Staying focused

Keano

Played in a society event yesterday. When I found out who I was playing with I just knew it would be a bad day, despite I how hard I tried. Why was it so bad? Played with lads who play very little golf but like to tell me what I'm doing wrong...that does my nut in! Last time I played with one of the fellas I was terrible again.

So I had myself beaten before I hit a ball. How do you guys keep the head clear when others around you are playing poor and full of helpful advice?!!

PhlegmyMoses

In that specific scenario, I'd probably let them know in a joking way that their opinions aren't appreciated. "Sure why would I listen to you, you've the touch of Larry Murphy around the greens?" :P

If you keep that up every time they say something, they'll eventually get the message. It might take a few holes but they'll soon shut up and the next round you're forced to play with them will go easier.

Ben1977

Keano A Legend wrote: »

Played in a society event yesterday. When I found out who I was playing with I just knew it would be a bad day, despite I how hard I tried. Why was it so bad? Played with lads who play very little golf but like to tell me what I'm doing wrong...that does my nut in! Last time I played with one of the fellas I was terrible again.

So I had myself beaten before I hit a ball. How do you guys keep the head clear when others around you are playing poor and full of helpful advice?!!

Playing partners shouldn't have an effect on your play.
When I'm given advice, I'd sometimes say "I'll say that during my next lesson and see what the pro says".
Also I'd just walk a little faster, eg even if last to tee off, I'm walking straight after it once I know its safe, bag and gone.
I enjoy the chats and all that but if I want to concentrate and not have to put up with the kind of advice this not wanted, I'll just change the subject to GAA or football.

Once after hitting a poor bunker shot, a playing partner said "I'll tell you what you did wrong there", to which I replied "it's grand I know what I did wrong, I left it in the bunker".
Later I had a eagle putt. The same guy was on the same line. He said "I'll give you the line". I turned away and looked down the other fairway. He hit a 30 ft putt 12 feet short. I drained it from 20ft and turned to him and said " just as well I didn't look at your line".
Think he got the message!

Keano

Ben1977 wrote: »

Playing partners shouldn't have an effect on your play.
When I'm given advice, I'd sometimes say "I'll say that during my next lesson and see what the pro says".
Also I'd just walk a little faster, eg even if last to tee off, I'm walking straight after it once I know its safe, bag and gone.
I enjoy the chats and all that but if I want to concentrate and not have to put up with the kind of advice this not wanted, I'll just change the subject to GAA or football.

Once after hitting a poor bunker shot, a playing partner said "I'll tell you what you did wrong there", to which I replied "it's grand I know what I did wrong, I left it in the bunker".
Later I had a eagle putt. The same guy was on the same line. He said "I'll give you the line". I turned away and looked down the other fairway. He hit a 30 ft putt 12 feet short. I drained it from 20ft and turned to him and said " just as well I didn't look at your line".
Think he got the message!

I know they shouldn't Ben but it's hard to keep the head when you play a poor shot, you are just almost waiting for the comment!

ForeRight

Keano A Legend wrote: »

I know they shouldn't Ben but it's hard to keep the head when you play a poor shot, you are just almost waiting for the comment!

Not trying to have a pop here but when you take a poor shot look at yourself and why it happened and how to rectify it. Looking to blame playing partners and their silly unwanted advice is obviously getting you into a rut and it's getting to you seen as though it's affecting your whole round.

After a bad shot blame yourself. IMO this will help you recover for the next shot instead of having anger which you can't vent at partners.... Even if they are being plonkers.

GreeBo

I'm sure everyone knows, but just to confirm.
Any sort of advice like that would be against the rules...


I'd just use the advice my old man used to always use, "I'll take advice of you the day you're better than me!"

ForeRight

GreeBo wrote: »

I'm sure everyone knows, but just to confirm.
Any sort of advice like that would be against the rules...


I'd just use the advice my old man used to always use, "I'll take advice of you the day you're better than me!"

