One of many questions about the Mental Game

[Casey 1988]

I read where that is not a good idea because the odds of those shots actually happening are fairly low. A better approach on tough holes imop is to simply take 3 drives off the tee using a driver, mid, putter and play them all out. That should give you enough discovery to help learn the hole.

Often these are spots I could end up on the course, the odds are not low. I am not talking the super rough parts of some courses but rather a big tree I could get next to or a bush that is at the end of the best line as an obstacle to make the course harder. These are spots that it is easy to get to on the course that do make it harder to throw next shot.

 

[DiscFifty]

I am not talking the super rough parts of some courses but rather a big tree I could get next to or a bush that is at the end of the best line as an obstacle to make the course harder. These are spots that it is easy to get to on the course that do make it harder to throw next shot.

At that point it's probably more about executing those "get out of jail shots", shots you maybe don't normally execute like flicks, flick rollers, patent pending, cut rollers, grenades, opposite arm, etc, etc. I always try to add in a bit of those random shots during field work to at least have some idea how to execute them when/if needed.

 

[Casey 1988]

At that point it's probably more about executing those "get out of jail shots", shots you maybe don't normally execute like flicks, flick rollers, patent pending, cut rollers, grenades, opposite arm, etc, etc. I always try to add in a bit of those random shots during field work to at least have some idea how to execute them when/if needed.

Yep those specialty shots, the get out of a bad patch one could find on those holes. I have done these before in a round and Have done them as the alternate shot from the good one. Patent Pending is not something I do so I use a squat shot to throw or even a more soft style putt power throw with the non throwing hand the coordination for power on the non throwing hand is not what I need for power. I use both those shots to get out of a spot that is Patent pending must. Also will never be able to do a turbo putt, hands are that small so a forehand flick putt, either hands in the air above where one would turbo putt works if I need to do a true turbo shot , and as a true forehand putt using the forehand if no space for the regular putt but is space for a full forehand type putt. I do most of them on the course so I know it is going to work around obstacles found on courses, the Forehand putts and forehand flick putts are done more at home during putting practice.

 

[Jay Dub]

HOFer Dave Greenwell could throw all those "get out of trouble" shots as if they were the only thing he practiced. He had a wide variety of shots and was an expert at all of them. Was fun to watch.

 

[Casey 1988]

HOFer Dave Greenwell could throw all those "get out of trouble" shots as if they were the only thing he practiced. He had a wide variety of shots and was an expert at all of them. Was fun to watch.

I am not good at that hence the times I did that explicitly in practice as well as trying the alternate route as long as it is not a forehand dominate route. I am best at the how did you miss that tree type player in a heavy tree hole that is not a woods hole or hitting the tight gaps in a woods course that are not so tight a you are forced to hit a tree or other plants no matter what line you take. I like those tight wood courses but also the ones that are open more but have a bunch of trees in the fairway but not so much it is a tight tree course.

 

[VictorB]

I found that in the past, when I struggled a lot with putting, that it was a lot more me worrying about where I'd be if I missed, than actually just trying to make the putt. I changed how I practiced, and started using a backstop (this part might not work for everyone). After practicing that way for a while, my thought pattern became only about focusing to make the putt and not the negative reinforcement that if I missed it would roll away or something crazy. Focus only on the first putt (or your current putt) and the positive confirmation when you make one putt at a time. Of course, when you're missing even when you're focusing on making putts - that's when the fighting spirit and mental fortitude that you have to have to golf well comes in handy.

It's anecdotal at best, but if you can make putts in practice but not in a live match, maybe it's time to think more about how/why your thoughts are drifting in a match.

 

[Putt for D'oh]

It's anecdotal at best, but if you can make putts in practice but not in a live match, maybe it's time to think more about how/why your thoughts are drifting in a match.

This totally.
Fear of missing. Fear of my brain freaking out. If I miss this 12' putt the comebacker could be 20' and no way I make a 20' putt if I can't make a 12' putt.

The confidence thing is just so whacky to me. In Zen Golf there is a point he says something along the lines of it takes 100's if made putts to convince ourselves we are good putters but only one miss to tell ourselves we are poor putters.
This 100%. And the **** part is that knowing this, being aware of it STILL I succumb to it.

