Is it bad that I need a beer or two per round to calm my nerves?

[liquorandpoker]

I drink constantly

 

Not ideal

 

Fun tho

[Nickc]

14 hours ago, SouthBayGolfer said:

Typically since it's summer I usually do a 12 oz light beer. 

 

Is this bad? 

Yes.

 

[naval2006]

We all love beer. But a beer or two to calm down during the round is quite a bold theory.  

[Three_Jack]

I just made an albatross on a par 5 completely s***-faced on a guys trip this past weekend.

 

I seem to play better a little buzzed too.

 

My best 9 ever (33, 3-under) was completely sober though.

 

 

[ChipStrokes]

do coke like an adult. 

[me05501]

It sounds like you've identified the root cause of your anxiety. The next step is to make sure the habits you put in place are actually getting you closer to your goal. 

 

Instead of counting on a couple cold ones to fix your mental game, it might be smarter to rely on something that you always have with you. A mantra, some deep breathing, maybe a few notes on an index card that you keep in the same place in your golf bag. If you keep counting on the beers you'll eventually find yourself in a situation where they're not available and you don't have any other way to chill out.

 

You've said you're a 12 and you think your ball striking skill should have you closer to scratch. That's not a bad mental attitude to have but it might not be the most productive one. It seems rooted in negativity, like you're set up to feel like you DESERVE pars and beat yourself up over every bogey on your card. 

 

More than likely the answer to getting your handicap down can be found around the green somewhere. Maybe the better attitude is "I need to have a scratch short game to go with my scratch long game." Reallocate your practice time and mental energy toward getting the ball in the hole. Learn to enjoy hitting the sweet spot of your putter as much as the sweet spot of your driver. 

 

No one goes from 11.8 to scratch in six months. Set yourself a reasonable goal and chart a path toward it. Single digits by Christmas, maybe? 

[SouthBayGolfer]

2 hours ago, ChipStrokes said:

do coke like an adult. 

I can only imagine the jitters you would get coked up on the course. 

[SouthBayGolfer]

53 minutes ago, me05501 said:

It sounds like you've identified the root cause of your anxiety. The next step is to make sure the habits you put in place are actually getting you closer to your goal. 

 

Instead of counting on a couple cold ones to fix your mental game, it might be smarter to rely on something that you always have with you. A mantra, some deep breathing, maybe a few notes on an index card that you keep in the same place in your golf bag. If you keep counting on the beers you'll eventually find yourself in a situation where they're not available and you don't have any other way to chill out.

 

You've said you're a 12 and you think your ball striking skill should have you closer to scratch. That's not a bad mental attitude to have but it might not be the most productive one. It seems rooted in negativity, like you're set up to feel like you DESERVE pars and beat yourself up over every bogey on your card. 

 

More than likely the answer to getting your handicap down can be found around the green somewhere. Maybe the better attitude is "I need to have a scratch short game to go with my scratch long game." Reallocate your practice time and mental energy toward getting the ball in the hole. Learn to enjoy hitting the sweet spot of your putter as much as the sweet spot of your driver. 

 

No one goes from 11.8 to scratch in six months. Set yourself a reasonable goal and chart a path toward it. Single digits by Christmas, maybe? 

Single digits by christmas is definitely the goal. My real problem is driver and mid range irons. Thanks for the advice. 

[sittingbull]

I usually dont drink on the course but last friday i played in scramble and for the life of me i cant rember half the holes we played..

[Talldog]

Do you have Essential Tremor? You might and not know it, if alcohol calms your nervousness.

 

ET is more common than people realize. For most people, it doesn't emerge until they get older (although for some it starts young).

 

Nervousness & anxiety amplifies the tremors. Do you notice a tremor in your hands, neck, or voice when you become anxious. Do you feel a general level of nervousness that is too intense for the given situation? 

 

One of the markers for ET is that alcohol calms the tremors. If your hands tremble or you are overly nervous sober, but your hands are calm after a few drinks, then you many have ET.

 

Most cases of ET are never diagnosed. Doctors don't pay much attention to it, because, other than the tremors, there are no other problems. Hence, it's old name of benign familial tremor. Most patients are told to just learn to deal with it.