I thought his advice was going to be

"Greebo son, always lay up on this par 3. Drill course management into everyone you know and most of all rule the boards golf forum with an iron fist"

GreeBo

ForeRight wrote: »

Not trying to have a pop here but when you take a poor shot look at yourself and why it happened and how to rectify it. Looking to blame playing partners and their silly unwanted advice is obviously getting you into a rut and it's getting to you seen as though it's affecting your whole round.

After a bad shot blame yourself. IMO this will help you recover for the next shot instead of having anger which you can't vent at partners.... Even if they are being plonkers.

Its funny, this advice is great advice for being less of a dick on the course, but terrible advice for becoming a great golfer.

all the good guys outwardly blame everyone bar themselves. I think you need to lie to yourself to be good, you dont have a bad swing...it was the wind, rain, sunspots, anything!

Just listen to any post round interview..."I hit the ball really well today, the putts didnt drop"...completely ignoring the 2 FIR and 1 GIR they had..

ForeRight

GreeBo wrote: »

Its funny, this advice is great advice for being less of a dick on the course, but terrible advice for becoming a great golfer.

all the good guys outwardly blame everyone bar themselves. I think you need to lie to yourself to be good, you dont have a bad swing...it was the wind, rain, sunspots, anything!

Just listen to any post round interview..."I hit the ball really well today, the putts didnt drop"...completely ignoring the 2 FIR and 1 GIR they had..

Yes probably very true alright. But still at that I think if you are coming in round after round and blaming your playing partners for your poor play it's time to look at yourself and what's going wrong.

Identify it then rectify it as best you can and this can't happen until he stops blaming playing partners advice giving etc.

GreeBo

ForeRight wrote: »

I thought his advice was going to be

"Greebo son, always lay up on this par 3. Drill course management into everyone you know and most of all rule the boards golf forum with an iron fist"

God rest him, but he couldnt accept that he needed to layup on the 1st tright up to the day he died!


There are a few annoying buggers that I end up playing with on occasion...I'd be a big fan of the fast walk, leaving the chatters to themselves...

ForeRight

GreeBo wrote: »

God rest him, but he couldnt accept that he needed to layup on the 1st tright up to the day he died!


There are a few annoying buggers that I end up playing with on occasion...I'd be a big fan of the fast walk, leaving the chatters to themselves...

I have to say I love a good chat about anything at all of interest to me or a new playing partner but when I get to my ball I switch on and think if nothing but what I'm trying to do. Once I hit the shot I'll chat again... Unless I'm analyzing what just went wrong.

Keano

ForeRight wrote: »

Not trying to have a pop here but when you take a poor shot look at yourself and why it happened and how to rectify it. Looking to blame playing partners and their silly unwanted advice is obviously getting you into a rut and it's getting to you seen as though it's affecting your whole round.

After a bad shot blame yourself. IMO this will help you recover for the next shot instead of having anger which you can't vent at partners.... Even if they are being plonkers.

You're right

I guess when a round is bad we try use any excuse. Guess I'm going to just to work in how to get in the "zone" when it's my shot and then not worry about anyone else.

Ben1977

Don't think Keano is blaming his playing partners for poor shots. Think he is looking for advice on concentrating and dealing with playing partners who think they are Butch Harmon. Giving advice on everything they see yet they can't see it in their own game!
Sometimes I'll give advice but only on a job outing and only if that person wants to here it.

bustercherry

It's clear you are not enjoying the game and to be honest you do come across bit self pitying. To be honest, you have too many of these threads/posts IMO.

I'd be looking at other sports or past times at this stage or a good break for the winter at least. Whats the point as the game is clearly wrecking your head. In my case I couldn't give a fcuk about who I play with and what they say, I'm too focused on the first tee shot/hole to care. I still get the same buzz on the first tee.

Keano

bustercherry wrote: »

It's clear you are not enjoying the game and to be honest you do come across bit self pitying. To be honest, you have too many of these threads/posts IMO.

I'd be looking at other sports or past times at this stage or a good break for the winter at least. Whats the point as the game is clearly wrecking your head. In my case I couldn't give a fcuk about who I play with and what they say, I'm too focused on the first tee shot/hole to care. I still get the same buzz on the first tee.

