What messes with the mental side of your game?

[Ty_Webb]

Out of bounds. Holes that have houses in play. The worst is when there is a road with car traffic running alongside the hole.

 

So much this. I have an excessive fear of hitting it OB. If there are houses around I'm aiming in the trees on the other side. Not good.

 

The other thing for me is when I am trying to do something out of the ordinary. Like if I'm hitting a bit too much club because I don't want to be short, I'll grip down and swing easy, when I should have done one or the other and I wind up short. Or I'm trying to hit a draw and I'll set up with the face a little bit closed and then try to release more and wind up hitting a pull hook. I'm quite good if I really have to turn one, because then I have to do everything. I struggle when I need to do something subtle. Mostly it's a lack of practice. Two small kids will do that to you...

[jcolton]

Self expectations. Nothing is worse than hitting a warm up bucket before a round where every shot does exactly what you want it to do, then playing the first two holes like you've never hit a golf ball before. It gets in my head really bad and I end up trying to fix things and it's downhill from there.

[Gautama]

Decades of playing with the wrong swing concept have left me basically with PTSD, my swing is much sorted after several years of working with a top pro, but when things go wrong in a game I tend to lose faith and get in my own head much two quickly. My brother in law used to tell me I suffer from battered golfer syndrome, lol.

[PepsiDuck]

So much this. I have an excessive fear of hitting it OB. If there are houses around I'm aiming in the trees on the other side. Not good.

 

And for me, the fear arises from potential financial liability, not damage to my golf score. Fortunately, my fear of hitting houses has greatly subsided since learning homeowners assume risk of property damage in most states. However, cars passing by on roads are a different story, and I always have that nightmare scenario of an errant shot knocking out a windshield which causes a six-car wreck followed by a fireball explosion. I *have* hit it onto a major interstate highway during rush hour, though I don't believe there was any damage....

[Torrey4Life]

When I can't correct my driver swing on the course. I'll have days where I hit 12-13/14 fairways, and days where I'm lucky to hit 2. It's soooo aggravating.

[NoTalentLefty]

Another thing. Slightly soiled underwear. I can only feel the goo and that messes with the mind.

[Shawn Paul]

One time I was right at the apex of my backswing and this dudes cell phone went off. It wasn't even a cool ring tone but a totally generic iphone marimba ring. I looked at him like, "really dude?" with my best B!-atch face. The official asked him if he turned it off but the damage was already done.

 

After that I just couldn't pull it together and in frustration I tilled the earth with my putter like it was a plow harnessed to an ox through 5 greens. If I can't have her, no one will.

 

(In a few years this post isn't going to make any sense lol)

[Nard_S]

A lack of flow Round could be fast or slow, but either way it needs a cadence, a flow. Guy taking 5 swings w/ a #3W out of the rough or cart buddies who race to balls and swipe away even though we'll be waiting on next tee for 5 minutes, nah! Or marshals that crow the group is 4 minutes behind, when the course bottleneck is a half a hole away. Or freshly divorced dude trying to canoodling w/ his match.com girl about his golf acumen and wisdom. Or pissed drunk guys that slog their way up the fairway. STFU and find the "flow".

[Big Ben]

Playing with somebody who doesn’t have the time required to finish the round but try’s to squeeze it in anyway then gets pissy if we don’t run to each shot.

[toc]

Being hungry, honestly.

[BB28403]

Oh my goodness I don't know where to start! Huge problem in my game. Mental stuff is about 3/4 of the battle.

 

Same in billiards, deadly in practice, in my own way in tournaments.

[BB28403]

One time I was right at the apex of my backswing and this dudes cell phone went off. It wasn't even a cool ring tone but a totally generic iphone marimba ring. I looked at him like, "really dude?" with my best B!-atch face. The official asked him if he turned it off but the damage was already done.

 

After that I just couldn't pull it together and in frustration I tilled the earth with my putter like it was a plow harnessed to an ox through 5 greens. If I can't have her, no one will.

 

(In a few years this post isn't going to make any sense lol)

 

Yeah but that's really your problem with you. Not that guy. Read some GIo valiante . Your demons are yours, own them.

[gatorpedsMD]

There are different theories on what % of the golf game is mental, but it certainly is a factor. What messes with the mental side of your game? Trying to avoid hazards? Trying to be bogey free? Noise, or chatter? Slow play? Self pressure to play a low score or maintain or lower your handicap? Something else or a combination of things?

 

 

i have an uncanny ability to put undue pressure on myself. fmlllll

[Steele47]

I get annoyed by unnecessary noise when it is caused by someone who knows better and therefore unexpected on my part. I'll let that bug me once and then switch to 'make all the noise ya want' mode so it's not an issue for rest of round.

 

Someone mentioned tinnitus. I got that big time ever since I can remember so I guess I'm ok at ignoring noise.

[Man_ya]

Angry playing partners has to be my number one.It's really hard to just play your own game when the club tossing starts.

[2putttom]

self expectation. Playing moneys games. I hate to reach into my pocket, I would rather be holding my hand out.

[pheenomz4774]

I had a golf swing for 9 holes and a range session where I could hit "near tour" distances with my woods and irons. Gap wedge 120, 4 iron about 215, hybrid 225-230, 3wood 245 and driver over 260. These are all miles further than I've really ever hit it (typical distances is like 95 yard gap wedge, 175-180 4 iron etc). Noticable differences in strike and feel. I have NEVER been able to replicate it. So despite me being able to have a reliable swing that I can play decent golf with, I'm never going to be satisfied with my golf game until I get THAT particular swing back.

 

And mentally it pretty much ruins every round I've ever played since then. Because no matter how good of a shot I hit with my "current" and totally acceptable swing, I know it's not what I'm truly capable of.

[farmer]

If I'm close to something that I might touch in my backswing. Even if I know I'm not going to touch it, it's still in my head. Hadn't thought about it, but Man's post reminded me how little I enjoy a round where someone's in a rage.

[dj*]

Mid-round approaching storm when walking.

[sandtrap]

I have no mental side. I just hit it, find it, and hit it again.

thats how I play until someone wants to “talk” about golf. On this shot you want to do this or don’t do that.