Topic: Whats the point....

I had one of those why bother days today, hit it like a morman I did.

Topic: Whats the point....

There you go shane74, a break works wonders. Now go and take a month off :-)

Topic: Whats the point....

I often play the shot in my head before the shot …never after..

afterwars i accept what I have given the ball…

wherever the ball went – YOU created that destination

accept and move on

accepatnce of bad shots is the hardest part of golf and life in many ways….

we want control….if we let the control go we actually get control back..if we force control by beating oursleves up we lose it…

in the last 6 months I have worked on my mental game more than the physical practice….as work/family sommitments have taken over

results are that my cap has come down half a shot (with far less practice)....but thats not my goal…

what I have found is Im enjoying the game so much more no matter how I play…….and thats the beauty of it

“Formal education will make you a living. Self education will make you a fortune.”

Love it Dave, Thanks.

Well, after my little 8 day holiday i’ve come back refreshed, and also come back to my previous swing.

Played yesterday, was going ok until I started thinking I was going ok haha. Ended up wiping the last 2 holes.

Played again today, 41 off the stick for 21 points on the back 9 and 45 for 17 points on the front 9 including 1 wipe and 3 1 pointers.

1 pointer on the 3rd hole was ridiculous. 2nd shot into green side bunker, Bunker shot caught the lip and came back in. Stopped, regrouped and played a nice bunker shot to about 12 inches from the hole, full of arrogance I just walked up to tap it in and missed it haha.

Regardless though, felt good to be back in the 80’s and getting some feel and confidence back.

Topic: Whats the point....

we just dont work enough on our mental game

Topic: Whats the point....

I often play the shot in my head before the shot …never after..

afterwars i accept what I have given the ball…

wherever the ball went – YOU created that destination

accept and move on

accepatnce of bad shots is the hardest part of golf and life in many ways….

we want control….if we let the control go we actually get control back..if we force control by beating oursleves up we lose it…

in the last 6 months I have worked on my mental game more than the physical practice….as work/family sommitments have taken over

results are that my cap has come down half a shot (with far less practice)....but thats not my goal…

what I have found is Im enjoying the game so much more no matter how I play…….and thats the beauty of it

“Formal education will make you a living. Self education will make you a fortune.”

Dave

Great posts. Thanks.

Alan

Topic: Whats the point....

I often play the shot in my head before the shot …never after..

afterwars i accept what I have given the ball…

wherever the ball went – YOU created that destination

accept and move on

accepatnce of bad shots is the hardest part of golf and life in many ways….

we want control….if we let the control go we actually get control back..if we force control by beating oursleves up we lose it…

in the last 6 months I have worked on my mental game more than the physical practice….as work/family sommitments have taken over

results are that my cap has come down half a shot (with far less practice)....but thats not my goal…

what I have found is Im enjoying the game so much more no matter how I play…....and thats the beauty of it

Topic: Whats the point....

The day I worked out where my ability and ambition sit compared to each other was a good day for my golf.

Topic: Whats the point....

CRICKET??? YUK!!!

Topic: Whats the point....

Top bloke and big swinger.

Topic: Whats the point....

Yeah, that prick. Too good for anyone. And a sly sledger as well!

Topic: Whats the point....

Gillie had your number Yarnie boy.

Topic: Whats the point....

Shane, the last thing you need is another tip BUT years ago when I was serious I read this book and the bloke said after a poor shot, instead of slamming your club and muttering profanities, try practicing the shot again how you think it should have been swung. This creates a more positive focus into your game. Test batsman do this all the time, naturally or not I don’t know, so there must be something in it. Enjoy the game :)

the greatest game ever played
First Life Member of the Secret Squirrel Society.

Good point waffle.

However, when I was still playing competitive cricket, there was a few times when I would practice the shot after, get lured into the same shot again, and fuck it up again. Just shows how much of a mental giant I am.

Topic: Whats the point....

Dude, your confusing yourself if you think too much or crucify yourself for a bad shot, what does it achieve?

The ball is in the drink or OOB, no point whinging about it, I actually have a bit of a laugh when I hit a sh17 shot. Sure it annoys me but then I think hang on your an 18 marker ATM your supposed to hit a number of sh17 shots.