 

But you don't have to. There are plenty of treatments for it. Propranolol, originally a blood pressure medication,  is one drug used to calm tremors. BTW, actors have been taking this for decades to counter stage fright. It's a very mild (and cheap) medication.

 

Finding doctors to treat ET is hard. In the city I live in (Atlanta, GA) there are literally only two doctors that specialize treating ET. You may have to do some searching to find a doctor willing to treat you. Most general physicians just dismiss the symptoms as a sign of getting older.

 

Here is a link to the International Essential Tremor Foundation. They have a search tool to find a doctor in your area.

 

https://essentialtremor.org/

 

Wikipedia blurb on ET:

 

Quote

Essential tremor (ET), also called benign tremor, familial tremor, and idiopathic tremor, is a medical condition characterized by involuntary rhythmic contractions and relaxations (oscillations or twitching movements) of certain muscle groups in one or more body parts of unknown cause.^[7] It typically is symmetrical, and affects the arms, hands, or fingers; but sometimes involves the head, vocal cords, or other body parts.^[5] Essential tremor is either an action (intention) tremor—it intensifies when one tries to use the affected muscles during voluntary movements such as eating and writing—or it is a postural tremor, present with sustained muscle tone. This means that it is distinct from a resting tremor, such as that caused by Parkinson's disease, which is not correlated with movement.^[8]

 

[SwingBlues]

OP, try pot? It's legal in most states afaik. When I am in Hawaii, golfing with the local buddies, play some good golf, I wonder why 😜

 

That definitely should cure tremors, jitters and calms the mind. Me, my preferred solution is a very cold Coors Lite. Especially in the 110* heat here in Los Angeles...a nice cold one👍

Edited August 31, 2021 by SwingBlues

[chipa]

I drink beer but very little and never before a round because while it may loosen me up a little later on I feel a little less energy and my shots go wayward. I have a friend that always had a beer before we played and I convinced him to save it until after we finished and he has started playing better.

 

Also, for the first few years I really was amped up before I played as I felt I might be able to be really good(who doesn't?). However, I'm a little older now and have less energy and a better perspective - golf is a great game and I want to be scratch one day but all I can do is do my best to get better and leave the rest to the man upstairs.

[Petethreeput]

Well, put me into the beer/golf category.  I don't necessarily have anxiety unless I am in a tournament trying to win a tee shirt from the pro shop and I am staring down the 3'er.

 

Seriously, alcohol isn't just to sooth the nerves, it is also a very good muscle relaxer so for some of you that may play better with a couple of barley pops in the system it is oftentimes because it limbers you up.  There is nothing wrong with it.  I say drink em if you got em.

[cav5]

i don't drink during competition. But 4-8 beers on a saturday round is completely normal with my crew.

 

the difference from 11 to scratch is gigantic. no offense but you're at the point in your journey where you think golf is easier than it is. 

 

the difference between a 3 and scratch is huge and could take 5 years.

[MattC555]

Hey man, you've got to stay lubricated! 

[Superbrit]

Depends when you normally tee off, 2pm and meh, wont do any harm, 7am and you have issues thats probably not golf related

[Krt22]

2 hours ago, Superbrit said:

Depends when you normally tee off, 2pm and meh, wont do any harm, 7am and you have issues thats probably not golf related

How does this make any sense? How is 2 beers over the course of an early round any different than 2 beers over the course of a twighlight round? How does time of day make it less harmful or make it an issue? 2 beers at 2pm and then continue drinking all evening is more problematic than two cold ones in the morning and then being sober by lunch (not that you would get anything more than a mild buzz off 2 light beers over 18 holes)

[MK7Golf21]

I find it's harder just starting off the day teeing off after a few drinks vs. having a few mid round. You have found a feel for your swing and play by mid round

[Superbrit]

33 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

How does this make any sense? How is 2 beers over the course of an early round any different than 2 beers over the course of a twighlight round? How does time of day make it less harmful or make it an issue? 2 beers at 2pm and then continue drinking all evening is more problematic than two cold ones in the morning and then being sober by lunch (not that you would get anything more than a mild buzz off 2 light beers over 18 holes)

So you dont see a difference between having a couple of beers mid afternoon compared to 2 beers at 7am??

[Krt22]

1 minute ago, Superbrit said:

So you dont see a difference between having a couple of beers mid afternoon compared to 2 beers at 7am??

