My pro has got me thinking about the psychology of the game and my mental approach.

When I first had a lesson with him I said "I've been playing golf for far too long to be this bad at it". I've said that to a lot of people, in fact. I use various other negative terms to describe myself such as "hacker". When I think about my past few years at the game, overall it tends to be in negative terms : I think about how my handicap is going up because I can't score well even in a casual round; I dwell on how I've never been able to drive consistently; I dwell on the number of lessons I've had with various coaches and the vast number of balls I've hit at the range, all seemingly to little or no avail.

Some of my playing partners don't help. They try to be constructive and say "your handicap is going up because it's not realistic - when it stabilises you'll get more confidence and can start working on bringing it down". I don't like that thought at all. Not. One. Little. Bit.

My despondency has been such that recently I've seriously considered giving up, ending the chase in order to stop my frustration at yet another depressing schlep 'round the course. My playing partners are often very encouraging at this point, correctly trying to get me to remember the good shots I made, but whilst acknowledging that point I can see the pathetic Stableford score glaring at me.

So why haven't I given up yet ? Well, I'm addicted for various reasons : the challenge is, bizarrely, a factor, albeit one of which I'm tiring - I thought by now the challenge would be of a different nature; the beauty of the fairways; the promise of a pleasing score-card; and so on. And then there's the seemingly contradictory fact that I can play golf perfectly well - on the driving range.

So WTF can't I translate the range game to my course ?! I know I can hit a golf ball well enough. I know my short-game's no disaster. I practice all aspects of the physical game regularly. I don't usually suffer from nerves when I tee it up.

In an effort to sort this out, I've decided to do a couple of things. These happen to be in conjunction with some swing changes that my pro's taking me through - a switch to more of an S&T-orineted approach, a switch that I'd not expected, but with which I am, so far, delighted.

Firstly, I've decided to start getting out on the course more. I've been playing casual / social rounds, entering competitions and so on, but a friend of mine has illustrated the benefits of getting out there and practicing on the course, on your own, as well as the range. You know the sort of thing, play a couple of balls 'round 9 holes, practicing whatever shots you want and taking your time. I find it the most relaxing golf experience because there's very little pressure and you can focus fully, no distractions.

Secondly, I've picked up the first book in my new look at the psychology of the game : Rotella's "Your 15th Club". It discusses his theories on the way that we build our self-image and how our subsconscious eagerly helps us to meet that self-image. He goes on to discuss techniques for building a good self-image and it makes fascinating reading, sprinkled with anecdotes and facts relating to big names in the game and how they, often unwittingly, were naturally building a hugely positive self-image.

I've made a decision to try and stop myself every time I start thinking about my golf in a negative way. This will be particularly tough at times, but it has to be worth a try. My pro immediately latched on to my neagive self-references way back in my first lesson with him and he made me start to think about how to turn that around. We've not discussed it in a while, but I intend to re-raise the issue as he's clearly a proponent of positive thinking.

So, anyone else here given this side of things a thought at any point in their golfing careers ?

Slingshot

I played 18 holes in the rain yesterday and not implemented several of Rotella's techniques : I refused to dwell on any bad shot, kept focusing on all the good ones and in order to assist this I kept a journal, noting down all the good shots as I played. As I was sandwiched between 2 three balls I had a lot of waiting time so I could do this easily.

Along with my new S&T swing mechanics I shot 20 Stableford points on the front 9. That included 6 pars. I've never done anything close to this on my home course. The mechanics produced much better shots than I've been used to of late and in particular my drives were drastically improved in accuracy and distance.

The back 9 wasn't so hot and I think my focus was affected by the extremely slow play which in turn was primarily due to the conditions. However, overall I shot in the 30's for Stableford points and this is not something I've managed at my home course in a very long time.

Slingshot

Wow.... DEEEEP!

You have touched on a couple of issues a) your play and b) your scoring. I don't think the two necessarily go hand in hand although they are relative to each other. For me it's about ball striking and CONFIDENCE. When I considered myself to be a 'hacker' I used to hit it in the trees and then didn't have the confidence to play out safely and then still be able find the green, so I'd try some miracle shot that often left me more in the poo than I'd started. Now I manage my game better, the confidence is there to not make the bad judgements, to play better yet often more conservatively, to take an easy bogey and look for birdie on the next hole or two.

I used to look at the flag all the time because I felt like I had to in order to make a good score, I didn't have the confidence to play any other decent shot. Now I can look at a green and decide where I SHOULDN'T leave the ball, no point in taking on a shot over the bunker on the right to a tight pin if I can fade one into the center of the green from the left. Even if I then miss the green I've not left myself in the crap and have a chance of a chip/putt.

Sometimes risks have to be taken, and some flags are worth going at, but if you are hitting the ball nicely then those risks are already lessened.

Your mindset will DEFINITELY change as your game gets better - trust me

Yes, confidence. Absolutely ! I need to develop mine big time and hopefully I'm now taking some effective steps to do that.

These days I can mostly keep my head on if I go in the trees, selecting the sensible shot, but that wasn't always the case - I know what you mean about trying to pull off a miracle shot.

Course management is crucial and the more I play my home course the more I know where I can miss a shot which, as you say, is important.

I hope you're right about the attitude changing. I s-o-o-o want to move to the next stage where I can trust my swing a lot more and take my game to the next level of enjoyment. I know I won't make all the shots, but I won't be bogged down in mechanics. I'm starting to see more of this as time goes by, but it's not progressed rapidly enough.

I have a pressure game coming up - I'm partnering my long-time friend and golf partner in a club better-ball format competition and if I can cope with his attitude then I know my confidence has become bomb-proof

Slingshot.

Just play your game, you don't have anything to prove. Don't get bogged down in worrying about your performance or whether or not you are trying to justify S&T in some way to your partner - in fact try not to discuss it. If he asks just say you've changed your swing and it's work in progress. The cool thing with having a plan is that you can dismiss all swing comments/suggestions from other players... they were the old days.

Someone did say to me once "You're not following though to the correct finishing position at the top of your swing" my reply was "Do you know anything about stack and tilt?".... the conversation ended.

You're quite right - there's nothing to prove to anyone and if I ever get a playing partner that offers advice on what to them looks like a weird wing, I'll politely decline. (Actually, there's a whole thread there - people with whom you play, some of whom you've never met before, that feel they're qualified to give you in-depth technical swing advice. Well-meaning, but most usually mis-placed, I find).

As it happens, this guy's an S&T fan so that in itself isn't an issue, it's more his negativity and anger management issues. He's great at getting down on himself as well as getting angry, both often result in flak directed my way. I've known the guy since we were at school together and he's the sort of guy you can call at three in the morning and he'd come out in the p'ing rain to help you with some emergency or other, but sometimes I wonder why I go 'round the course with him.

Your advice to not get bogged down in performance is sound, I feel. Positive re-enforcement of the good stuff is all I need to do and let the rest vanish from my mind.

Slingshot

I went and played out on a deserted course yesterday evening - bliss

I only had enough time for 7 holes (1 thru' 6 plus 9), but tried to keep up the confidence-building techniques as well as the S&T mechanics and despite scoring no points on the 2nd hole and double-bogeying the 4th, I played well on the others and finished with a birdie to hit my handicap for the 7 holes. Very pleased indeed.

Slingshot.