The key ATM is to recover immediatly from that shot, it might be a skulled drive that goes 150m, my focus is now on hitting the nuts off a 3 wood 240m onto the front of the green, I know if I curse all the way to the ball that when I hit the 3 wood theres a good chance I’ll miss hit it aswell and then we’re looking at a double or worse.

Just concentrate on the next shot. Once its hit its in the past, can’t change it?

Canon 1DsII
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Canon 400/2.8IS
Canon 70-200/2.8
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oh and some golf clubs

Thanks for the reminder mate, thats exactly what I was saying in my last post. See you at the Colonial soon.

Topic: Whats the point....

Shane, the last thing you need is another tip BUT years ago when I was serious I read this book and the bloke said after a poor shot, instead of slamming your club and muttering profanities, try practicing the shot again how you think it should have been swung. This creates a more positive focus into your game. Test batsman do this all the time, naturally or not I don’t know, so there must be something in it. Enjoy the game :)

Topic: Whats the point....

Dude, your confusing yourself if you think too much or crucify yourself for a bad shot, what does it achieve???

The ball is in the drink or OOB, no point whinging about it, I actually have a bit of a laugh when I hit a sh17 shot. Sure it annoys me but then I think hang on your an 18 marker ATM your supposed to hit a number of sh17 shots.

The key ATM is to recover immediatly from that shot, it might be a skulled drive that goes 150m, my focus is now on hitting the nuts off a 3 wood 240m onto the front of the green, I know if I curse all the way to the ball that when I hit the 3 wood theres a good chance I’ll miss hit it aswell and then we’re looking at a double or worse.

Just concentrate on the next shot. Once its hit its in the past, can’t change it???

Topic: Whats the point....

Shane, you will find not much makes sense when you are being advised on isg. The best part about it is it can be amusing and take your mind of seriouse subjects like golf handicaps.As I said smell the daisies and don’t take life too seriously. Best of luck with your goal of the golf nivara.

Topic: Whats the point....

Dave, thanks mate. Good advice. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, developing a mental course plan and working on my mental outlook through out the game is something I have been working really hard on lately.

Trying to focus energy (mentally) where it useful (I.e. the next shot) and stop wasting energy where it is not useful (I.e the shot I’ve already played and cannot change).

Also trying to work on my unrealistic expectations. Like when I miss a 20 foot putt and crusify myself haha. Shit, thats why im on 16, 16 cappers dont sink 20 footers haha.

Anyways, back home tomorrow, haven’t swung a club in 8 days and can’t wait to get out there.

On an unrelated note, you bunch can be a confusing bunch sometimes. I posted about goals and wanting single figures and everyone told me I could do it if I got a coach and worked hard. Then I get a coach and work hard and everyone says, its just a game mate settle down and enjoy it for what it is. Hmmmm. Confusing bunch but just like all areas of my life, take what makes sense and leave the rest.

Topic: Whats the point....

its just a game

once we accept that

you will play better..if not youll at least accept that yu didnt play well

Topic: Whats the point....

I think the Super Compensation Curve applies to skilled sports as much as it does to aerobic sports (cycling, rowing etc).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercompensation

To bring your level back up again you need to recover. Working each day would be destroying your mental and physical games.

Topic: Whats the point....

Shane, there you are I think the last few posts have given you the best advice you will get in life let alone golf. Lighten up, smell the daisies.

Topic: Whats the point....

Take a break, or get out onto a course youve never played before. I fall into slumps regularly when playing home course all the time as you know where you SHOULD land/go/hit/etc and when you dont hit that point a couple of times its all over.

Thats my personal finding, I was playing horribly, went to NZ for honeymoon and had already commited to play and played the courses expecting nothing and played quite well. Didnt shoot the lights out but fell in love with the game again.

With that said I havent played my home course for a good 2 months and when I did get back out there I played well, in and around the areas I know I should be to score well.

