Today I want to continue on the topic of playing, or scoring--getting the ball in the hole. A couple of months ago, I posted a video on Mechanics vs. Feel that started an interesting conversation on maintaining focus until your last putt drops. The thread began when Steve Smith asked:
"I've had a weird thing happen the last couple of days during my round. Both times I played really good rounds but seemed to throw away some strokes on easy shots almost as if I am afraid that I might really shoot a low score. Consciously I want to shoot as low a score as I can but I'm beginning to wonder if subconsciously I don't want to go any lower. I only get that feeling when I am already under par and pretty much already have my match won. That is when I lose focus especially on easy chips and putts. The times when I am over par or my match is still in doubt I almost never have those lapses. I also don't have the lapses when I am faced with the more challenging shots. On those it's like I want the challenge and will figure out a way to blow it another time.
Anybody else ever have those feelings?"
Bob Thompson, a retired USAF vet who is currently enrolled in a professional golf college, responded:
"I agree 100 percent. I fall into the trap of thinking that I don't belong at a certain level of performance when I am on a hot streak. As a result, my subconscious mind talks me into stupid errors. Sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy thing with me."
And Pat Gordon followed with a good comment about the danger of going into defensive mode:
"Steve-you are not in your "comfort zone". Under par is something you are not familiar with. Many people are afraid to "go low". I have
heard many good players say that when they get under par they do not try to protect where they are but try to get more under par. How many teams when they get a big lead stop what they are doing and put in a prevent defense? Many wish they had continued with what gave them the lead in the first place."
What both of these responses underscore is the importance of maintaining a positive mental attitude all the way through your round. If you let negative or defensive thoughts creep into your mind you are most likely doomed. As a sage old baseball player once said, "It ain't over until it's over". You must maintain focus and your aggressive, positive approach to the match on each and every shot. Even if you have it well in hand.
As in life, golf is all about staying positive and going forward. If we allow ourselves to become content with where we are that can lead to mediocrity and that's not the way to be the best you can be. So when you are on the course, play each shot one at a time. And don't let your mind talk you out of going lower. Play smart, make good swings and good decisions and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how good you can become.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
If you can't view the YouTube video above try CLICKING HERE. You must allow popups from this site for the link to work.
Comments
Weird that I can't find a
Weird that I can't find a picture of a Royal Ibis on the internet.
I can find several Ibis' including a Glossy Ibis and a Royal Spoonbill but no Royal Ibis.
I do really play one shot at
I do really play one shot at a time and play attack golf, I probably do play at a higher level in my head and do go for it like a pro!
Someone I play with is always counting scores and predicting his score before a ball has been hit. I remember one game on the last hole he counted up and said he needs a five to beat his best ever score as it turned out he had the worst hole ever and think hit a 10!
Without taking much notice of scoring you get a feel of how you are playing, I just take one shot at a time and whatever the score is at the end is it!
It is strange though as for most golfers on the whole round you average out, I suppose this is the difference between the good players at every level.
Consistency is the key and when you think about it for most golfers what is the chance of not having bad hits/holes in a game? probably a tiny % that is why for most we are not pro's and never will be.
LOL
LOL
I see he finished @ -11 hopefully he will play this good next weekend.ÃÂ
Michael:
Michael:
Give this site a look over. It has some good advice on the mental game.
http://golfstateofmind.com/
Good luck and PMG
I've been trying to perform
I've been trying to perform the "Surge" swing since mid May. My handicap has gone from 17 to 26,,, I'm gettin' beat like a "borrowed mule." ÃÂ What looks to be so easy and fluid ÃÂ for some is very difficult for others, this 'ol boy included. I refuse to be a quitter, but I may be back to "the sacred burial ground" because from there, at least I know where that "lame duck" is going to land.
BG
Booger, that stay in the
Booger, that stay in the present thought is a good one off the golf course too. True that the past is gone and the futureÃÂ unknown so we need to enjoy and imbrace the minute by minute and every day challenges and joys. It goes by to fast anyhow. Now's all we have so let's have at it with gusto!!
and....... PMG!
Lex, stick with it mate, it's
Lex, stick with it mate, it's taken me a couple of years to get the proper feel of the
mechanics of the PPGSÃÂ swing. The video that Don did yesterday was classic, keep
replaying it and get those hands in the air as he shows ( the cactus drill ) and mentally
picture where you are in that space. He also hasÃÂ a "Drills Video" which you could get.
