Do you like pressure golf?

[Nels55]

Some of the comments in this thread: 

 got me thinking about something that Joe Montana said after one of his comeback wins.  A reporter asked Joe what he was thinking about at some point during the winning drive and Joe replied that he was feeling a bit sad because he knew that the game was nearly over.  Montana loved the high pressure moments and that is probably a good part of why he was so good under pressure. 

 

So, do you relish the big moments in whatever sort of competitive golf that play?  Or do you get really nervous and feel sick and want to go home?  I guess that everyone is somewhere in that spectrum!

[Soloman1]

People shooting at you with an AK-47 is pressure. All the rest is a walk in the park. It’s all about perspective.

[TiScape]

16 minutes ago, Soloman1 said:

People shooting at you with an AK-47 is pressure. All the rest is a walk in the park. It’s all about perspective.

I’ve never been in war and don’t even start to think I know what it’s like. But, I vividly remember my first time being close to someone shooting a 7.62x39 (round an AK shoots). I was at a shooting range where most of the guns ppl shot were pistols. Well this day there was a guy shooting an AK. He was doing some rapid fire and I instantly thought, to be on the other end of that would be simply terrifying. God bless anyone that has served, and or experienced it.

[deadsolid...shank]

I love the opportunity that pressure golf presents. For us in our area, it was more often a team event. The chance to come through for your teammates, man that gets the blood pumping. 
 

Some day I might even come through for them. 

[Nels55]

3 hours ago, Soloman1 said:

People shooting at you with an AK-47 is pressure. All the rest is a walk in the park. It’s all about perspective.

I get what you are saying but I have not been shot at myself so I can tell myself that I am not under real pressure all I want but such thoughts may not work all that well because I am not Larry Nelson and I did not walk the point in Vietnam so it is somewhat problematic for me to react in the way that he did.

 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/its-time-to-give-due-to-larry-nelson-the-greatest-golfer-no-one-knows

[bladehunter]

4 hours ago, Soloman1 said:

People shooting at you with an AK-47 is pressure. All the rest is a walk in the park. It’s all about perspective.

Bingo.  Perspective is key.  I love the juice. Problem is it’s hard to find on a working guys schedule.  Handicap play doesn’t do it.  

[Nels55]

23 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

Bingo.  Perspective is key.  I love the juice. Problem is it’s hard to find on a working guys schedule.  Handicap play doesn’t do it.  

LOL handicap play is about all I got!  I have played in a few scratch tournaments which were really fun but I was not competitive.  

 

I would say that I feel really alive when I am playing some sort of pressure golf or any other sport for that matter.  I have done well under pressure at times and I have choked massively also.  LOL sometimes I have won while choking because the opponent choked worse then me and also the same applies for playing well.  I do think that competing and caring about it is fun and worth doing. 

[Soloman1]

Wherever you are, you can always ask: "Hey, you want a little money game?"

[bladehunter]

13 minutes ago, Nels55 said:

LOL handicap play is about all I got!  I have played in a few scratch tournaments which were really fun but I was not competitive.  

 

I would say that I feel really alive when I am playing some sort of pressure golf or any other sport for that matter.  I have done well under pressure at times and I have choked massively also.  LOL sometimes I have won while choking because the opponent choked worse then me and also the same applies for playing well.  I do think that competing and caring about it is fun and worth doing. 

That’s part of the secret.  Anyones whos ever done it has choked massively.  thats sort of the baptism by fire component. 
 

 

what I do is compare it to the worst stress I see. Which isn’t war for sure. I’m not at all saying that.  But I have some experiences that are much much worse than a scary golf round.  So if the nerves take over I just think and laugh at myself.  And it’s truly not that bad then.  There’s two types of nerves.  The “ oh god everyone is looking nerves “  and the “ I’m in contention “ nerves.   You want the latter.  have to remember , that feeling is why you play. That’s what you want.  
To get rid of the   everyone is looking nerves you have to realize that absolutely nobody cares what you’re doing except you.  They’re all busy controlling their own minds.  They’re not seeing you as much as you think. You’ve got to build that bubble and stay in it. 

Edited September 18, 2023 by bladehunter

[smashdn]

I putt better with some sort of pressure or something on the line.  Even just the pressure of making a putt in a scramble and I tend to concentrate more and just be more in-tune with my stroke and my tendencies with my stroke.

 

I noticed the other day I was cutting my putts just a shade so took that into account in my alignment.  I don't think I would have noticed or played for that in a casual round.

[mshills]

I like all kinds of golf. 
 

Playing by myself at an odd hour on an empty course has a unique enjoyment to it.
 

So does playing with someone I have never met or don’t know.  In this case I’m not playing for $ unless we know each other a little, but I’ve made some great friends simply by getting paired up.

 

When I’m playing with people I know, play for something….it’s fun! Dinner check, drink tab, Nassau, skins, all great. I don’t love games like Wolf where I end up having to think more about the game than playing the game, know what I mean, but I’ll still partake if that’s the game that day.