Tearing my hair out in frustration....

[mariner]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

"One shot at a time" is such a great adage although I know how easier said than done it is . . . . . it does work though, I was playing in a 2 vs 2 friendly match on Sunday and as I holed out on every hole, I added up my score at the end over a Guinness and found it was 79.
I only break 80 about 3 times a year playing about once a week, so that was a pleasant surprise, and all credit to Ray's book.
I've spent all my golfing life trying to hit perfect shots and naturally getting really frustrated with it as I am nowhere near good enough to do that. Even gods like Hogan said he only hit 3 or 4 perfectly struck shots in a round, so what chance have we got?
Lots of broken clubs in my case would suggest not much, and Ray's book says forget it, you can't do it, every shot will be at least a bit off, so play with the knowledge of that, take plenty of club, swing at 80% and make sure you miss into good places, and never, ever hit anything hard.
Now, when I mishit, I don't get that surge of shock and anger, and because I'm swinging easy with plenty of club the mishits are less frequent and far less damaging than they used to be.
Two bunkers were the worst places I visited on Sunday, one a straightforward miss that caused one of my two 6s and the other from miles away with a 3 wood.
But I really noticed my playing partners NOT playing safely and giving themselves some really challenging recovery shots as well as a lot of 3-putts after being a tad over-aggressive with their first attempts.

[bdbl]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

You sound a lot like where I am with my game and mental problems, I shoot the same kind of scores and recognise your problems, so do yourself a huge favour and get Ray Floyd's "Elements of Scoring" (second hand off Amazon for about 90p)
It has transformed my game not only in terms of scores, but I just enjoy the game a whole lot more even when I don't break 90 (which would have been IMPOSSIBLE a little while ago)
I now play a different game to what I did before, where you accept the fact that you are likely to mishit every shot to some degree and play accordingly . . . . you score well simply by playing to avoid scoring badly.
One thing about that wedge shot though - you don't HAVE to hit the wedge, you can run it up with an 8 iron, which would have a much higher margin for error, ie thin it a bit and it still goes roughly the same distance, unlike your wedge which will go a LOT further if you thin it.

I think you are a good 6 shots a round better than me Mariner - but I'm trying to get there

Just ordered off Amazon 99p plus P&P - I'll report back in time.

Talking of reporting back, re "the longest ball" I've posted elsewhere today about the Wilson Staff DX2 Soft; you might want to give it a try, I've been quite impressed over the last few weeks.

[mariner]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Cheers, I will - I was amazed by that post that said there's only a clublength between the shortest and longest balls out there with a driver, can't be right surely? I would've thought it would be 20 or 30 yards otherwise it's just not a factor.

[rotator]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Cheers, I will - I was amazed by that post that said there's only a clublength between the shortest and longest balls out there with a driver, can't be right surely? I would've thought it would be 20 or 30 yards otherwise it's just not a factor.

Hi mariner,

I would say that the difference is in a handful of yards, and so what would the median differential be for the balls then, inconsequential?

That's also ball to ball. The major difference you see when one player's ball is 30 meters in front is due to the effect of the swing or the equipment. For instance, compare Tiger versus Corey Pavin, using the same ball. (I did not want to use the Mickelson versus Tiger comparison, because I think Tiger keeps some left in the tank for when he wants it.)

Ted

[mariner]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

I just find it hard to believe that manufacturers go on about how long their particular products are, and there are low spin distance balls and soft covered balls for more feel, and we're only talking abiout a few feet.

I assume players are irrelevant to these tests and these balls are being hit by machines to take the variables out?

[rotator]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

I just find it hard to believe that manufacturers go on about how long their particular products are, and there are low spin distance balls and soft covered balls for more feel, and we're only talking abiout a few feet.

I assume players are irrelevant to these tests and these balls are being hit by machines to take the variables out?

Hi mariner,

Re your last para, I believe that has to be the case. After all, it would not be a good test to compare Mickelson hitting a Pro Vi and Pavin hitting the same ball. Also, how could the manu's the player factor, when Mickelson plays only the Callaway ball and Pavin plays only the Titleist, both under contract.

How does the regulations regarding false advertising go, when a manu can come out and says they have the softest toilet paper, and they all say that. I heard once how they can legally get away with that. It was something like, "compared to what".

Ted

[bdbl]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Rather than threadnap over there I thought I would steal this quote from the other Brian's retirement thread [in 3Skills].

And boy do I understand his problems, because today mine went from bad to worse, losing every iron shot on the range not just the focus of my OP.

I wish I'd read this before I went.

Bri,

Maybe you need to sit back and think through exactly what is going wrong with your game and why. Often the cause of a game going wrong is down to one or a few faults that once found are fixable.

Absoblooodylutely.

