Mentally failing.

The mental game seems to be the hardest for me. I am brought back to that horrible day at the range and I remember my thoughts just ruining the whole experience. They were prancing around in my head and kept me from playing like I normally do. Once I hit a couple bad balls in a row, it was game over. 

Why can't golf or any sport just be about the physical aspect? To stay positive mentally through out the game is so hard. It's hard to just forget about a horrible shot when setting up for another one. When in those moments I try and think of everything I have been reading about staying out of the grey area in my mind. 

I learned something new when reading about the brain and it's functions during a game of golf. The title sums it up best: "Your left brain is a lousy golfer." The article talks about the functions split into two sides of the brain and how we need both to be able to golf, but one is much better at the athletics and the other at analyzing the situations. 

"You need good Left Brain ability to gather all the data, figure out what shot to play, what target to hit to, etc. You need good Right Brain ability to actually play the shot, to be athletic over the ball."

Now I realize that my left-brain was getting the best of me. I was letting it over analyze the situation and take over for my athletic side, that must be the answer to my problems. 

One thing led to another

If only you could have seen the grass, or should I say dirt, after I was done. A recent failed outing to the golf range got me thinking about the mental game of golf. I had just enough "spare" time to make it to the golf range this particular day to hit a bucket of balls. I was feeling confident and ready to see what I could do. Every time I go it's always a different experience from the last and I never know what to expect with my swing.  I should have known it wasn't going to be so good when I hit every red light on the way there. I could feel my blood pressure rising and my patience dwindling at each light.

I made it to an open spot and got my shoes on and was ready. After a few practice swings I dumped the balls out and set up for round one. It wasn't so bad, I hit most of the balls and didn't get any dirt (in my book that is a success). Feeling good I set up another one. I heard a loud thud next to me and I saw the guys ball go rolling out a few feet in front of us and I heard a distinctive curse word. Trying not to do the same I thought about my first shots and I still had confidence. I decided I would try and really hit the ball, I mean strike it with a passion and really get that ball out there. I had always been so focused on my form and everything on the checklist I got from my trainer that I never get the chance to really drive it home. Not the best idea I've ever had, I have never seen dirt and grass fly so far. I am pretty sure I heard the guy next to me chuckle a little while I cursed and hit my club on the ground. Karma.

After that attempt I tried to get back to what I was doing before concentrating on the importance of the grip, stance, and swing. But everything I did wouldn't help. I was stuck in that mentality and didn't want to send grass flying again. The more frustrated I got the worse my game was. I literally took a seat and just relaxed for a second. In that moment I started thinking about the mental part of golf. So I hit the rest of my bucket of balls with anger and frustration. I knew what I would be doing when I got home. 

I started reading Mind Training for Golf Tip which lists some things NOT to do:

1. Don't have any negative thoughts in your head because one negative thought will ruin everything, like I found out this day especially. "we attract what we fear" and if you think you will choke you most likely will. 
2. Once the bad shot is over, don't dwell on it. "...mentally move on, delete it and forget it."
3. "feel mentally ready to hit each shot" don't just rush to make the shot if your not feeling good or perfect about the set up.

After reading about what not to do I realized I was doing all of those things and that is what contributed to my poor performance at the range. I am beginning to realize how much the mental side of the game plays. 

Dress Code

There is an unwritten dress code for golf. Wear the wrong thing and will be out of place and the awkward stares will soon follow. Golf is a very proper sport and even if you are new to the sport you don't want to look it. Think about it, you wouldn't wear cut up jeans and a tshirt covered in holes to church, it's the same way with golf. It is business casual if you wanted to give it a name. It's slacks, collard shirts, and a ball cap (of a proper brand). And if you wear shorts they must be appropriate. Hoochie shorts are definitely frowned upon, but that rule is logical. If your butt is already hanging out of the bottom of your shorts imagine what it looks like when you rear back and swing with all you have..

Shoes are a whole other story. They aren't just shoes they tell what kind of a golfer you are. GolfStinks and I have the same idea about shoe styles. The "could-be-a-sneaker-could-be-a-shoe" style. I have a Nike shoe that is comfy and looks great with everything. Golf dress code has changed over the years for acceptable foot apparel. It seems like everyone is making a golf shoes now and I had no idea until I tried to find a pair how much variety is actually out there. As long as they are actual golf shoes they should pass as acceptable. 

Wearing the wrong this is the quickest way to look like the outcast. It is one thing that tends to show the new players from the old. 

Bad day? Hit something!

