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
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Comments
Roger,A couple of days ago
Roger,
A couple of days ago they showed two very unusual (to me) birds that I think were the suspects of which you inquire. They looked like geese but black with orange bills and really long necksÃÂ and lil' skinny legs far apart like ducks. Awkward odd looking guys at that. Maybe they cry and wail like that because of all the people on "thier" golf course.
Sounded like cats in heat.
Was a great finish with Tiger chipping in on 17 for that eagle. If not for those two bogies he would have been in a playoff with Chalmers. of course the 75 on Saturday didn't help.
Anthow it's good to see him plying better. The Presidents Cup should be worth staying up late for next week :) Perhaps we'll hear (and see) those birds then.
It will, when it starts
It will, when it starts getting close to closing time, you're loaded, and still trying to hook up. Then your mind will tell you all kinds of lies about the bodies still left behind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
ÃÂ Not into ornithology
ÃÂ Not into ornithology Robert mate, but without researching at all, those two birds were IMHO Black Swans,which are usuallya protected species.
It would have been down to Aussie players 'gifting' Woods the title, rather than the way he himself played. Most of the best players who may have attended were in Singapore chasing the Million dollar pay day.He is still a work in progress.
President's Cup will be at a more civilized time here hahahaha. Looking forward to it immensely.
I don't believe I would stand
I don't believe I would stand on the other side of the hole with one foot on each side of the putting line and tap it toward me into the hole, and then risk what a rules official would say about it.
From the rule it appears that the putting line would be from the ball to it's intended path to the hole, and a line extended behind the ball. No mention is made of the area past the hole. But I wouldn't risk it.
P.S. I also wouldn't give up the two penalty strokes and pay somebody the money unless they could show me a less ambiguous rule than anything I've seen about the area past the hole.
Edit: This one comes close enough for me on the area past the hole. So if past the hole is not part of the putting line there should be no penalty even if the feet were on either side of the line past the hole.
I would get my money back based on that.
http://www.golfpwga.org/rules/...
I think a good view of how to
I think a good view of how to keep scoring is to use Secret #5. Who cares about the past. Play it the present as if each hole is the start of a new round.
Missed two though.They had
Missed two though.
They had the pins on some slopes today that were with the wind and you couldn't even place the ball on the ground anywhere near the hole without the wind blowing them off of the green. I missed one put by about an inch and it was sitting there by the hole and then started to roll back and rolled 25 feet off of the green and down the slope up to the green.
They would never put a pin on a slope like that in a pro tournament.
Hi Roger, I looked at the
Hi Roger, I looked at the link you sent for the Royal Ibis, the picture next to it was a fresh water croc, these are not in the lakes on that are aound theÃÂ course.
If you are adding up your
If you are adding up your total score in your mind after every hole you will not be concentrating on the next shot as much as you should.ÃÂ Add 'em up after it's all over.ÃÂ Keep your focus where it belongs.... on your next shot!
T., you are the number one
T., you are the number one "make me crack up" er guy. Looks like you have the 'better laugh or we'll cry' philosophy down pal. Great sense of humor.
Obviously you do know Jack!
http://jack.zunino.net/
This one never gets old! had to bring it back.
No reason to be intimidated.
No reason to be intimidated. Golf is a non-contact sport.
All any of us can do is play with whatever game we have, and hope that is at least occasionally good enough.
The long hitters I play with are also very straight hitters with a good iron game so if they are playing their best I am not going to beat them.
Fortunately for me they are just like the rest of us and don't always play their best and I have to take my opportunities then.
Darn! So yesterday's 3W pop
Darn! So yesterday's 3W pop up on the last tee was due no doubt to tilting too far to the rear, humbug or words to that effect.Will bear that in mind RR thankyou.
Royal Ibis? Thanks Raymond.
Royal Ibis? Thanks Raymond. Was interesting to see b howday both Senden and
Day stumble Sunday. Senden came back strong on the back nine.
Yes those two bogies made the difference for Tiger but he really gave it away Saturday. Made for great TV. Would love to finally visit both Australia and NZ some day. I Lived on Java 28 years ago but that was as close as I got.
John:
John:
Surge is using a simple hitting mat and hitting into a portable net designed to hit balls into. You can find a variety of both at most online golf outlet sites or at local golf stores like Galaxy,Foxy Golf, and Dicks.
When I purchased mine, I found the best prices at this site on line.
http://www.dwquailgolf.com/
ÃÂ ÃÂ
We had one like that at the
We had one like that at the tournament I played last month not sure why they put them in locations like that it just slows play.