Fair point.

Actually enjoyed the game on Saturday and my golf these days.

Guess I cannot have a discussion on a forum

ForeRight

bustercherry wrote: »

It's clear you are not enjoying the game and to be honest you do come across bit self pitying. To be honest, you have too many of these threads/posts IMO.

I'd be looking at other sports or past times at this stage or a good break for the winter at least. Whats the point as the game is clearly wrecking your head. In my case I couldn't give a fcuk about who I play with and what they say, I'm too focused on the first tee shot/hole to care. I still get the same buzz on the first tee.

Haha that's a bit harsh. Telling him to take up another game

He is having a low moment, we all have them with this game but under all that we love it and even one great shot in a round will bring us all back the next time.

When he discovers how he personally can shut out playing partners he will be grand. At the moment he says he is beaten before he turns up when he knows who he is playing with. It's critical he gets rid of those thoughts but I don't think he should walk away from golf lol.

Wouldn't fancy having you as my therapist

alxmorgan

Keano A Legend wrote: »

Fair point.

Actually enjoyed the game on Saturday and my golf these days.

Guess I cannot have a discussion on a forum

No it's not. If a man (or woman) can't come on a discussion thread (amongst friends mainly) and have a chat about something then what is the world coming to ?

And let's be honest if there is a game that induces self-pity it's this one. He must have missed the 40 point winning score post a few weeks back as well.

I have no doubt that this helpful poster would have no issue telling those giving advice to f**k off but not everyone is like him - thankfully

PARlance

Have you had a look into any golf/sport psychology Keano?

I found Karl Morris to be pretty good, I'm only being to realise the importance of the mental side of the game is, way more so than other sports, there ain't many other sports where you have so much time to think about an action/shot, or so much time to think about mistakes, it could be well worth having a further look into this area.

alxmorgan

PARlance wrote: »

Have you had a look into any golf/sport psychology Keano?

I found Karl Morris to be pretty good, I'm only being to realise the importance of the mental side of the game is, way more so than other sports, there ain't many other sports where you have so much time to think about an action/shot, or so much time to think about mistakes, it could be well worth having a further look into this area.

+1 on Karl Morris stuff. A lot like Dr Bob in terms of most of it being common sense. But there is some good techniques in there and also as we all know...common sense isn't all that common :pac:

bustercherry

Keano A Legend wrote: »

Fair point.

Actually enjoyed the game on Saturday and my golf these days.

Guess I cannot have a discussion on a forum

Maybe you are and I'm wrong - but this is the state of you mind at the start of the season
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=83472501&postcount=1

At the end of the season, you are saying you had yourself beaten before you even tee'd off because of who you were playing with. IMO if you were enjoying it, you'd be more focused on the game and less on your playing partners, no matter how annoying they are.

Imagine if a GAA/SoccerRugby player/Road Cyclist/etc..... come out with the statement "I was already beaten before....". They would be hammered for it and IMO quite rightly so. I raced at quite a high standard in mountain biking; the day I felt beaten before the start of a race I quit.

For Paws

Maybe what the OP is saying is that we are all (except BusterC) open to outside influence.
Players will always say that they play better whenever they play with better playing partners. It's not that they receive better advice, but that their expectations are raised, and if they manage an occasional good shot, those expectations are met.

People being people, we look for reasons to succeed, but more often for reasons to fail. It's somehow easier to live with failure than success, maybe because the pressure of expectation is removed.

This is our greatest obstacle, the feeling before we attempt something that it will go awry. If we can put that feeling aside for long enough to swing a club, it's surprising the level that we can reach.

The main reason that it's hard for the OP to ignore the helpful partner is that he knows they're right (not specifically, but in the sense that hearing 'you did something wrong there' only confirms what he himself is thinking).

As to solutions, the fast walk (a la GreeBo) is my preferred solution.
That, and the thought that the better I play, the less often they'll speak.

bustercherry

For Paws wrote: »

Maybe what the OP is saying is that we are all (except BusterC) open to outside influence.
Players will always say that they play better whenever they play with better playing partners. It's not that they receive better advice, but that their expectations are raised, and if they manage an occasional good shot, those expectations are met.

