What’s the most nervous you’ve ever been playing golf?

golfortennis · April 30, 2023

10 hours ago, bobfoster said:

Apologies then. Never my intention to condescend to any golfer (you know me dude). Was just speaking for myself. I used to get nervous over shots years ago. I don't anymore - was just saying that. Because (personally) I'm getting older, and my perspective has changed.

And to go deeper? The pandemic changed me a lot (it changed many of us a lot). I lost a half dozen employees, and maybe a dozen family members of employees. The last three years have been brutal. And I went to every funeral. That is what a responsible business owner does. It matters to my people that I show up. But it is really hard to go to a lot of funerals. It hurts my heart. So that is the "perspective" I'm talking about. After the past few years, golf matters even more to me because it is my refuge - but how well I shoot matters far less. My truth now is that I simply never get nervous standing over a ball these days.

However, I likely expressed that wrong. If I in any way implied I was demeaning or denigrating anyone, I'm sorry.

The internet is weird. All of the nuances that are present in personal IRL conversation (like tone of voice) get lost. So misunderstandings arise.

Hope you - and anyone else I may have inadvertently offended - understand what I am saying here.

It is weird, the internet. Can't tell tone, some people need an /s everywhere to know you're joking. And I agree, there have certainly been times where the result of a golf shot is the thing I care least about. That's what good about having a track record in this place, at least some people know you're not meaning to come across the way you might be.

All good, though. Just didn't want to see you pepper your posts with stuff. It turbo-charges my reactions.

stevopagolf · April 30, 2023

1st time teeing it up at Pine Valley. Lots of eyes on me. Hell I was nervous talking to the guy at the gate!

golfortennis · April 30, 2023

14 minutes ago, stevopagolf said:

1st time teeing it up at Pine Valley. Lots of eyes on me. Hell I was nervous talking to the guy at the gate!

Always a bit nerve wracking when you're at one of those clubs where you feel like at any moment someone is going to come to you and say you don't belong here. Or worse, tell you caddies need to report behind the shed.

North Butte · April 30, 2023

I almost never play in tournaments or events with anything at stake beyond a few dollar bet. But one time a bunch of us were on a long weekend out of town trip so we formed two teams for a Ryder Cup style competition over the three days.

Somehow it managed to come down to my putt on the 18th hole of the last day. The entire group (30 or so guys) were gathered around the green and all I needed to do to seal the win for my team was 2-putt from about 3 feet above the hole. I can't describe how vividly I imagined hitting that ball too hard and seeing it roll all the way off the front of the green. I could not shake that image out of my head.

I sort of deccelerated into it and left it short, overhanging the cup but not quite falling in. If I'd have had more than that final tap-in left I might have messed my pants, I swear.

otto6457 · April 30, 2023

When have I been the most nervous playing golf?

That's easy. The final round of my mini-tour career. I had spent all of my sponsor's money that final season, and had only managed to make four cuts out of ten events. I had $7.80 in my bank account and $2.00 in my wallet. I was 400 miles from home with a quarter of a tank of gas in the car. If I didn't make the cut I was going to have to beg, borrow, or steal enough money to get home. I had a wife and a new baby, and the wife didn't know I was flat broke and sleeping in my car at events. I knew in my heart that this was the end of the dream, but I wasn't ready to admit it out loud.

I threw up on the practice green and I actually felt faint on the first tee. My insides were shaking and I don't even remember hitting the first tee shot. My whole world was tied to that round of golf.

I played pretty well.......missed the cut by 3, and.......I cried like a baby.

Looking back it's seems pretty silly that I let a game control my life to such an extent. Unfortunately, the wisdom to realize that fact only came with age and experience.