Playing through anxieties

[Naptime]

Many golfers acknowledge the added pressure of having an audience when the group in front invites you to play through. I've certainly hit my share of duffs in that situation.  Once in a blue moon I actually look like I'm competent.  Flush a 3W from the fairway, 8i to the green, 2 putts for par.  Usually it's a pop up or a chunk off the tee followed by a weak second shot, chip on, miss the putt, pick up and walk off quickly.

 

Feel free to add your own stories.

[getitdaily]

I don't suffer from anxiety when joining or playing through others but I have a bit of a recent funny story around joining up with a group.

 

Was out on a Saturday afternoon with my 9 and 5 yr old sons. They hit, pick up, hit, and usually skip several holes, and rarely putt.

 

4somes in front of us. 3some behind me and they watch me tee off 1. I pipe my drive and head off. On the 2nd tee (par5) I pull up and the group in front of me is still on the tee. The 3 guys behind me pull up a few minutes later. I say to them "we're going nowhere, I can't guarantee they'll be quiet but if you'd like to join up then we can be a 4some and play at a steady pace". 

 

They're 3 laid back dudes. I hit 3w on the par 5. 2 of the guys hit and hit it well. The last guy pummels his driver over a bunker I played short of. He has about 7i in and I have 3w. The 2nd shot is over a hazard and you cannot see the green from the approach. Long drive guy is directly in my flight path but there are no issues. He's parked and I'm not worried. But I nail my 3w....right in the center of the ball...a tiny bit of a stand up. It barely clears his cart and goes searching for snakes in the hazard. I drop, hit 8i on and 2putt for bogey. 

 

We all keep playing. I make another bogey 2 holes later and I'm +2 after 4. Long drive guy is even thru 4. Then I get going. I play the next 14 holes -2 and miss several fairly easy birdie opportunities. 

 

On the 13th hole or so I pipe another drive and long drive guy (who's probably 2 over at this point) says, in relation to my drive "I thought I was good, but this is ridiculous". 

 

I just chuckled. They were nice guys. Long drive guy could play, was just erratic with the driver.

Edited June 22, 2023 by getitdaily

[Ferguson]

I grew up playing a municipal track where the bag line and parking lot ran parallel to the first tee.  At any time, you were putting your first peg in the teeing ground with no fewer than 20-24 people watching or nearby in varying states of game preparation. 

 

It's never bothered me. 

 

 

[Ghostwedge]

Here is what I told my son when he started playing and got nervous with playing thru and the first tee jitters.... I said half these guys suck and and couldn't beat you in their dreams, the other half are better than you and me  and don't care one bit as long as we don't hold up play.

Fast forward 15 years, late Fathers day 9 with him and these two guys waved us thru. He parks one out there 300 yds and shook  his head in slight disgust, the one guy says "what was wrong with that ? " he smiles and says " who is that on your speakers ? the guy says James Taylor why ? my son says " man that would put me to sleep" ☺

[jholz]

I make myself way more nervous than anyone else ever could. Also, the closer I get to the hole, the more nervous I become.

 

Man, I gotta get over this crap.

[david.c.w]

The only time i get anxiety is when I really want to play well on a top course I have not played before.  I think to myself, "I might only get one crack at this one, I better play well".  Then I usually stink it up.  

[Sean124]

All I feel when playing through is a sense of relief. 

[phizzy30]

The only time I get anxious is when I play for money.  It also helps me focus more.  I think as long as that little bit of anxiety is channeled in a positive manner, it's helpful.  It's when the anxiety causes the golfer to tense up or think negative thoughts is when disaster is looming. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by phizzy30

[SNIPERBBB]

Those worries went away when I started playing competitive golf/money games. 

 

Nowadays I'm usually annoyed when waved up because I was usually doing a practice round and purposely slowing down my play yet y'all are still too slow.