I can do better shaking off a bad throw. Or even an unlucky spit. Funny, some of the local open guys I play with occasionally will lose their mind and have a couple bad holes after an unlucky spit out. Those I can at least say that it was good on my end and if I putt like that all the time I'll make a lot.

I've tried the backstop. I'm not too sure it works.
The marksman league doesn't start until January or February this year but that did help. It helped the confidence in the comeback putt most of all. With that I made more 1st putts.
When and how I lost the confidence earlier this year I just don't know.

 

[racer93]

I've been working on the mental game for DG, which is far and away my biggest hurdle. Doing the books and trying out things and integrating into other parts of my life... putting is still at times woeful.

A seminal work on the topic is "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle. A pretty easy read and a great instructional guide to help you get into a mindset like and ways to practice to become the best in the world. It works. Plus, it's amazingly simple.

 

[rhatton1]

The confidence thing is just so whacky to me. In Zen Golf there is a point he says something along the lines of it takes 100's if made putts to convince ourselves we are good putters but only one miss to tell ourselves we are poor putters.
This 100%. And the **** part is that knowing this, being aware of it STILL I succumb to it.

Change your putting practice to focus on the mechanics not on the outcome.

Drill down and get rid of all the unnecessary movements, simplify as much as possible. Get to a point that you can recognise why a putt was not good. It's easy to blame your mental game but if your balance wasn't right, you didn't kick the leg, you didn't paint the pole, etc. etc. it doesn't matter what your mental game was doing, you never gave the putt a chance.

If you've got the mechanical base right and can immediately diagnose and have a focus to ensure good putting technique(for me there are a few things - three or so I can set before the putt - making sure I am in balance before the putt in a balanced athletic stance where my weight can move towards the basket, making sure my hand drops down the line of the pole which helps it to then move back up the line of the pole and making sure the rhythm is slow down/accelerating up, it then allows me to focus on making sure I counterbalance kick my off leg as I putt)

This all allows far greater confidence in the putt itself. It's less about making the putt and more about making sure of the only bit you can control. No one can control the outcome of a putt after it has left your hand, you can however control your body. It helps to change your focus away from a result orientated one to a control one. This helps putting practice become far more effective and able to take a lot less time and effort.

 

[Putt for D'oh]

Change your putting practice to focus on the mechanics not on the outcome.

Drill down and get rid of all the unnecessary movements, simplify as much as possible. ...

If you've got the mechanical base right and can immediately diagnose and have a focus to ensure good putting technique...

This all allows far greater confidence in the putt itself. It's less about making the putt and more about making sure of the only bit you can control. ...

All of this I've really been doing. Still a work in progress. Trying to get a motion that is simple AND repeatable AND useful (or at least easily modified with the least amount of change) on sloped greens, strange footings like rocks and logs, wind, low ceilings.
Physically the biggest issue is everything feeling good in practice and then as somepoint on the course nothing feels right. I can't feel balanced, my shoulder doesn't work, the disc feels funny in my hand, my legs are in the way of swing... Its a mental problem as I don't have these issues in practice... and once everything feels that off? In comes the worry about how do I make the combacker? So many of the holes at my home course are very sloped greens. A missed putt ads 2 more strokes.

A seminal work on the topic is "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle. A pretty easy read and a great instructional guide to help you get into a mindset like and ways to practice to become the best in the world. It works. Plus, it's amazingly simple.

That looks good. Downloaded the Audio so I know what I will be listening to on my commute the next couple days.

 

[Muddyboots]

Couple of quick notes-
Re: Driving Practice
The most fun tournament practice rounds are those leading up to a match play event. Throw 2 off the tee, one "safe" option if you're up in the match or your opponent has biffed one, and an aggressive attempt if you're down or they've parked it. Really gives you options for the competition to come. There's no reason you can't practice this way for stroke play events, BUT you have to be honest with yourself about which strategy is best during the tournament round. Segues nicely to point 2......
Brutal honesty with yourself regarding your skill and execution is key. If a putt chains out off the right side, don't get pissed. You threw it there. The next one can be better. Conversely, if you throw a really good putt (accurate and well weighted) and it doesn't stay in, that will happen, and even if it is a crucial time, you did your part. The next one will stay in. Don't expect bad shots to yield good results, though occasionally they will, and don't expect "perfect" shots to guarantee perfect results, because occasionally they won't.