Thursday, May 05, 2016

Are You Guilty of a #Golf Course Meltdown?

Fans and professional players alike have gawked incredulously at golf course meltdowns from the top levels of sports right down - playing partners throwing clubs into the lake, ranting and raving and basically swearing off the sport have most folks shaking their heads! Many golfers can manage their emotions in the face of adversity but, in this blog we look at the those who cannot keep their sensitivity in check.

Have you ever had a meltdown?

This week at Golf for Beginners, we look at some of these issues and wonder what our readers can do to avoid the dreaded meltdown before a more offensive nature appears to your golf buddies.

First, lets take a look at some of the biggest meltdowns in golf history, from the crunching of the putter against the knee (bad idea because what are you going to use to finish your round) to one of the funniest tantrums by Sergio Garcia:



Are You Guilty of Any of the Following on the Golf Course?

1. For every fist-pump birdie high, do you also have a tantrum low in front of your golf buddies with every bogey? J.B. Glossinger, a contributing writer for The Business Journals says, instead of throwing your clubs, "aim for a conservative target with an aggressive approach." You will still be "attacking" the course, but mentally, not in a belligerent manner.

2. Play the Blame Game - Do you blame the golf course or playing partners for your mistakes?
My ball landed in a divot, the course is set up poorly for my eye, he was rattling change in my backswing, etc?

Practical-Golf.com offers this advice before you feel blame coming on:
a. You alone are responsible for your score
b. Golf is not a fair game

3. Is Golf the New Bad Boy Sport? Do you feel you have the right to express anger on the golf course, that it is part of the game?

Cybergolf.com states that anger is a choice you make. Below are several tips for handling anger on the spot from PGA Class A member Bill Bondaruk:

a. Create realistic expectations; you really shouldn't be going for the green if it's further than your natural distance or if there is trouble nearby - use a sensible approach!
b. Learn the different types of stress that brings on anger and look to nip it before it begins. Bondaruk states that everything from perfectionism to certain types of competition are anger in disguise.
c. Separate yourself from the outcome - it is just a game and you are playing it!
d. Breathe deeply, look at the larger picture and offer yourself some positive self talk - yes, you DO hit great shots!

These golf tips may not solve your anger problems on the course but may put them into better perspective. Follow the great Arnold Palmer's advice from "Ten Rules for Good Golf Etiquette":

"Throwing clubs, sulking and barking profanity make everyone uneasy. We all have our moments of frustration, but the trick is to vent in an inoffensive way. For example, I often follow a bad hole by hitting the next tee shot a little harder -- for better or worse."


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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Many times golfers meltdown on the course because they have lost confidence. Suddenly everything that can go wrong, went wrong and their confidence just went down the drain. There are many articles to help build confidence but they are mainly OFF the course. So what can you do when you're ON the course and things seem like going out of control? Here are 8 ways to build confidence ON the course: http://hittingthegolfball.com/8-ways-to-build-golf-confidence/

Unknown said...



Admin, if not okay please remove!

Our facebook group “selfless” is spending this month spreading awareness on prostate cancer & research with a custom t-shirt design. Purchase proceeds will go to cancer.org, as listed on the shirt and shirt design.

www.teespring.com/prostate-cancer-research

Thanks

Mike said...

The mental side of golf is ridiculously tough isn't it? There is no where to hide and it isn't that surprising that golfers in a high-pressure environment just crack up sometimes.

i find it far more annoying when amateur golfers throw clubs around in the weekly medal or whatever.

Still, it is a tought sport!

Mike
http://fairwayfirstgolf.com

Williams said...

Oh YES! I am. Not something to be proud of... but you're right golf is a game of persistence and patience. Need to be all in or not.

Unknown said...

Admin, if not okay please remove!

Our facebook group “selfless” is spending this month spreading awareness on prostate cancer & research with a custom t-shirt design. Purchase proceeds will go to cancer.org, as listed on the shirt and shirt design.

Thanks

www.teespring.com/prostate-cancer-research

Steven said...

Some of that behavior is extreme, but becoming angry seems inevitable in golf. Everyone will have bad shots in a round. The key is figuring out how to handle them. What I find funny is the better I get, the more frustrated I become with bad shots. My expectations continue to rise, so failing to meet those expectations is more frustrating. That is silly when we play better golf than before, but it is the reality. Figuring how to create reasonable expectations is critical.