People being people, we look for reasons to succeed, but more often for reasons to fail. It's somehow easier to live with failure than success, maybe because the pressure of expectation is removed.

This is our greatest obstacle, the feeling before we attempt something that it will go awry. If we can put that feeling aside for long enough to swing a club, it's surprising the level that we can reach.

The main reason that it's hard for the OP to ignore the helpful partner is that he knows they're right (not specifically, but in the sense that hearing 'you did something wrong there' only confirms what he himself is thinking).

As to solutions, the fast walk (a la GreeBo) is my preferred solution.
That, and the thought that the better I play, the less often they'll speak.

I'd agree but not before you even tee off.

For Paws

Putting aside outside influences that don't help your game is difficult to maintain for the period of an entire round, so attempting to do so 'before you even tee off' is beyond me. What I try to do is 'switch on' for my shot by visualising the swing, the strike, the ball flight and the ball landing. This use of my imagination pushes aside the other things (slice/hook/oob/water etc) that will take over my thoughts if left enough room. After my shot I 'switch off' until I have to start planning & then visualising my next shot.

Keano

For Paws wrote: »

Maybe what the OP is saying is that we are all (except BusterC) open to outside influence.
Players will always say that they play better whenever they play with better playing partners. It's not that they receive better advice, but that their expectations are raised, and if they manage an occasional good shot, those expectations are met.

People being people, we look for reasons to succeed, but more often for reasons to fail. It's somehow easier to live with failure than success, maybe because the pressure of expectation is removed.

This is our greatest obstacle, the feeling before we attempt something that it will go awry. If we can put that feeling aside for long enough to swing a club, it's surprising the level that we can reach.

The main reason that it's hard for the OP to ignore the helpful partner is that he knows they're right (not specifically, but in the sense that hearing 'you did something wrong there' only confirms what he himself is thinking).

As to solutions, the fast walk (a la GreeBo) is my preferred solution.
That, and the thought that the better I play, the less often they'll speak.

You put it better than I did. I never said I'm not enjoying my golf. What I'm getting at is trying to be in the same frame of mind even if I'm playing with a beginner or a scratch golfer.

For Paws

What I'd suggest (more free advice from a high h'cpr !) is that you bring two people to the course ; your normal self, happy to be out with a few mates & ready to enjoy yourself and your 'golfer' self, quietly determined to play your best on every shot.
Before your shot, switch off 'normal' and switch on 'golfer'. Between shots switch back to yourself. Only your normal self hears the distractions. The Golfer hears nothing but his own, planned, positive thoughts.

Gin77

Why don't you give em a penalty (rule 8.1) if its in a comp.
You'd be a right Ballicks but doubt they will do it again.

Wombatman

For Paws wrote: »

What I'd suggest (more free advice from a high h'cpr !) is that you bring two people to the course ; your normal self, happy to be out with a few mates & ready to enjoy yourself and your 'golfer' self, quietly determined to play your best on every shot.
Before your shot, switch off 'normal' and switch on 'golfer'. Between shots switch back to yourself. Only your normal self hears the distractions. The Golfer hears nothing but his own, planned, positive thoughts.

FixdePitchmark

For Paws wrote: »

What I'd suggest (more free advice from a high h'cpr !) is that you bring two people to the course ; your normal self, happy to be out with a few mates & ready to enjoy yourself and your 'golfer' self, quietly determined to play your best on every shot.
Before your shot, switch off 'normal' and switch on 'golfer'. Between shots switch back to yourself. Only your normal self hears the distractions. The Golfer hears nothing but his own, planned, positive thoughts.

Does the same idea work, if you have 62 people in your head.

For Paws

Oh, nearly forgot.

Another advantage of this method is that you can get the 'Golfer' to carry your clubs for you !

For Paws

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Does the same idea work, if you have 62 people in your head.

Depends, what handicap are they playing off ?