I think it may have been a
I think it may have been a crow as a lot of birds in Sydney are not as vocal to be picked up on TV mic's apart from that screeching golden breasted Cockatoo (behave!). ÃÂ I'm not an Ornithologist so I'm not sure that the crow makes a similar caw around the world but in Australia its an "aaarrrk, aaarrk" sound similar to a slow and extended F word without the F. ÃÂ Incidentally a famous Australian comedian was suspended from TV in the 70's, Graham Cyril Kennedy, the king of comedy in Australia, because he inadvertently dropped an f sound in front of his signature crow caw on national TV.
Wiz, That's exactly what I am
Wiz, That's exactly what I am working on with the mental side of my game. Stay in the present is my new mantra. Don't dwell on the past, nor look to the future but stay in moment. So I'm trying to enjoy the round between shots and not even thinking about the next one until I reach my ball.
My Dad used to tease me after
My Dad used to tease me after a poor pop up and say with a straight face, "You're standing too close to the ball, AFTER you hit it".
Mister can I relate to this.
Mister can I relate to this. I have won numerious club competitions, but have lost as many also because of this problem. My worst was the club championships 2003 on the 18 when I had my opponent cold and he said to my mate" if he parr's this he comes in with a 62 off the stick". I double boggied the hole and lost by one.
Looked more like a black
Looked more like a black goose. maybe one of our Ausi or Kiwi
mates will tell us.
Julie,
Julie,
According to Rule 16-1 of the Rules of Golf, there was no penalty. The line of putt does not extend past the hole.
Definition: Line of Putt
The "line of putt" is the line that the player wishes
his ball to take after a stroke
on the putting
green. Except with respect to Rule 16-1e,
the line of putt includes a reasonable distance on either side of the intended
line. The line of putt does not extend beyond the hole.
Rule 16-1e. Standing Astride or on Line of Putt
The player must not make a stroke
on the putting
green from a stance
astride, or with either foot touching, the line
of putt or an extension of that line behind the ball.
Exception: There is no penalty if the stance
is inadvertently taken on or astride the line
of putt (or an extension of that line behind the ball) or is taken to
avoid standing on another player's line
of putt or prospective line
of putt.
ÃÂ
I got a mat from DWquail a
I got a mat from DWquail a couple years ago, and love it. Unfortunately I got the 4 foot square which didn't turn out quite big enough to hit the driver from. Get a 5 footer if you can afford it. I also got the commercial grade which doesn't leave any green residue on the bottom of your clubs. I don't know how their less expensive residential grade mats respond.
I thought it was a Tiger hawk
I thought it was a Tiger hawk on Saturday's round. ;-)
He actually had a really nice tournament except for the third round when he couldn't make a putt.
Great mental game thoughts
Great mental game thoughts about career rounds, and keeping positive to score ever lower.ÃÂ Would very much appreciate some discussion about recovery.ÃÂ After a poor shot, mental thoughts of embracing the challenge ahead of "I will make a good recovery here with a return to the fairway, and then have a clear opportunity for an up and down for par" or something like that.ÃÂ How to not let a bad shot turn into a series of poor play to ruin a hole or a round.
TMedley. Like your set up for
TMedley. Like your set up for the garage and swinging a lot.When still in the Army, my lads in Auckland hung a military tarp from the rafters of a building built by the US Army during WW2.On it,they had chalked a green, complete with flag and hole.Lunch time was well spent ;- ) My mat bought in China and shipped here, is 1.5mtr x 1.5mtr and is a beauty. It takes two people to carry it. On the rear deck through all weathers and is as good as it was when we bought it. Love standing on it barefoot [now the weather is improving]. Will give the tarp and quilt idea a run perhaps. Thanks for the reminder TM
Keep hitting it long and straight where ever you are. A good omen, the sun has just broken thru' yeeeeehaaaa a few holes before watching the final round of the Aussie Open and maybe the Singapore Open after it. PMG and Succeed, and we Surgites WILL.
Actually, Roy was suggesting
Actually, Roy was suggesting that to hit it more solid youÃÂ may needÃÂ tilt less. Maybe you are even reverse tilting and not getting off of your back foot, causing the pop up.
If your hitting it a mile
If your hitting it a mile high that's to high. Try teeing it lower are move the ball back in your stance a little.
Those Coots (as I call them)
Those Coots (as I call them) make a weird sound. That's why I figured it wasn't a goose.
Another possibility.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B...
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