90 balls into my 120 bucket I did just that. Sat back and said "what is the difference between my woods (surprisingly good), hybrids (brilliant, he says modestly) and my irons (**** would err on the generous side).

The problem with the range is that if you keep repeating a bad swing it just gets worse, you will need to change something. Has the pro identified any swing issues and given you drills to fix them?

Another issue can be letting it all get over complicated in your mind.

So for most of those first 90 balls my bad swing was getting worse and I was coming up with more and more complicated "fixes" - none of which worked more than once - and then I sat down.

Tension, Tension, tension

Because I was expecting (not surprisingly) failure my whole swing was tight as a drum, once I realised this I started being meticulous about my pre swing and set-up routine (funny - not - how it slips away under pressure) and - hurrah - back came the swing.

Now and its a BIG NOW I need to take that methodical, "relaxing" set-up to my 9th hole (see OP) and hope for the best rather than expect the worst.

[bdbl]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

..do yourself a huge favour and get Ray Floyd's "Elements of Scoring" (second hand off Amazon for about 90p)
It has transformed my game not only in terms of scores, but I just enjoy the game a whole lot more even when I don't break 90 (which would have been IMPOSSIBLE a little while ago)

It arrived yesterday; unfortunately I was working and only had time for a skim read but even with just that I guess I can say 2 things for certain.

1. There are very few things in the book that at one level or another I didn't know already.

2. There are even fewer (OK None) that IF HONEST I implement consistently

So. I'll be reading (and re-reading) it properly now, and more importantly working on putting the ideas into practice - IF i do I think it could prove to be the best 99p I've spent in a while.

[bdbl]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Not wanting to harp on Robin but you will find that the best way to deal with this kind of problem is to do what you can to remove any negative thoughts regarding the shot in hand. Hitting with conviction to an elevated target is a great way to do this.

Ok, tried this today in various situations.

Not totally successful but I think to a degree that was down to a mixture of choosing the wrong target and losing focus - on one occassion distracted by the people who had just let me through watching intently.

What I wanted to ask though is, on the times it worked for me, including the Par 3 that causes the most pain, I found that my shot was higher and shorter - not ballooned, just higher.

Is this normal when using the "elevated target" technique?

[BrianW]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Ok, tried this today in various situations.

Not totally successful but I think to a degree that was down to a mixture of choosing the wrong target and losing focus - on one occassion distracted by the people who had just let me through watching intently.

What I wanted to ask though is, on the times it worked for me, including the Par 3 that causes the most pain, I found that my shot was higher and shorter - not ballooned, just higher.

Is this normal when using the "elevated target" technique?

You may be flipping your wrists trying to get the ball in the air, this will give a higher, shorter flight. The idea is to use the elevated target but still keep the left wrist firm and hit down through.

[mattney]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

... and as many of the more "mature" amongst us will know, this is not a good idea with only limited amounts to start with

Anyway, the likes of Brian will remember that when I first joined this forum I was close to giving up the game in frustration*; I'm now back in the same position, albeit for different reasons.

Back then I was struggling to break 100 and my inconsistency meant I saw not infrequent 115-120 scores. Now I'm in the mid to high eighties most of the time on my home course (low 90s away from home) and when chipping / putting well I've even seen a couple of nine holes completed in 40 (5 over).

But, but, but, there are two scenarios - possibly "mental" - that are really killing me** and preventing the next drop in scores and your help and advice would be appreciated.

1) As an example. Our 9th hole (P3) is an "easy" wedge downhill right to left shot with the (fenced off) 1st tee behind and to the left of the green. OOB all the way down the right. 9 times out of 10 I'll make contact with the face left wide open and steer the ball OOB. My improved (of late) driving means that, whilst still not long off the tee, a decent 2nd will leave me with the same "easy" wedge into a Par 5. Same result as the Par 3 - ball steered way right.

2) For some reason I'm being faced more 40-80 yard pitches than I used to, with the knowledge that playing them well will set up a scoring putt. That is if I didn't steer them right.

OK, on the range I can play these shots, laying up on the course I can play these shots. But can I under self-perceived pressure? Hell I can. Which is why I say it's partially a mental problem because I've got to the stage when I stand over the shot expecting failure.

Any ideas?

* By the way, many thanks again to those that got me through the frustration last time. If you can help this time I'll be exceedingly grateful.

** Yesterday for instance I had a front 9 of 44 (bogey golf) that include two examples of scenario 1 and 3 messed up pitches. The back 9 I only just broke 50 my confidence was so shot.

i think ure trying to guide the ball on these shots and tightening up, as a read somewhere u need to loose control to gain control ,also dont worry too much about the score next time

[mattney]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

i think ure trying to guide the ball on these shots and tightening up, i read somewhere u need to loose control to gainn control,also dont worry too much about ure score next time