Might give this a go
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Seems like it could work, also seems like it would infuriate me further when I realize that I not only hit the ball like a bitch, but I also throw the ball like a bitch 
I like the freeway analogy. However, I seen to have a similar yet different problem. I don’t even think about my total score… Like hardly ever, almost never… What gets me fuming is the sheer inability (whether actual or perceived) to just do the thing I’m trying like hell to do in that moment (executing the shot). If I didn’t care about the result, then it wouldn’t be an issue, but if I didn’t care about results, then I feel like it’s pointless to even set foot on the course, or practice or even try at all. That’s a shitty perspective, but that’s what I struggle with!
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I keep typing up really long responses and deleting them because I’m having difficulty summarizing Rotella’s ideas in a way that might make sense…so I’ll just say this.
Focusing on any results (score, where the ball actually goes, what people are going to think about us if we stick this next shot to two feet, etc…), we are getting out of process-oriented action. If you stay in process and be conscientious about what you can control (your preparation, your preshot routine, etc…) and accept with equanimity everything you can’t control (where the ball goes), results will tend to take care of themselves.
There’s a difference between not caring about results and not focusing on results. It’s a billion times easier said than done, but trust me…if you haven’t already, read Golf is not a Game of Perfect.
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I have a copy of that book, I’ve read about 90% of it and it is truly confidence-inspiring. Rotella makes great points and when I read it, I feel like “yeah, I got this, no problem”. And then I get to the course feeling confident and then a few bad shots later, I turn into a head case, or get absolutely apathetic.
I have always struggled with getting very frustrated when things I’m passionate about to awry. Makes me feel like a mental midget.
I worked with Dr. Richard Coop (RIP) in the mid-2000’s and he told me some stories about having picked Michael Jordan’s brain at UNC. He asked MJ about how he handled streakiness.
Paraphrased from what I remember Dr. Coop telling me about the story…
Coop: “What do you tell yourself when you’ve missed 10 shots in a row?”
MJ: “I’m 50% from the field so the next 10 shots have to go in.”
Coop: “Doesn’t that type of thinking work against you when you’ve made 10 shots in a row? Shouldn’t you miss the next 10 then?”
MJ: “No. If I’ve made 10 in a row then I’m hot and I’m going to keep on knocking down shots.”
Basically, always point EVERYTHING towards positivity. Use stats to help convince yourself out of a slump, ignore them when you’re hot.
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SoSo true. And well said!
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Faxon in a Rotella book said the same thing about putting.
Every truly great athlete I’ve ever known has a delusional level of confidence.
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Best score ever is 76. I was one over through 16 today and proceeded to triple 17 (easiest hole on the course) to tie my record. A true Icarito situation.
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Control over Mental explosion is a skill, not very different than getting out of bunkers or keeping your driver in play.
Your overall ability in this area is the summation of your natural ability and how hard you work on improvement.
Consider
- identify it as a problem
- research it (lots of great books on the subject
- consider a lesson or two
- practice
Don’t expect an overnight cure. Even if you improve, you will have setbacks. If you take a logical approach and work at it ,I’m sure you could improve.
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Legitimately, books. Be a player that someone mentioned and obviously I own every Rotella book. The best thing about these books is that you realize that the best players in the world go through the same things we do from time to time. Probably, not to the extreme as an amateur, but the stories and tools have helped me be more consistent, stop being frustrated, and just enjoy the next shot because that is the only one that matters. Easier said than done, but you get the point.
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Best thing I’ve heard and used is to always keep your last scorecard from a course and use it to play a match against yourself. Takes the focus off total score and makes it all about trying to just do 1 better on each hole.
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Well fellas, we had a breakthrough yesterday. Show up to Sunnehanna a little early raid the pro shop, run down to the driving range to loosen up, and was making solid contact. Driving up to the first tee thinking to myself “let’s have a fuckin day!” Send my first drive right into the rough talk myself out of the hero shot and played the punch out. The rest of the day was thinking about the next shot, not the last. Front 9 41 had me feeling it, hot dog and a Yuengling at the turn, stick a 9iron to 2 feet on 10 and put myself on cruise control for the rest of the round.
TL;DR
Lowest round to date, on a course I’ve never played. My takeaway, get out of your own fucking head
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Professional counselor and amateur sports psychologist here. The thing that’s worked really well for me and some of my kids I’ve worked with…. Create an alter ego. Usually I choose whatever nickname they go by. Typically people with nicknames are people who are liked by others so that’s a good start. That or just go crazy and create a true superhero type figure. Create a story behind them. Qualities and traits you wish you had. Now talk to yourself in the third person as that alter ego. You will already to be predispositioned to believe it because it’s a character so it’s whoever you want to be. There’s plenty of researching backing fake it or make it. This takes it to the next level. Become it until it becomes you. You’ve gotta stay in character at least 30 seconds before and after the shot. Again talk to yourself as that character and describe that character to him/herself. Remind that character what their qualities are.
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I love that. Just get hyped and be your best self for every shot, not in a dont be negative kinda way but a delusionally confident in yourself way. Have the best version of whatever shot you’re about to play foremost in your mind, and keep that up through 18 cup
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You use it to remind yourself what to do. Hit a bad rushed shot? That ok. When “nickname” goes through their entire process, I am a player that can hit great shots” etc.
Stating the obvious, but probably don’t name yourself after a Greek god who went on a heater and then crashed & burned…
I like this idea though, might try it out since I’ve been in a rut lately.
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I tried something along these lines across 27 holes over the weekend and definitely felt like the bad shots were bothering me less and good shots were happening more often. Anecdotal, but I’m going to keep trying to keep my headspace here and see what comes.
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What really helped me this weekend was playing with a partner who was in a great headspace as well. He was constantly positive about all of his and my shots. He would top a ball into thick rough but would just say “ah, that’s fine I can still chip that up and make a putt for par.”
It helped that he was dynamite with his wedges and putter, of course.
His attitude helped shave strokes off my round.
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