The one about the "butt to the wall" is great also, instant feed back on when you go
into the SGB. I was a prodigious slicer, hands over the top player for years until I found
this site. The next big thing is "the short game" it's critical if you want to lower your
scores.ÃÂ I play with a guy that can actually hit 300M drives, but at the other end he's
in "no man's land". I told him until he gets his short game going, he'll never break
20H/C, mind you if/when he follows my advice, then he'll be unbeatable, LOL.ÃÂ ÃÂ
Hey DH,I just posted a link
Hey DH,
I just posted a link to that bird as a possibility and then clicked on the blog and saw that you already nailed it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/p...
Sounds like we may have
Sounds like we may have gotten the same mat. I got the 4x4 commercial grade Duro about 4yrs or so ago, and it's still like new surface quality. I do not have a net, but use a military grade canvas tarp hung a few feet inside my 1 car garage door, I also hang an old king size quilt comforter in front of the tarp to absorb most of the direct impact. Both are wall to wall and hang from a raised door to the ground, for complete coverage.
Roger, it was all the aussies
Roger, it was all the aussies sobbingÃÂ when TW was making a charge.
After Action report! I never
After Action report! I never do this because no one would be interested in my still crappy game. BUT, today, golfing with a buddy in really windy chilly conditions, he made a comment that my driver was straight up on my back swing. I must be making some progress. However, he was commenting because I popped the drive a mile high. I had to explain to him the driver was where it was supposed to be on the back swing, but you're not supposed to hit the ball on the down swing, but after it bottoms out.
You're right, I think
You're right, I think sometimes when I pre-load heavy right, I may reverse tilt, also, sometimes when I try to lift a little too high on the BUS.ÃÂ I am starting to hit shorter irons really well though, so I'm slowly getting there. One of my big challenges is lack of flexibility. Hopefully I'll get dedicated enough this winter to work on improving flexibility through the right exercises.
I need to get some video's made. It's another day of high winds here in N C Ohio, so it will probably have to wait to another day.
Have you videoed your swing
Have you videoed your swing?
More than likely if you haven't seen your swing in slow motion you aren't where you think you are.
We've all been there.
So many misconceptions about how this swing really works.
Yes, Steve! That's the bird
Yes, Steve! That's the bird they showed on TV. Not positive it was the one squawking but that the one they showed at the As. Open.
Hey thanks Roger. My search
Hey thanks Roger. My search engine didn't seem to be able to find one.
I've never been much of a bird watcher but I hate not knowing something and hate it even worse when I can't find the answer to something.
Hav'nt heard the sound myself
Hav'nt heard the sound myself but I'll guess at possibly a crow or more likely a peacock
I play with guys who hit the
I play with guys who hit the ball longer than me almost all the time.ÃÂ My drives are 160 to 170 yards at best with a roll. What I find is that by the time we all make the green I am on the same shot they are most of the time, or maybe one behind.ÃÂ The long hitters I play with are always amazed on how straight I hit the ball and often comment on that, wishing they could hit them that straight.ÃÂ The guys that hit em 250 yards can get in alot more trouble than I can, and many times they can't even find the ball or are on the wrong fairway.ÃÂ I hit 80% of the fairways and the long hitters I have played with maybe hit 50% of the fairways.......... I'd much rather play on the short grass and be accurate.ÃÂ So in your mind just think that your more accurate than the long hitters and just pay attention to your own game....... that what I do.
Jerry
An oldie, but definite goody!
An oldie, but definite goody! I know many members of his family.
Roger, actually I hit down on
Roger, actually I hit down on it and rocketed it off the top edge of the face leaving a nice scar. If I stay behind the ball, teeing it about 1/3'rd higher than the face, it's usually fine.
To the Guys who watched the
To the Guys who watched the Australian Open, the noise in the background comes from some of the bird life, it was probably a Royal Ibis.
FYI The Lakes Course can play very benign, however with some wind and it was gusting between 10 & 20 kph or up to about 16mph. It becomes very difficult, you see guy's only managing 220 yrds off the Tee into the wind with driver.
John Senden was the stiff player should have won by 2, however Chalmers is a very tight solid leftie who deserved to win, because he played the best!
The affection shown toward Tiger was fantastic and he responded, he had his chances and made made two poor decissions, that's what cost him, he will improve 5 shots in Melbourne next week.
Cheers
Raymond Sydney
The peacock has the closes
The peacock has the closes sound to what I heard as of yet.
Mike, I am in the same boat,
Mike, I am in the same boat, but at least the group I play in are all in our 60s, so we all drive it about the same distance.ÃÂ All you can do is work on your short game so you can beat them with your pitching, chipping, and putting.ÃÂ They will be impressed.