Topic: Whats the point....

yep my own experience

I have accepted that I wont get past maybe 7 handicap. Im drift between 7 and 8 (7.6 now)...do I want to spend hours and hours just to get to 6?....nah…love it if it happens but Im not going to devote my life to it

acceptance is the mental part of the game people refuse to look at

enjoy the game, sure you do get better if you work at it but ask yourself is that getting better paying a dividend mentally

do you want to spend hours and hours just o you can win a couple of golf balls on a saturday…man you could just go and buy 2 dot solos…LOL

youll find guys on 30 caps want to be 20..guys on 15 want to be single figures….guys on 7 or 8 want to be 5 or 4…guys on 2 or 3 want to be scratch…yet….many of them will unhealthly spend hours beating themsevles up about and getting more frustrated..and often find their cap goes the other way a bit…

we all think (epsecially males) think we should be lower than what we are…rarely do we just go ya know what Im 15 capper and happy with it….or hear someone say “I dont care what my cap is”

yet rarely do people develope a mental plan for thier golf game

I gurantee to anyone that if you work on the mental aspects of your life and golf game your golf game will improve and if by chance it didnt t least youll be able to accept it better and be ahapiier person overal

yes the golf mechanics is over analysed..I coched fast bowlling in cricket in developement squads….my messages were simple keys

run in straight, think you can knock him over…let ip…

and maybe the odd technical tip…BUT rare

and if he hit you for four..accept it was a good shot…even nod your head and say nice shot (feed the batsmens ego)..then say right I get another chance to knock him over….

golf is over anaylsed at club level especially

I urge everyone to work on thier mental game and develope mental plan or strategy for their game..gurantee youll be happier better golfer for it

you then actually relax…and we now what relaxed golfers do…they play well more often

Topic: Whats the point....

A nutless monkey could get near the green in two shots on a par 4, three shots on a par 5, and one shot on a par 3. So, all that matters is getting up and down and making most putts (85%) within 10 foot range.

Focus on scoring and don’t place too much emphasis on your swing mechanics with driver and irons. Enjoy missing greens as it gives you the opportunity to show off your chipping skills. When you stop worrying about missing fairways and greens you’ll actually discover that the anxiety was the reason for the misses in the first place.

Topic: Whats the point....

Dave 1 At last someone on this site with common sense, as I said golf is by far and away over analised. I coached other sports, you either can or can’t be good, if you can’t, enjoy to the best of your ability.

Topic: Whats the point....

Read thru the posts and I suggest Shane’s problem is mental as well as phsyical

3 years ago I stopped reading on how to hit the golf ball…rarely do i read much on golf tips….

I started reading about to accept how I hit the ball and How I react to that shot and what will happen for the next shot

many people devote hours to the “Physical” part of th game yet zero to the mental part of the game

how many people work on the mental part of thier game?....

5 ways you can improve with no swing changes but it does require work!

1 Read a bob Rotella book or two..dam it read the whole series so it really sinks in

2 come up with mental plan for your round.

3 learn some yoga, it teaches you how to breath and take stress out of the body

4 ask questions as you walk down the first…divert the stress away from your own game and become involved in some other thoughts…..that way youre not obsessed with each shot…..

its like each shot you approach you have energy left because you havent wasted it from the lat bad shot (if it was bad)...if it was a great shot…forget it also….go back to the previous converstaion about where your playing partner played his first game of golf…blah blah blah

on the lessons…you have to trust untill it becomes ingrained….for some it can take 2 or 3 weeks others 5 years….theres no time frame on it…so dont set one…

thats where the patience bit comes in and the mental stuff again…trusting and believing is mental not physical…..the mental appplication will allow the physical to happen…

you can’t play good golf with bad attitude or even one bad thought…..(ask Tiger Woods about that?)

play a round in your head…Play each shot perfect (be realistic) ....visualise it….visualise you thanking the sponsors and playing partners as you come in with 42 points and win the day….

takes those thoughts (internally) with you…...to your next round…

dam well try it you have nothing to lose…you cant get worse as golfer by working on your menatl game…..but in same cases you can get worse if your practice habits are bad…

thats why mental practice is so good…as it doesnt have bad effects only good!

youll never achieve it if you dont see and believe it can happen

good luck in your travels…..

PS if I freak anyone with my post sorry

I have coached sport along time and work as a social worker…your physical capabilities are always going to be limited to some degree…..but our brain is never used to its full capacity….its limitless