If it is on the course over 18 holes, I am not quite sure how it is any different. It is the same amount consumed, it is consumed in the same exact setting, how does time of day make it more or less harmful or an issue.  Is 2 beers starting at 7am more harmful than say 6 beers starting at 2pm? 

[Superbrit]

4 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

If it is on the course over 18 holes, I am not quite sure how it is any different. It is the same amount consumed, it is consumed in the same exact setting, how does time of day make it more or less harmful or an issue.  Is 2 beers starting at 7am more harmful than say 6 beers starting at 2pm? 

IMO if you drink, or want to drink alcohol at 7am you have issues thats not related to just nerves, having a beer or 2 on say a saturday afternoon before you play a round is pretty normal imo, many times ive played late afternoon and had a beer with some lunch, it wouldnt even enter my head to have a beer or 2 with some cereal at 7am, and if you cant see the difference then maybe its just me

Edited September 1, 2021 by Superbrit

[Krt22]

1 minute ago, Superbrit said:

IMO if you drink, or want to drink alcohol at 7am you have issues thats not related to just nerves, having a beer or 2 on say a saturday afternoon before you play a round is pretty normal imo, many times ive played late afternoon and had a beer with some lunch, it wouldnt even enter my head to have a beer or 2 with some cereal at 7am, and if you cant see the difference then maybe its just me

But this isn't just random drinking. It's a specific situation where you are drinking beer while playing golf (presumably on a weekend as well). You aren't drinking the 2 beers at home and then go play, you are drinking while you play. They are literally the same exact settings/situations, merely split by a few hours. So where do you draw the line on the start time to make it a non-issue? Noon? 11am? Is 10am the no go zone?

[Lobby]

The issue is why you get anxious playing golf, not why you need 2 beers to calm that anxiety. 

 

Go see a medical professional.  This is a medical issue, not a golf thing. 

 

That anxiety may also affect other areas of your life 

 

pls take care of yourself. Good luck

[Barfolomew]

Its cause you're used to doing it.... and also you enjoy it lol

 

musicians go thru this too.... playin live and drinkin for a long time makes them anxious to stop but once they do they get used to it and most play better

 

the beer could actually be makin you nervous.  Try stoppin for a period of time and see how you dont crave it after a while.... you'll prob play better too.  Then you can go back to an occasional drinker when friends are out having fun

 

our dog knows exactly dog walk time at night and gets worked up lol

[betarhoalphadelta]

I think drinking beer early in a 7am round might be an issue...

 

...it's more Bloody Mary time that early.

[Krt22]

5 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

I think drinking beer early in a 7am round might be an issue...

 

...it's more Bloody Mary time that early.

The Bloody Mary bar for the am wave of a big member guest is top notch 

[chippa13]

One wouldn't feel a thing from 2 light beers over the course of 18 holes. As for time of day, some people associate beer and golf so it means nothing g what time of day someone has a cocktail on the course. Now if he also needs a beer to walk into the office at 7 am, that is an issue.

[Saltydawg15]

I make sure to get to the course early, taking my time getting ready and situated and then doing my pre round routine. If I am rushed my anxiety is terrible. I have honed in my preshot routine that has helped me a ton, also when my mind starts talking to me I begin counting 1 -2-3-4  over and over slowly and that calms me. 

[aenemated]

On 8/30/2021 at 12:43 PM, caniac6 said:

I never get first tee jitters.

 

Yeah, same. I'd probably chalk it up to 20 years playing live music. Biggest show I ever played was around 10,000. 

 

Man, once the lights go up and you see THAT many people looking right at you (that show in particular, the spotlight hit me first as I counted off the opener then the rest of the stage lights went up on the next 1) ... teeing off ain't even a big deal.

 

I WAS a little nervous on #1 at the Old Course if for no other reason than I really wanted to play well that day. 

[liquorandpoker]

On 8/30/2021 at 1:15 PM, Rory4Pres said:

Here's a chart to help guide you:

 

O beers: 11.8 handicap

1-3 beers: 8-10 handicap

4-5 beers: 2 handicap

6-8 beers: tour professional

9-10 beers: 11 handicap

11+ beers: 25 handicap that hits bombs off the tee box.  

 

🤣🤣🤣

Awesome