not anyone else's.

friendly rounds aside of course. I just want to have fun in those rounds.
 
I would never term my actions or intentions on the course as ruthless. Intense in the heat of competition, absolutely. I do not go out with the mindset to destroy anybody, but I am out to win every competitive match I play in.
 
I'm not good enough to be ruthless.
 
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