One of the most challenging things in golf is staying positive in the midst of a bad round. Having a strong mental game is a huge part of the game and can really be the difference between salvaging a score or going down in flames. Gail Jones submitted a question regarding this issue, which gives me the opportunity to remind you all of Secret #5.
How do you get your mental game back after a bad round in a tournament?
If any of you have the Peak Performance Golf Swing manual or have watched my videos on the swing, you know that I have 5 secrets that I rely on. The fifth secret is what I'd like to talk about today. It states that when you hit a bad shot or have a bad round and you're thinking what you did wrong...who cares, do the next one right. Instead of focusing on the negatives, try flipping your mentality around and think about the positives. If you're a frequent visitor to the daily blog, then you should be able to recite the swing from top to bottom. These are the things you should be thinking about, not where you're last shot ended up or how bad your score was.
In order to stay positive and away from bad thoughts, try keeping track of your stats while you play your round. How many fairwarys are you hitting? How many greens in regulation? If you come up short, where are the majority of your misses ending up? Track your putting as well. Obviously keeping track of the number of putts you hit is a good stat, but where are you missing your putts? On the high side or the low side? If you're coming up short or shooting them way past the hole, keep track of that as well. All of these stats will give you a better understanding of your overall game and what you need to work on to improve.
So, instead of thinking about that one shot that led to a bad round, think about what you're going to do right the next shot or the next tournament you enter. The way to do this is to implement your stat keeping into your practice, all while staying positive and getting that mental game back where it needs to be!
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
How to get your mental game back
This is a well overdue kick in the pants for me! Thankyou Surge for that. Two days ago we were out and I came home in excellent shape. I had not been getting much height on my driver. The first three holes were very good, but distance off the tee was longer than usual. A short blip [ti-ming] and then the light went on!Don't be afraid of your Driver, Surge said. Well on three holes where I am usually Par,Bogey,Bogey, I had three consequetive Birdies!!! There is no doubt that this perks you up. Earlier during the blip, I called myself a few well chosen words. That will not happen again, especially after today's video.
No golf since because of gale force winds. It was all due to going back to basics and swinging at 80% [or very slightly more]. Wedge and short iron shots were lethal. Putting average, driving and fairway shots straight and much longer than I have been used to[consistently]. Used only Driver, 5W[only once]24deg Rescue, SW,PW,9iron, 8iron and putter. Couldn't believe it when reflected on clubs used whilst cleaning them after the round.
My Ball hound is always pulling my leg by saying, "You only need one club dear." hahaha. Scamp! She may have a point on the number of clubs we push up hill and dale. Have already removed most of the unused clubs from the bag. It makes me think more when making a shot, ie, manufacturing different shots in different situations seems to give me more confidence.
No doubt I will be hitting them a lot further off the tee when the course dries out more. Bring it on.
The chart Surge suggests for checking how we are actually playing rather than how we think we are playing is a good idea. It will show us areas which need more work on them.
One topic I would like to see discussed in a daily video is: How to strategically play a round. In particular for around 18 hcp players. I have started using what little grey matter I have and am finding it helps a lot in planning to attack the course sensibly.
Just as one example: When playing a long Par 4, play it as though it was a Par 5, sure as heck takes the pressure off. I have found that very helpful. On that positive note, I wish all Surgites a great next round of golf. When are you coming to New Zealand Surge? You don't know what you are missing. DH
Hit the nail on the head with
Hit the nail on the head with me today!!! My mind, not on my game the first nine holes???? Why, I do not know, the last nine where great, I went with a friend today to play, about a 45 minute drive, Crane Creek, I love the course, very hard, but, still, why the first nine bad, it was all my mind, I felt it. After, hitting a few bad shots, darn, could not shake it,,well, anyway, the trees were so pretty and a great day to be out, weather was the best, not to many of the best weather left,,,,but, darn, that first nine,,,I know, I was not even thinking skip a rock or up the darn tree...im thinking it may take me a few days to get over that first nine today,,,,see
thanks Surge,,,,,
Today I was not on my mental
Today I was not on my mental game at all, but I know why. I have a funny story, but I'll preface it with the sad part that my friend and mentor of 21+ years, whom I had been full-time caregiver for the last 9, passed away at dawn today. This afternoon, I took a break from all the things that have to be done and played a round at our muni, not caring how I played, just needing to decompress. So, the funny story. I saw a guy drive the green today. He was on the fifth tee (a medium-short par 4). Unfortunately, the green he drove was the 6th, where I was just stroking my 20 foot birdie putt. hiss-THWACK as the ball landed and I smacked my putt 8 feet past the hole. ;-)
Condolences
I am very sorry to hear of your friend's passing. Your willingness to care for someone in their time of need always impressed me.
About the golf story: I promise I wasn't in Las Vegas today. ;-)
I have driven the wrong green many, many times. The funniest one was a time that I actually hit the green I was aiming at but was confused about the course and found out when I got to the green that it was the wrong one.
Robert, I'm very sorry to
Robert, I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. I can relate to getting away to decompress.I come from what was a rather large family,my Father was one of 13
children and the 3rd of seven sons, several times when a family member passed away I would find myself on the lake or river with one uncle or another reflecting on the life of whomever had passed.Not everyone played golf but all fished or hunted,as it was one of the ways to put food on the table in their youths.
Back when I was in High School I, several times, would drive the 7th green at Roebuck(Don Hawkins Muni,in B'ham.) from the 6th tee. My slice not coming as expected as I tried to avoid leaving my tee ball on 1st avenue.
Sympathy
Robert, so sorry to hear of your friends passing.
Sympathy
Robert, sorry to hear the news of your friend's passing. Golf is a great way to decompress. Friends leave us, but memories last forever. I carry a mass card in my bag of a friend that passed too soon. Whenever I go out as a single I'm never playing alone. ;0)
My condolences pal.
Sad to hear of your loss Robert. I know you have delt with a lot these past years.
I can easily visualize you on the par three #6 with that ball screaming into you. Cindy and i played there yesterday. My best drive came on #1 from the new back tee. it was the first time I played from that new tee. My drive was high and long just clearing the trees on the left. Didn't see where it landed until I found it in the clear past the big old trees and just 85 yards short.
Hoping we can play some golf down the road pal. Keep me posted in the coming days.
Thanks, everyone.
Thanks, everyone.
RM, I didn't even notice that new back tee was there on #1 until I almost hit onto it with my second shot on 9.
So Sorry.
RF: So sorry to hear about your loss. I know how difficult it is to be a full-time caregiver; it's an overwhelming job but gives us a chance to serve others and make their lives just a little better! And, thanks for sharing the fun golf story. Reminds me of when I was just learning to play and had a terrible slice. Tee'd off on a long par 5 and the ball went straight right, hitting my son-in-law in the head. The next time we played, he showed up wearing an army helmet. He never lets me forget it. That's why my mantra is "hit 'em straight". R2
Mental focus after bad shots
Manuel de la torre, another excellent instructor, advocates the same strtategy. When his students hit a bad shot and ask him what went wrong, he simply tells them forget it and do what they know is correct. What I like about this strategy is that it constantly forces one to focus on what one should do rather than what one shouldn't do.
2 different nines
Played the front nine in 3 over with only one 3 putt and 2 poor chips. The back nine bit me with a double & triple and 3 3putts OUCH. trouble seems to come in pairs for me. Hard to shake but finished with a birdie on last hole.
My partners shot lights out and kept up the encouragement. Amazing how quick things can turn if you keep playing through adversity.