Don't you ever just feel like hitting something? I mean really hitting it and getting that anger out? I had a horrible day which led me to this feeling. It started out with waking up late which meant I was waiting at the door to be let into work for over 10 min. That wouldn't be a bad thing except it was 4am and dark out. My mood at 4am is never good especially when patience is involved. After a long morning dealing with the typical crap of retail I headed home to get ready for school. Last minute I checked to see if I got my test scores back and of course I did. It was not what I was expecting to say the least. Right then and there I just wanted to hit something. But I reframed and went to class. After class, still thinking about my horrible day I decided to get my frustration out by going to the driving range. It felt so good just to hit the ball as hard as I could. I hit the ball sometimes and sometimes I hit the grass, which later turned into just dirt. I was there over an hour and once I left I felt so much better. My stress and frustration was left on the range that day. Sometimes just hitting something as hard as possible makes me feel so much better. Thank god for the driving range.

Did the lies make Tiger unbeatable?

Cheating made Tiger Woods the best golf player of his time. He was the great, the record breaking, cup taking, perfect on the outside golfer yet no one knew who he was on the inside. He had a blossoming career, wife and children and not a hair out of place while doing it all. The picture of perfection until...

His flawless golf career had taken a dramatic turn in 2009 with a car crash near his Florida home. Reports like the Orlando Sentinal said his wife Elin had used a golf club to smash a window to free her husband from the SUV after he struck a fire hydrant and tree at 2 in the morning near their home in Orlando. That's when the flood gates opened. 

Turns out the perfect Tiger had a double life which included a number of different women. From a waitress in the city he lived, to girls on the tour, he did it all. The scandal was so shocking that even big names like ABC were reporting on the matter talking about all the different women and random places he met them. ABC said at one point there were 9 different alleged women he had been cheating with. With everyone coming forward and everything coming out his reputation and family life had taken a plunge. 

Was Tigers wife really trying to get him out of the SUV, or was she learning of all the adultery and lying? In a position like that it is more likely she came running after him after finding out about all the cheating and lies. I am surprised all she did was break a window with a golf club. With two children and her life in the media the scrutiny was just starting. 

Once the scandals came out it was mom to the rescue. Of course Tiger made a public apology that sounded like his mother wrote it. And of course he admitted his wrong doing once everyone had learned of it. And what was next for a celeb that had done something wrong? Rehab. 

After everything said and done Tiger is no longer the Tiger Woods we knew before. He is an average player in the PGA and can't win to save his life. Tallawah in his article said it best when he talked about Tigers loss of confidence after his secret was out for the world to judge, 

This trick invigorated him, engulfed him with the sentiment that he was smarter than everyone else, and this confidence fueled his game. Of course he would win; he was Tiger Woods, the most clever guy on the course. How it must have tickled him for conservatives and family folk to elevate him to icon, when he knew he had the morals of the rapper his followers would cross the street to avoid. Once the image was shattered and people were looking at him as they would someone who slept in the gutter, he lost his nerve. And he lost his confidence.

Once he lost that confidence and edge he lost his game. He was no longer fooling anyone with his squeaky clean image and he could no longer win like he did before. Even after years since the scandal has passed it is still affecting him as a golfer and he can’t seem to find that edge he once had. Even with all his records and trophies most people, including me, will only remember his personal trash that was aired for the world to see back in 2009. 

USA Dropped the Ball

Well USA has managed to lose after having an enormous lead over Europe in the Ryder's Cup. Up 4 points at the start of the day, the individual matches proved to go in the wrong direction for the US. Hole 17 and 18 seemed to be the deciding factors for many of the games and Europe just squeaked by and are keeping the cup for another two years. The matches were so close most came down to the last hole and the very last putt. It was definitely a nail bitter the whole day and an extremely disappointing ending. Out of the last 9 cups America has only taken it twice. There has only been one other year where a team had rallied back to make up for a four point deficit and that was the US in 1999. It wasn't our year and we will have to wait another two before we can try and bring the cup back to America. 

Ryder Update

Day 1

Day one of the three day tournament is looking good for team USA. Team Mickelson and Bradley took the show. Bradley a rookie has been preparing for this moment for a long time and he came out with a bang. Taking the show and shutting down Europe, team Mickelson and Bradley ran away with the victory and started the tournament for team USA. Although they had an amazing day, not to surprisingly Woods did not have much luck. Woods was up against the strongest hitter for Europe but his lack of consistency helped give the win to Europe. When the day ended team USA was up 5-3.

Day 2

Day two started off America had all the momentum. The all star team of Bradley and Mickelson did nothing but spectacular and is proving to be the top team this year. Europe had some good matches and were able to get a few more points on the board but USA still carries the lead with 10 and Europe has only 6. It will all come down to the last day single matches. 

Day 3

As of Sunday morning it is looking good for team USA. We are ahead 10-6 and it looks like a promising day for singles matches and to take home the victory. The single matches will be on tonight and America only needs 4 1/2 points to seal the win. Instead of Woods taking on Europe's great McIlroy it will be the all star of the tournament Bradley. His built up momentum and winning streak will hopefully continue and help seal the deal for USA.