Staying Relaxed

[Gross]

Well as I start to play better, I have gotten into the habit of making my bad rounds worse by not being able to control my temper. I was wondering what you guys do to stay calm and relaxed. Yesterday I played pretty crappy on the first hole, so I said to myself ok no worries just start fresh on the next hole. Once I played that hole crappy, I tried to relax for the 3rd, after I played that one like crap too, I just got angry at every single bad shot and stopped keeping score. Until the last two holes where i just said whatever and I parred both. So, who has tips for those days that are not good, but how to stay calm and just play on?

[italianstallion]

I had a day where I managed to card a 10 on the first hole (long story short, I hit three balls off the tee, it was a par 5). After that hole, I just said I didn't care about the rest of my round, and I managed to par the next 8 holes to shoot a 5 over. No birdies, however I had many tries at them, but I'll take 8 pars in a row after a 10 any day.

 

My mentality lately has just been to step up and hit the ball, and have fun with it. Take a risky shot, because it gets you going. However, I can say this now that high school golf and tournament golf are done for me.

[Adam Brewer]

once i went out and i bogeyed the first. (not too bad for me). then on the 2nd, i sent my approach shot (a 7 wood) into the pond. after taking the drop, seems how i'm not that great of a swimmer, i managed to send my sand wedge shot into the bunker. the shot out of the bunker went over the green into the woods out of bounds. and it just kept getting worse.

needless to say, i went on to post a 64.

for nine holes.

worst day in the history of golf.

ever.

[hbear]

Just remember that at the end of the day, the only person that really cares what score you card is yourself....

 

So don't load yourself up with pressure (it's all internal anyway) and just have fun chasing that ball around....you might be amazed at the scores you can post.

[The Boom Bapp]

Today I played a course called Raven's Claw which has a 600+ yard Par 5 that I absolutely live to play the game for. I have played this course many times in the past but, the past 3 rounds here have been my best to date. I adopted a new swing mentality of "NOT CARING" where the ball goes and just focused on keeping a relaxed mind, loose grip, loose arms and good solid balance. I taught myself to set up with only a vision of what I want to do, I pick target, set up and go. I do not feel rushed and I relax my entire motion all tha way to the finish and I have been flushing the ball from Driver to the 3-4-5 irons and on down and the spin I have been getting from my scoring irons to my wedges have been blistering when I used to have problem getting the ball to find some "breaks". I employed the mentality of "Giving up, not caring about or Losing Control to Gain better Control".

 

This has allowed me to play some of the best golf possible on some very difficult courses. I now have a Draw and a Fade that listen thus providing me with full and confident use of every iron in my bag including the Putter which has been my NEMESIS from the beginning of my Journey into Golf.

 

I shot a 73 with 5 birdies, 2 doubles bogeys, (lost balls) and 3 bogeys.

[nuby]

pretty much the same as boom bapp said. just forget about your score and the preasure of ,,scoring well''. play your game and focus on your target and NEVER EVER change your rythem or mess with your swing on a round. ive played a -1 with a slice once and managed to keep my balls in play. also helps to set up a certain routine like always having a drink before every hole or some thing like that. and if you do find yourself angry and depressed just tell yourself it cant get any worse and chances are youll lose those negative thoughts.

just my 2 cents

[GolfMN]

Get a song stuck in your heard. Clear your mind on the way to the next tee, I mean really clear it. Think about something else, go over all your mechanics once you hit the tee box and stop thinking about the result for once. Imagine yourself on the range. Stop caring, its bad for you.

 

I actually had an amazing day with that whole picture yourself on the range thing. I did it on the first tee, flew the fairway bunkers at 220 with my 5 wood (colossal tail wind) and stuck the sand wedge 3 feet from the pin and making the putt, then again its all first tee for me. If I can get something going I can keep it going, even after the shank that followed on #2, leading to a punch out to knockdown 8 iron to a made putt.

 

Keep remembering the positives. You never hit the 3 bad shots to reach the par 4 in well over regulation, but you did sink the putt from 20 feet. Give yourself credit where its due. A holeout from off the green deserves a pat on the back, as does that one approach shot you stuck all day. A 2 putt from 40 and out is no gimme either.

 

Stop beating yourself up. Some guys go out on the course and expect themselves to have a career round every time, and its never going to happen with that attitude.

[hersheygolf]

I once heard that three bad shots and one good putt makes par.

 

Funny story- Took an 11 on my first hole of HS division playoffs (a par 3). Went on to shoot -1 for the next nine and +11 for the round because I didn't care about the score, just about making good shots. Missed districts by a shot but was a great round of 17 holes. Either way, I just played without fear.

 

Also, read Dr. Bob Rotella's books. Read it the night before a tourney and shot -2 for the day.

[Sandpiper3]

hersheygolf- that was Walter Hagen that said that.

 

I live by that quote:).

 

You can top a ball off the tee, hook it up left of the green, then chunk the chip (either leaving yourself off the green or on but far away). And either make the putt or sink the chip.

 

You still made par.

[BryanFTW]

what i do is close my eyes take a deep breath and count to 10 it may sound stupid but it wrks