That moment...

[Nels55]

I played in a team match play event this weekend and I was 4 up after 8 holes mostly because my opponent was in his words; 'playing the worst golf I can remember'.  LOL my own poor ball striking caught up with me and my opponent started to play pretty well and to make a long story short I ended up on the 18th green with a must make downhill 3 footer to tie the match.  Later on having a beverage my opponent asked me if I was scared over that putt...  Interesting question and I was very nervous I guess but also feeling really alive at that point in time.  I do remember thinking that whether I made the putt or not it was really fun to be there at that moment and to have a putt like that to hit.  Yes, I know it is basically a meaningless competition between a bunch of handicap hacks but still it got my blood flowing.  

 

I have not always thought like that and a number of experiences and things that I have heard or read have changed how I think in those sort of situations.  Here are a couple of things that I have been thinking of lately in particular:  One is something that heard recently on a world poker tour TV show.  Apparently there was a study done that showed that pro gamblers are at their peak of joy right before the card gets turned over that determines the fate of the hand.  Not when they happen to win but before they know, the thrill of that moment.  The other story is something that Joe Montana said after after a last second drive comeback win.  He was asked what he was thinking about at some point during that last drive and Joe said something to the effect that he was a bit sad that the game was about to end.  

 

I think that if you want to perform well under pressure you have to enjoy the moment regardless of how you may have gotten there.  LOL I wonder if anybody else relates to what I am trying to get at here?  Or maybe you think I am full of baloney? 

[Roody]

Did you make the putt?

 

Earlier this season I had arguably the best round of my life when I shot even 72 at my home course. I had shot 72 a couple times in the past, but they were what I would consider on easier courses. Anyways, long story short I stood over a breaking 4-footer for par on 18 that I needed to hit in order to secure the 72. I was definitely nervous, and remember thinking "how the heck do pros stand over a putt for a million dollars when I can barely stand over one for no money, and only personal accomplishment is on the line?". My guess is once you've accomplished something a few times in your life, the nervousness gets less and less. 

[Moonlightgrm]

11 hours ago, Nels55 said:

I played in a team match play event this weekend and I was 4 up after 8 holes mostly because my opponent was in his words; 'playing the worst golf I can remember'.  LOL my own poor ball striking caught up with me and my opponent started to play pretty well and to make a long story short I ended up on the 18th green with a must make downhill 3 footer to tie the match.  Later on having a beverage my opponent asked me if I was scared over that putt...  Interesting question and I was very nervous I guess but also feeling really alive at that point in time.  I do remember thinking that whether I made the putt or not it was really fun to be there at that moment and to have a putt like that to hit.  Yes, I know it is basically a meaningless competition between a bunch of handicap hacks but still it got my blood flowing.  

 

I have not always thought like that and a number of experiences and things that I have heard or read have changed how I think in those sort of situations.  Here are a couple of things that I have been thinking of lately in particular:  One is something that heard recently on a world poker tour TV show.  Apparently there was a study done that showed that pro gamblers are at their peak of joy right before the card gets turned over that determines the fate of the hand.  Not when they happen to win but before they know, the thrill of that moment.  The other story is something that Joe Montana said after after a last second drive comeback win.  He was asked what he was thinking about at some point during that last drive and Joe said something to the effect that he was a bit sad that the game was about to end.  

 

I think that if you want to perform well under pressure you have to enjoy the moment regardless of how you may have gotten there.  LOL I wonder if anybody else relates to what I am trying to get at here?  Or maybe you think I am full of baloney? 

These are words for life, a happy life. Enjoy the moments! 

[jholz]

2 hours ago, Roody said:

Did you make the putt?

 

My question exactly. Did I miss where you told us, or are you letting us experience "the thrill of the moment?"

 

In any event, I think this is true in a lot of human experience. They say that heroin addicts get as much pleasure during the process of preparing their shot as they do from the shot itself. We are built this way. 

 

I did particularly like your attitude when standing over the putt - that you were just glad to be in that moment. Sounds like a wonderful philosophy to apply to the whole of life. 

[ScottF]

That’s what separates the guys on the PGA tour from the thousands of fantastic golfers with loads of talent but not the stomach to not only handle the pressure but to thrive under it. 

