GolfSmith7 wrote:

I recommend this book because it isn't your golf game getting in your way its your mental game. http://www.amazon.com/Why-Golf-Happens-Good-People/dp/0595443788

Ninety-nine cents on the Kindle. I bought my copy.

I just want to know how arousal control works on the golf course. Hmm....

Jbeck wrote:

my only advise would be this. For me trying to hit those short accurate shots with a lob wedge is dang near impossible. I typ. use a 52 degree wedge for anything other than a flop. then I use a 56. that lob wedge can get you into a world of trouble unless you practice it alot. I have taken the lob out of the bag. won't carry a 60 degree anymore, it got me in more trouble than it saved. JMO have fun.

I really do love my lob wedge. But I will concede that if I wasn't playing with the old grooves, I probably wouldn't be able to hit it.

BK - I think the most important thing to me is you mentioned these short wedge shots have been hurting you on your "practice course" - i.e. the executive. So therefore, I would say stick with taking those chances here and there because you are practicing two things - long drives, and partial wedges in actual live play with some pressure on the line.

If you gear back to lay up full shots and fairway woods off the tee, you won't ever learn to hit those shots when you might need them on a full regulation 18 hole round. You're one of the better golfers who regularily posts on this forum, so I'm probably not saying anything you don't know. But for what it's worth, I think executive courses are great for two things: 1 - it allows "lesser" golfers to have some fun vs. traditional long layouts, and 2 - it gives better players the chance to change things up a bit and take them out of their comfort zone.

Keep firing away and tune in those wedges buddy!

jrbizzle wrote:

BK - I think the most important thing to me is you mentioned these short wedge shots have been hurting you on your "practice course" - i.e. the executive. So therefore, I would say stick with taking those chances here and there because you are practicing two things - long drives, and partial wedges in actual live play with some pressure on the line. If you gear back to lay up full shots and fairway woods off the tee, you won't ever learn to hit those shots when you might need them on a full regulation 18 hole round. You're one of the better golfers who regularily posts on this forum, so I'm probably not saying anything you don't know. But for what it's worth, I think executive courses are great for two things: 1 - it allows "lesser" golfers to have some fun vs. traditional long layouts, and 2 - it gives better players the chance to change things up a bit and take them out of their comfort zone. Keep firing away and tune in those wedges buddy!

This is an interesting perspective. Perhaps it's time to stop counting those practice courses towards my handicap.

The interesting thing, though, is that we really don't have a true exectuvie course in the area. Both of the courses in question, a par 32 and a par 33, actually have full length holes. In fact, I don't even play the tips on the par 33 course because it's just too dang long from back there. There are two 200+ yard carries from the tips on that course, and one of them is closer to 250. I usually play the second longest of five sets of tees. But both courses have a par five, and both courses have one extremely long (and tough) par 4. The short holes all have very tough layouts. So it's not your typical executive layout with 250 yard par 4's with maybe a bunker somewhere.

But that said, I think maybe my issue is that I expect to play well on these courses because I've played them so much. My expectations are pretty high. If I don't break 40, I'm not happy. And I need to break 40 for it to really beat my hadicap. But that's only twelve strokes over par on 18 for someone who is a 17 handicap. Meanwhile, the regulation courses I regularly play all have bogey ratings over 90, so anything better than +20 will be a good round.

Interestingly, when I play regulation length courses, my issues are penalty strokes, bunker shots, and three putts. And I'm going to have one or two drives per 18 that get away from me. As long as it's not OB, though, it doesn't hurt that much.

Ninety-nine cents on the Kindle. I bought my copy.

I just want to know how arousal control works on the golf course. Hmm....[/quote]


Its the best book on the mental game for the price, actually its worth more than the price of! Let me know how goes after reading it.

I read the first chapter last night. It was pretty interesting, and it was formatted in a way that is easy to follow. The concept of unconscious proficiency (or whatever terminology he used) is me intrigued. Obviously, I was employing exactly the opposite technique thinking that was the easiest way to find a zone.

