Something finally clicked

It has been awhile since my last post. all of mine have been about the mental side of golf because i belive that is what is holding my back the most. I know I can hit the shots to shoot in the low 80's/high 70's on a regular basis, but my brain keeps getting in the way. I always got down on myself if i lippeed a put out or shanked a drive or something. Everyone here was very helpful, but i just couldn't or maybe wouldn't put what I was being told into practice. this leads me to the point of my post...I played my first round of the year last wendsday.( it was actually nice enough to play in indiana) Well i knew that since it was the first round of the year it wasn't going to be the lowest score since i kinda stopped playing last year. my goal, mentally was to try and take it one hole at a time-one shot at a time. now, I have always tried this but it never worked, i would always be thinking about the previous hole's missed putt in the middle of my next drive. But when i played this time i actually did it! i lipped 3 or 4 par putts and i actually forgot about them by the time i got to the next hole. and i did this the entire round. My question is ...how do I keep this going for the whole summer? i always seem to play good early in the year but am horrible come september. I really think that i made a majpr breakthrough mentally and think it will improve my scores, but i need help keeping this mental thing going. any suggestions?

I am guessing the reason you play good at the start of the year and lousy at the end is that your expectations are greater at the end. When you can't live up to them, you get frustated and that affects your game and you play worse. If you manage to play one shot at a time and forget what has happened, you should be able to play the same any time of year.

Cswern,

You have answered your own question in a fashion.......................Play each hole as a new game, or play 6 hole games, if you h/capp is say 9 you have three drop shots on each six, this way you play mini games and you will find yourself a couple under your h/capp sometimes.....................these games are designed to keep your mind concentrated on the bigger picture.

Try and think of the game as a whole round, you may get putts that you shouldn't really have made which make up for the odd lip out, same when you drive, sometimes you hit a bad drive and get away with it finding the green, sometimes you chip out............................all in all the final result/score reflects you attitude to yourself and your overhaul game plan.


Stay cool and don't worry there are people out there who would give anything just for one game of golf, think yourself lucky.


Hope this helps.


Ian.

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Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................