T:ÃÂ That one made me laugh
T:ÃÂ That one made me laugh!ÃÂ Funny man, very nice!ÃÂ :-) lol :-)ÃÂ R2
"Chipping and putting is the
"Chipping and putting is the great equalizer".... Amen to that!
ÃÂ Within my groups we call
ÃÂ Within my groups we call the short pop ups, an elephants butt. It's high and it stinks!
DH,
DH,
ÃÂ Not sure if you get any American TV programs. Your Black Swan comment with golf, made me think of an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, where the main character Larry David hits the Golf Clubs treasured course Black Swan and kills it. He then tries to hide the body and cover up the death, to avoid being black balled from the club.
Short clip of the incident.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Short follow up clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
A series of short golf related clips VERY FUNNY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
ÃÂ I played today and it was
ÃÂ I played today and it was very windy 30 mph. The front 9 is really tricky when it is this windy for some reason it likes to swirl around.
I agree with focusing on playing one shot at a time which I did not do on the front 9 today got frustrated with the driver the last 7 rounds I have been fighting baby cuts and a few blocks to the right and today with the wind these baby cuts were turning into 15 - 20 yard cuts / slices.
I shot 40 on the front 9. Getting ready to tee off on 10 checked my left hand grip it looked a little week and turned it into a little stronger position and busted the tee shot down the middle. Hit great drives the rest of the day and shot 36 on the back nine.
Setting here thinking I wish I would have thought to hit knock down shots into the greens into the wind instead of full shots which were 2 -3 clubs more than usual.
I guess I will try that tomorrow suppose to be windy again and the low 60's. ÃÂ
MIKE:
MIKE:
ÃÂ I play with a few long hitters from time to time. I'm talking 275-300yds. My avg is 200 on a good day, but I still hang with them because of my second shots and short game. I am often on the green in equal strokes to them and chip or putt better as well.ÃÂ Chipping and putting is the great equalizer to those long hitters.
ÃÂ There is an old Duke Ellington jazz song, It Don't Mean A Thing If You Ain't Got That Swing. Using that melody, I like nothing better, after they botch their second shot, than to sing " That Drive Don't Mean A Thing If You Ain't Got That Second Swing" It irritates them and tickles me. Like they say, in competition every shot makes somebody happy. Like Sodak says, kill them with a great short game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
One more thingÃÂ you mightÃ
One more thingÃÂ you mightÃÂ try is changing your spine "tilt" angle at initial set-up.ÃÂ A while back the Surge did a blog and emphasised that fact that the more you tilt your spine away from the front foot, the higher the ball will go. And the less you tilt your spine, the lower the ball flight will be.ÃÂ Nowdays, I just automatically tilt my spine for the height of shot I need to make, and forget about tee height and changing the ball position.ÃÂ Anyway, just something to consider.ÃÂ Seems like we all just need to find what works best for us and then stick with it.ÃÂ lolÃÂ :-)ÃÂ Hit 'em straight!ÃÂ R2ÃÂ
Mike, as Harvey Pennick once
Mike, as Harvey Pennick once said, "The woods are full of big hitters", work on the
short game, that'll get em cursing, LOL.
Robert:
Robert:
As to those weird birds. How did they taste, like chicken?
Edit: My error, I though you had seen the birds live. I now realize it was on TV. Still wonder about the taste though.
This question may be off the
This question may be off the subject a bit but I know someone out there can give me the correct answer.
A friend told me her playing partner informed her that she had incurred a two stroke penalty because on a short "gimme" putt sheÃÂ reached across the hole and tapped the ball back toward her into the hole.ÃÂ Her playing partner said she was required to stand beside the ball on a putt for it to be a legal putt.
I toldÃÂ my friendÃÂ that I thought if the ball was clearly tapped it should not be a penalty.ÃÂ If the ball was dragged back into the hole it would be a 2 stroke penalty.ÃÂ I could not find anything in the rule book which said you had to stand beside the ball in-order-to make a legal putt.
Did I give my friend the right answer?ÃÂ Your help would be appreciated.
Windy here too Roger.Played
Windy here too Roger.
Played semi- OK considering the wind and very tough pin placements (some almost impossible to play).
Hit the highest 3 wood I have ever seen. I was on a severe up slope into the wind and although I hit a solid shot it ballooned up and looked like a 9 iron.
Luckily it was the second shot on a short par 5 and even though it only went about 180 yards it didn't matter too much on the hole.
