Pessimism on the golf course

young Nut · #1 05-23-2007, 04:53 AM

I'm not that amazing of a player and I know that. I obviously know that when I go out and play, so I don't go to the course thinking I'm going to par out every whole.

But what I notice myself doing on the course is being very pessimistic, especially when I hit decent shots. For example, I will hit a decent approach shot from 140 and be on the back of the green with the flag in the middle. Now just getting on the green in regulation is playing damn good golf for me, but for some reason I always find the negative in almost all shots like this.

Someone will normally complement me on a decent shot like the one described above, and my general response is something along the lines of, "thanks, but I wish I could have taken a little off, that is gonna be a tough putt for me." Instead of appreciating a decent shot I only see the negative.

Do any of you get this mentality when playing?

ghostface · #2 05-23-2007, 12:32 PM

It takes some doing for perfectionists, but I have got to the point where I only find good in shots and never let myself get angry or frustrated on the course anymore. Really helps the scores.

tuq · #3 05-23-2007, 01:10 PM

ghostface, LOL at the bloodninja undertitle.

OP, my frame of mind varies wildly from round to round. Some days I only see the target and the shot I need to hit, or only see the hole and the line I need to putt on. Other days I hear every cricket chirping, see every hazard, think of every worst-case scenario, try not to yip putts, etc.

I'm being serious when I say that this is why I drink when I play, it calms me down and helps with the mental side of my game. I'm not suggesting that as a solution, of course, and in fact am searching for a non-alcoholic aid but with my two biggest tournaments of the year coming up in the next three weeks there's no time to change it up. So 7AM Jack & Coke here we come. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Bill Murphy · #4 05-23-2007, 07:37 PM

I want to college w/a guy who played at scratch. He'd shoot 4 under on the front, hit a bad drive on 10 & completely, totally, lose his mind.

He's a teaching pro now; apparently a very good one.

JJSCOTT2 · #5 05-23-2007, 10:53 PM

I'm very pessimistic, not on the golf course, but I believe that no matter what people will continue to interchange hole and whole like that's normal and continue to bug the hell out of me [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

But seriously to, the question, I'm sort of the same way but for me it's more like what you said about people who say "nice shot" and this was also alluded to in the "things that annoy you..." thread who have so little knowledge of even playing halfway decent golf that they can't understand that the shot you hit might have looked good but in reality wasn't what you were looking for and leaves you in a pretty horrible position to make par.

jupiterpig · #6 05-23-2007, 10:57 PM

If you do bad on a hole just think "If golf was easy, would you really play?"

young Nut · #7 05-24-2007, 12:45 AM

It's strange, it is not like I think I did bad on a hole or made a bad shot. It is more of the mentality I get when I'm on the course. In the back of my mind I obviously know I hit a great shot to be on the green in 2. But even when I know that is a great shot for me, I force myself to be completely humble about it and pessimistic if someone compliments me.

I think it might be the compliment factor that gets to me. I often catch myself thinking, "that guy just told you nice shot and that was a good shot for your game, just say thanks." But instead I blurt out some comment along the lines of "I could have done better"

That really frustrates me, because I hate to be that guy who can't just take a compliment, especially when the shot I made is good for my game.

And as far as drinking, I'm almost always 4 beers deep when I start the 4th hole [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I don't really drink to take off the pressure, I just enjoy drinking outdoors on a beautiful course. But even the beer doesn't stop my pessimistic responses to compliments.

rivaplaya03 · #8 05-24-2007, 04:59 PM

golf is a game that can never be mastered...that being said, there is no reason to get mad if you hit a bad shot

young Nut · #9 05-26-2007, 04:22 AM

[ QUOTE ]
golf is a game that can never be mastered...that being said, there is no reason to get mad if you hit a bad shot

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you either misunderstood the post or didn't read at all. I do not get mad at hitting bad shots. I get down on myself and have a hard time accepting compliments when I don't hit a wonderful shot. This is the type of pessimism I am speaking of, and what I am wondering if anyone else experiences.