Asden105

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I really don't enjoy my games.

I'm always trying to shoot a good score, and when I don't I get extraordinarily irritated. I've been scoring really poorly as of late, and I think it has to do with me trying so damn hard.

I'm naturally impatient, and easily angered. Mostly because I'm always thinking about my game and wondering why I never get any better. It's affecting my personal life with my parents and sister and it's affecting my mental health, which is also bad as it is.

I always say to myself "I have to shoot a good score today or else I'm a complete fool". Then I end up shooting something in the high 80's and feel like I wasted so many strokes just trying so hard.

What can I do to calm the hell down and enjoy my games more?

If I could enjoy a few games, I think my score would come down as a natural result, but I'm always grinding and pushing really hard to make sure I shoot 79 instead of 88.

I think I take the game too seriously. How could I decrease this serious attitude and enjoy my games more?
 
Sounds like you need a THP Event. :D
 
Stop keeping score, play to have fun. Head out with some buddies and just enjoy the outdoors and hanging with friends.
 
I've found that if I worry about making a score on a hole, disaster is certain. It builds up too much pressure. I play best when I worry less about the hole, and simply focus on putting the best possible swing on the shot in front of me.
 
I really don't enjoy my games.

I'm always trying to shoot a good score, and when I don't I get extraordinarily irritated. I've been scoring really poorly as of late, and I think it has to do with me trying so damn hard.

I'm naturally impatient, and easily angered. Mostly because I'm always thinking about my game and wondering why I never get any better. It's affecting my personal life with my parents and sister and it's affecting my mental health, which is also bad as it is.

I always say to myself "I have to shoot a good score today or else I'm a complete fool". Then I end up shooting something in the high 80's and feel like I wasted so many strokes just trying so hard.

What can I do to calm the hell down and enjoy my games more?

If I could enjoy a few games, I think my score would come down as a natural result, but I'm always grinding and pushing really hard to make sure I shoot 79 instead of 88.

I think I take the game too seriously. How could I decrease this serious attitude and enjoy my games more?

I get that way from time to time as well. Then I remember that 1) I don't do this for a living and 2) a bloody mary fixes a lot of things.
 
Go out with your buddies, have a couple drinks on the course and make the golf secondary to spending time with your friends. You'll probably shoot a great score because you're relaxed and not taking it too seriously.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
 
Drink more, not water.
 
Remember it's only a game and you don't have to pay your bills or put food on the table from your rounds. It's a game and supposed to be fun and some days you will play good and some days you won't. Once the round is over forget about it
 
It's a hobby. Something you do for fun. Nothing that should ever cause problems with your family relationships, or any relationships for that matter.

Just go out and enjoy being outside with friends. It's OK to get frustrated, but another thing to get angry. If you were good enough to get angry over not shooting in the 70's, you'd be out making millions :D
 
Unless you're trying to go pro, it's not worth getting upset over. Even if you shoot 65, is you're life going to change?
 
Take it for what it is, really: a silly game invented by bored shepherds to pass the time. "Hey, Angus, I bet yooo I ken het this wee rock ooover thet booosh wit me stick." "Ye ken nay het that rock ooover thet boosh." "I'll bet you a haggis I ken!" "Yooor on!" (I paraphrase, of course. This is a family forum and it wouldn't be decorous to type out all the Olde Tyme Profanity)
 
play a few rounds and dont keep score. Instead add some creative elements. For example:

Tin Cup Hole - cant use any club except a 7 iron (including putting)

Hero golf - always try for the hero shot, crush every drive, go for the green in two, carry that hazard etc. The fun is in trying to get out of the trouble youll cause yourself lol! and if youre not keeping score, then it doesnt matter anyways. it give you an opportunity to hit some creative shots.

Aiming fluid always helps (whiskey or whatever spirit you prefer to imbibe)
 
play a few rounds and dont keep score. Instead add some creative elements. For example:

Tin Cup Hole - cant use any club except a 7 iron (including putting)

Hero golf - always try for the hero shot, crush every drive, go for the green in two, carry that hazard etc. The fun is in trying to get out of the trouble youll cause yourself lol! and if youre not keeping score, then it doesnt matter anyways. it give you an opportunity to hit some creative shots.