It would be nice if the rules
It would be nice if the rules of golf were a little more clear. One of the big things that really slows play in the PGA tournaments is that even guys that have been playing their whole lives are afraid to just go with their interpretation of the rules in many situations and everybody has to wait for a rules official to get there, and sometimes make rulings that many of the players don't like and don't agree with.
An official that is a certified final say following each group would speed up play a little also. Then the only problem would be that some officials would get a ruling wrong occasionally but like in other sports we would have to live with it.
I always feel sorry for a player that gets disqualified for something that gave him or her no advantage in the match, and especially the occasional travesty of losing a major championship from something like signing an incorrect scorecard.
I replaced my broadloom and
I replaced my broadloom and cut a square out of that. The 3/4" pile is as good as new after two years of use.It feels like hitting of the fairway and leaves no residue on the club.
Yeah, I do work on that, but
Yeah, I do work on that, but it still feels a little odd trying to pre load heavy right and tilt. I always seem to overdo one or the other. We had such atrocious weather this past spring and summer that it's been hard to get enough practice and playing time in to get any consistency.
The body will never make a
The body will never make a liar out of the mind.
Would they be these?
Would they be these?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P...
http://birdsinbackyards.net/sp...
http://www.fieldandstream.com/...
If it is I wouldn't eat one unless I was starving to death. Ha ha!
Comment removed because my
Comment removed because my opinion has changed.
Ha ha!
It was hard keeping shots on
It was hard keeping shots on the greens today I guess the wind dried them out they would hit and run off the back good thing my chipping was good today.
I see Bama's up 10-0 and even made a field goal.
Thank you all for your input
Thank you all for your input.ÃÂ I have printed your comments out and will show my friend and I will carry them in my bag because I may have to playÃÂ with my friend'sÃÂ playing partner in the spring and we will discuss the rule then.
Thanks again,ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ Julie
A couple of months ago I
A couple of months ago I started my back nine with 5 pars.
The guys with me started asking me what my best score ever was. Sure enough I bogied the last 4 holes for a 40. Other times I have started calculating my score to soon and finished poorly. I have recently discovered a great web site that covers every aspect of the mental game. It may be of help to others.
www.golfstateofmind.com
I would say a peacock never
I would say a peacock never thought of that.
Whether for golf or just
Whether for golf or just improved health, I am a big advocate of stretching. You can learn se real basic stretches that can be done at the gym or at home(where ever).
Bad posture, tight legs, back and torso/shoulders can all be assisted by a regular routine. Some can't see ever taking a yoga class. I did and learned some great breathing and stretching. That was 12 years ago. Now at 54 I am still very flexible (hands flat on the floor in a forward to bend). Even if you only took a class for a couple weeks you can continue what you learn from there.
Julie:
Julie:
It would depend on your friends position/location in relationship to the ball and line of putt. Here is the rule her playing friend thinks she May Have violated. However, it is only concerned with the line BEHIND the ball and not in front of the ball. So long as she did not touch the putting line with either foot on a BEHIND the ball location, she can stand however she desires in tapping the ball towards her or the hole.
Standing Astride or on Line of Putt
The player must not make aÃÂ strokeÃÂ on
the putting green from aÃÂ stanceÃÂ astride,
or with either foot touching, the line of putt
or an extension of that line behind the ball.
EDIT:
Here is a link to the full rule, on putting and putting lines.
http://golf.about.com/cs/rules...
Surge,My question is about
Surge,
My question is about your platform that you hit balls off of.ÃÂ What was used to build it?
and what are you hitting into?ÃÂ Looks like I could build something like this to aid in my game.
Please reply when you have a moment.
John Holland
Cleveland, Ohio
SurgeitesÃÂ Down Under
SurgeitesÃÂ Down Under
I have been watching the Auzzie Open and my wife keep pestering me about what kind of animal / bird that keeps making the sound that sort of sounds like a kid crying that you can here in the back ground off and on. Any Ideas.
You are quite welcome. Since
You are quite welcome. Since these rules questions come up all the time, I carry a copy of the USGA rules book in my golf bag. I also use the following links to the USGA and the R&A. Both have all the rules and have the new rules for 2012-2015.
http://www.usga.org/default.as...
http://www.randa.org/
Although I live in the U.S., I routinely check the R&A because one of the guys I play with is retired military from Wales. We have some interesting discussions on golf.
Kevin
My Dad was a master at
My Dad was a master at psyching out his competition. He would find ways to distract us and tease during the round. He was supremely confident. He knew he would make his chips and puts and told us so and just did it. Cocky s.o.b. a d I loved him! His big advantage as far as talent was chipping and putting. What a short game he had. Never a long knocker but straight down the middle.
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