Edited September 10, 2020 by ScottF

[Nels55]

Yes, I did intentionally leave out the answer to whether or not I made the putt though I doubt that my opponent would have asked me if I was scared over it if I had missed it.  That might be kind of rude, I think?  It was a straight in down hill putt and I did manage to get it started on line.  The greens had been rolled that morning and the holes had also just been cut so yep it rolled right in the middle which was nice to see! 

 

I did miss a couple of short putts earlier in the round, one where I was reaching down to pull the ball out of the hole as it lipped out.  Still not sure how I missed that one but such is life...

[Ferguson]

The real question................ is the OP full of bologna or baloney? 

 

 

 

 

[Hawkeye77]

30 minutes ago, Ferguson said:

The real question................ is the OP full of bologna or baloney? 

 

 

 

 

 

Champaign and currents.

[Nels55]

46 minutes ago, Ferguson said:

The real question................ is the OP full of bologna or baloney? 

 

 

 

 

Baloney vs. bologna

•  
•  

Bologna refers to a type of sausage made of finely ground meat that has been cooked and smoked. Baloney is nonsense. It is an early 20th-century American coinage derived from bologna. It may also be influenced by blarney, which in one of its definitions means nonsense or deceptive talk.

 

https://grammarist.com/usage/baloney-bologna/

 

The OP appears to have used the correct spelling in this case.  The question at hand may be answered by his referring to himself in the third person though...

[Ferguson]

26 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

 

Champaign and currents.

 

 

Wilde Flowars and Lase Dollies  

[jholz]

24 minutes ago, Nels55 said:

Baloney vs. bologna

•  
•  

Bologna refers to a type of sausage made of finely ground meat that has been cooked and smoked. Baloney is nonsense. It is an early 20th-century American coinage derived from bologna. It may also be influenced by blarney, which in one of its definitions means nonsense or deceptive talk.

 

https://grammarist.com/usage/baloney-bologna/

 

The OP appears to have used the correct spelling in this case.  The question at hand may be answered by his referring to himself in the third person though...

 

Damn, learn something new every day. I'm going to have to go to my archives and confirm this in the OED.

[EliasMal]

That type of indifference to the result is often seen in top-performing athletes that strictly trust a specific process. It also lead to more fun and staying in the moment more easily!

[QuigleyDU]

3 hours ago, Ferguson said:

The real question................ is the OP full of bologna or baloney? 

 

 

 

 

It’s spelled Oscar Meyer.. duh...

[naval2006]

Golf is such a beautiful game that if you have a 4 footer in championship match play to tie or win you’ll feel the same pressure pros experience in Ryder Cup golf. Anyone who has been in that position often will tell you so. The personal experience is unique no matter what you are playing for and your game level. 

[zebra2955]

Funny thing is yesterday I stunk up the joint on the front and shot 50 . Last hole had a 3-4footer to break 90 (My typical Jekyll and Hyde golf)

Made it, but the feeling before hand was a little different then usual

 

[r0scoe]

I had a similar scenario but didn't get the feeling while i hit the putt

We were playing a weekend tourney with a group of 8 of us (qualifyng round, match play semi's and finals) for a trophy and bragging rights

 

Opponent was one up going into 18. I get to the edge of the green in 3, he is on the green in 4

While i'm waiting for him to get up to the green, our buddies are standing there watching and we're just jabbering away

 

opponent is like "i'm on the green, what you waiting for" so I walked up, hit my birdie putt and we tied (our playoff is in 8 days at another local course) 

I don't recall feeling anything, it was like one of those "alright f*cker, watch this" moments where I barely took time to line it up (i birdied the hole 3 times in 5 rounds so I felt good about my chances on this hole). To be fair here, I didn't expect to beat him or tie him that day, he's a couple strokes better than me on average so I was good with whatever happened

 

Now, during qualifying, our crew ended up having to have a 3 way playoff for the 4th spot in the semi's because one of the guys we counted out had the round of his life and snuck into 2nd place somehow (i was in 3rd). My foursome gets there, and Captain Mouthpiece finds out he is no longer in 3rd and he has to make a 6ft putt to tie the guy currently holding the 4th spot

 

So he has a 6 foot putt to tie for 4th or he's out of the semi's (and he's the biggest mouthpiece in the group, so we're all going to give him endless s*** if he didn't make the top 4). It was hilarious watching him setup, step away, setup, step away a few times. We have never played for any real pressure before and this was the putt of his life

 

Was easily the best moment of the tournament just due to the unforeseen scenario