Aiming fluid always helps (whiskey or whatever spirit you prefer to imbibe)

"Aiming fluid" Lol. Gonna have to tell Pop-in-law this.
 
What JB said, get out to a THP event. Some of the most fun you'll ever have on a golf course.

I just tell myself I'm out there to have fun. Each shot, each hole, each round, it's something I chose to do for fun. If I wasn't having fun, I'd probably take a break for awhile.
 
I think tempering ones expectations can go along way in alleviating undo stress. You can't will 'go golf' or a solid game. It takes work and correct practice.
 
I think tempering ones expectations can go along way in alleviating undo stress. You can't will 'go golf' or a solid game. It takes work and correct practice.


100% setting reasonable expectations.
 
As others have said, don't keep score a few rounds. If you end up in a bad lie, improve it. Just try to go out and have fun with the game. Don't even think about keeping track of the score, try to take in the course and your surroundings, and have a good time with those you are around.
 
Golf is a great teacher of life. It exposes our flaws, within our game and persona. It demands devotion, concentration and humility. It tantalizes, frustrates, yet rewards. Fleeting, at times. It challenges and humiliates.

Correct your flaws on the course, through approach, plan and it's application... and you'll unlock a part of yourself apt for success. On and off the course.
 
Like most said, go a couple rounds without a scorecard. Take some cheap balls with you, and try some crazy shots you wouldn't normally do. Go with some buddies and play alternate shot for s***s and giggles. If golf ever became a chore and source of stress, I wouldn't play anymore. I'm as competitive as the next guy and I want to get better but not to the point where my personal life suffers.
 
I like the strategy of getting away from the technical aspects and returning to just making it a target oriented, natural athletic sport. Get away from intricate swing thoughts and club positions, just play a game..
 
I like the strategy of getting away from the technical aspects and returning to just making it a target oriented, natural athletic sport. Get away from intricate swing thoughts and club positions, just play a game..

Very good point. "I'm going to hit this right at that tree/bush/aiming spot." Is a great swing thought.
 
Thank you for all the advice. I really appreciate it. I'll work on it.
 
Too funny!

Too funny!

Take it for what it is, really: a silly game invented by bored shepherds to pass the time. "Hey, Angus, I bet yooo I ken het this wee rock ooover thet booosh wit me stick." "Ye ken nay het that rock ooover thet boosh." "I'll bet you a haggis I ken!" "Yooor on!" (I paraphrase, of course. This is a family forum and it wouldn't be decorous to type out all the Olde Tyme Profanity)

This made me laugh so hard!
 
I know this is off topic, but I remember a playing lesson I had with the teaching pro just a few months ago.

I'll go into description of all three holes I played.

I was playing the back tees.
I hit a three wood of the first tee, and he said, "Hit another one, with a driver."
I did so. It ended up in the right rough, as opposed to the three wood which was in the fairway. I played both shots, thinning my five wood from the fairway to 6 feet, then hitting a seven iron from rough to about 35 feet. He told me the pin location, which was back left with bunkers back left, was a no go, that the center of the green was the viable option.

I two putted from 35 feet for a par, and holed the 6 footer for birdie. 1 under.

The next hole, I pulled three drives, and we played from there. It was a par 5. I hit a 3 iron to 135 from the hole into the wind from the left rough. I took a 7 iron, wanting to go for the center of the green. There was water front of the pin, but with a playing corridor of about 25 yards deep. He told me to go for the pin. To be aggressive. I did, I left it a bit short into the wind, and I was in the rough. I chipped to inches, a par.

The final hole really was interesting.

I took driver, hit it down the left side of the fairway. I took a 3 iron from 197, and I sliced it into the bunker. He told me to hit another, this time actually hitting the ball instead of guiding it. I hit a gorgeous fade to 10 feet, and holed the putt. 2 under through three holes.

His main lesson was to stop guiding the ball, and hit it hard and solid. He also told me to go for pins instead of playing safe and going conservative all the time. But he also told me to only play conservative if the pins were cut difficult. Most of the pins that day were easy, so I shot 2 under through 3 holes.

Just wanted to mention it because it proved how good o a player I could be, if I were to stop guiding the ball and start hitting it.
 
Thank you for reminding me that golf is supposed to be fun....and if I'm getting stressed out about it, there's a problem. RElax, breathe, aim, shoot, have fun.
 
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