Glad you are enjoying the book. I read it often just for reminders.

I'll continue to post updates here as I work my way through the book. I've read the first "hole" so far.

Putting it into practice on the course was interesting. Now first of all, the wind was gusting 30-40 mph, which never makes for a good round. But I did hit my irons better than I have in a long time. I also hit some bad ones. It's weird, but I guess I tried to develop a routine to clear my head. I suppose the book will give some guidelines for doing this in the future chapters. But I think my first objective has got to me understanding when my head is in the game (and not picking out details) and when I need to step away from the ball. What I found out tonight, and what I'm going to try to implement in the future, is that if even the slightest doubt pops into my head, especially regarding alignment, I need to step away and reassess. If I'm doubting my alignment as I'm standing over the ball, then my head isn't where it is going to need to be.

It's hard to tell what kind of effect that is going to have, though, given the wind was blowing across most of the holes tonight.

Funny you mention the alignment issue I worked on that too. If I realign while over the ball, I know back out and start my pre shot routine again. Made a world of difference. Keep reading he'll get into what to do when you are ready to pull the trigger on the swing.

GolfSmith7 wrote:

Funny you mention the alignment issue I worked on that too. If I realign while over the ball, I know back out and start my pre shot routine again. Made a world of difference. Keep reading he'll get into what to do when you are ready to pull the trigger on the swing.

Excellent. I can't wait. I'm going to take it slow, though, and work on just trying to keep my head clear. I didn't play lights out today, but I did have some outstanding shots.

Very interesting dynamic in my game recently.

What I posted about here has been such a regular situation for me for so long, I've just gotten kind of used to it. For instance, even when I hit a bad drive, it still usually goes 200-220. But all of that changed over the last weekend.

Very strange indeed. I started just whiffing off of the tee with my driver. I have hit some stinkers. And I'm absolutely shocked every time it happens. Obviously, this suggests nothing more than the fact that it's time to hit the range again with my driver, something I haven't done in some time. But the rest of my game has become quite stellar, and I'm completely flummoxed.

I mean...I'm on a par five on Sunday. I hit a duck hook that goes maybe 150-160. I'm absolutely crestfallen thinking it's going to take me at least two more strokes to have an approach. But then I hit my 5w 230, and I'm inside of 150 for my approach. And when I do hit a good drive, I'm hitting GIR's at a pace I've never hit them before.

Yeah, a lot of this is mental. I mean, I take a lot of practice swings with my irons when I'm not shooting. I always have. And I've become quite comfortable over them without really thinking. But my driver.... I've been hitting it so well for so long this is just a complete twist. But I like it so far. It's variety. And when I'm hiitting my irons well, that usually means I'm not blowin gup any holes no matter how bad my driver gets.

Do you find that the book is helping you?

GolfSmith7 wrote:

Do you find that the book is helping you?

I think it has helped me immensely. I think the most important thing I've gleaned from it is that it is making practice so much more important now. Before, I would consider my rounds part of my practice. Not so anymore. Yesterday, for instance, I had to short chip shots from extremely deep rough, and I fluffed both of them because I got afraid on my downswing and decelerated. I need to take some time today to hit about 20 of those shots to get my confidence back so that's not what I'm thinking the next time I have one of those shots. My driver is the same way. I need to hit my driver on the range until I start feeling comfortable again so I'm not thinking about what went wrong last time when I step over the ball.

This stuff is so simple, really. But I needed it spelled out in words so that I could understand it.

This is a cool thread, some good issues, good advice, I find it really interesting, because BK, you're seeing the same issues I seem to face.

I need to get to that range and put in the time, but some of the things you mention will definitely help.

I read the first post and skimmed the rest.

1. If you are using a tee on your par 3s then that's affecting your skill on short shots and thus on the par 4's where you don't have that lift you are struggling.

2. Lay up to a distance you are happy and comfortable with. For me that's about 130 and I try to always do that.

Best of luck.