Berg Ryman

Naturally my finish position is very similar to Colin Montgomerie, so that's always my go to.

So this right here is thing is the biggest crux of what I think I need to work on. Obviously I have a very analytical brain, I need it to be a lawyer and as someone who enjoys order and simplicity I'm always trying to take rational thoughts and response. The problem is when I can't regulate my emotional response because I know the way I should react, but it doesn't correspond to the way I feel, and that resulting confusion makes me chose a less rational outcome at times, hence the thoughts I have as in relation to poor performance. Admittedly, and I don't do this in a way to self diagnose or trivialize, it could be something like a chemical imbalance in my brain chemistry, which considering my family history wouldn't be a shock, but it's something I've never allowed myself to question or explore. Perhaps another step on the path of betterment once/if we can get counseling started soon may be a further exploration of the medicinal side of the brain and if there's an answer there for me as well. Thanks for sharing @cksurfdude, hope your prep is going well for VA. See you in 7 weeks

So my clubs are still in the basement, but this weekend I think I'm setting up my car rental to drive down with and hotels for the midway stays on Wednesday and Sunday respectfully. Somewhere near the national harbor in Maryland and then maybe southern PA

Cut shows up at +2 Low Am: Let's go with Santiago de la Fuente

Thanks boss. I was like 10th on the list, but they did say that sports psych cases get pushed up the ladder a bit. Tried a different tact at Pickleball, kinda worked a bit. Played more to enjoy myself.l and bring myself some joy Might even be making a club change soon to do it as well.

So, we've committed to the waitlist at the counseling office for the sports psych guy as well as am generally looking for other counseling options in the meantime to treat the larger issues. Also my copy of Extraordinary Golf has arrived already from the big Bezos in the sky, read the intro and the first little exercise. I like the deal and what it's promoting, so that's a positive. I

Just so you guys know, I have read every one of these comments to this post and feel quite appreciated that people are getting something out of this general conversation, so at least we're helping talk about some of this stuff. Admittedly, this is something that I first kind of touched on with my Superspeed Review and thoughts there, including my thought process there into my mental health and how that impacted how I approached the test as a whole. I guess this is just a natural growth out of that. So, I have taken some of the feedback and thoughts given by everyone here and I'll admit, I have tried some of this stuff in the past. The reset, the refocus, I even have a hard reset swing I take after some bad shots. To be fair, as a reminder of this I had my wife get my some ball markers from Full Metal Markers and the one I use is the classic Ted Lasso quote, 'be a goldfish'. Some of this has helped from time to time, but it never really sticks. I do think though you guys have hit on the two bigger issues here. First, caring too much about what others think. This comes down to I think a larger issue i have personally with a overdependence on validation from others. As I mentioned from the OG MGS trip thread, I'm pretty introverted, I don't have hobbies and likes that match with my age group and it has made it hard so I do perhaps place more concern as to how I'm perceived by others in my field and passions. That and the fact that I was bullied and singled out as a child due to my weight and that has been pretty much one of the things I still feel with that extreme chip on my shoulder in my work life as an attorney and in my other passions. Second, the need to remove the correlation between results and actual success and enjoyment. I think I didn't do a great job of explaining this in my initial post and how I feel about things. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy the MGS breakout and that playing well is my only focus, just that I would be getting more enjoyment from having a good time and playing well, especially considering I don't get much time away from work. I'm going to have a good time, to be a good teammate/partner and have fun regardless, I just know that I could be in my own head about it afterwards. And I think this is where making this delineation between results and enjoyment needs to be broke, but admittedly it's a difficult one. We look at our handicaps, we look at our results and it becomes a badge of honor or a goal to chase. It's the same thing in pickleball, there's an app there called DUPR, where your rating is based on recent results and performance. Weirdly because of the sports I choose to play, performance is a sole point as to perceived skill level with this DUPR rating and the handicap system. However, again I think this comes again from a deep seeded need to for validation through perception from others, which again is it's own problem that can be worked through with others. As such, I've reached out to a counseling service here in Syracuse that has a sports psych guy on staff to get on the waiting list for him, while also exploring general counseling as well. I do also think I'm grabbing a copy of that book @downlowkey mentioned earlier. I'll keep everyone posted and am happy that this dialog has come off the way it has.

Ok, so I've been thinking about how best to write this thread and I guess it's best that I just throw it out there online and see. So I'm noticing something about myself in all forms of competitive activities, and if it's when I don't perform I get straight up depressed and despondent over this. Part of this comes from having very few activities and they are things I enjoy doing very much. They are also things that I'm normally very good at. One such activity is Golf, obviously. A history, I was an all-league player in high school, tried to walk on in college at a D3 school, shot 100. I didn't touch a club or think about playing golf for almost 2 years. Then I got back into it, played well, won a net club championship, and a league title. However, I'm still paralyzed by fear of failure some times, like for example, the upcoming MGS golf trip. On the first trip, I played like garbage on day 1 and got my lunch eaten and it was pretty embarrassing, I played a little bit better on the Sunday round, and while it was awesome meeting everyone and having those interactions I was seeking, in the back of my mind it wasn't everything it could be because I didn't play up to what I considered my standard. Sure, I deflected at times with humor and self-deprecation as mechanisms, but it just felt like I was just harming other's enjoyment because of how I was playing. I try to be a good partner in that circumstance because I can at least help make you comfortable, but that's not how I always want to be. This was put forth even further this last weekend in my Pickleball League, I acted very immature and just basically quit playing the game I enjoy playing because I was making error after error and just getting hammered by players who I knew I was better than. I left despondent and had a nice talk with my wife about this, where she said maybe if I got my thoughts out about this it could help, I mentioned posting the forum and she said I should, so again, my wife is the smarter one emotionally in our relationship. So, I guess then how do I overcome this? Obviously a lot of it lays with me, but it isn't as simple as as saying 'it's just a game' or 'you're only competition is yourself'. That makes me feel like I'm minimizing my passions and love of these activities because they are the things I'm good at, they're the things I love to do for fun and destress. I know I can do better because I've done better before and can do it again. More importantly I'm so concerned that these actions and these thoughts are robbing one of the few things I actually enjoy of the fun and enjoyment I find in them. I don't have kids or a group of friends to really kind of take me more in a fun space with golf either, so it's rough. My group of guys play for handicaps and skins, and sometimes I play in league sub spots, so it isn't as simple as shifting the place and style of play I do, because that's all I do, and even playing by myself if things are going south I can't just chock it up to practice or a rough day, it becomes a waste of money and time to just suffer through a crap round of golf, emotionally and mentally. Just for transparency, I'm currently seeking professional help with my mental health, as I believe that it will be very helpful, but I'm just wondering for people who have had to shift that priority window from competing to just for fun, what did you do to do it? Thanks for reading I guess, this did help in me getting it out so a positive will be taken regardless.

The only thing I will say about these is that it'll take you now to a blank Twitter page after I deleted that app out of my life. Happier now for it sometimes. It's all about growing the brand and having some fun!

@GolfSpy AFG here I was thinking you a braver man than I. I've got 5 dozen of these bad boys and would love to share them with y'all and the great people of Virginia and Maryland and possibly Pennsylvania. I'm bringing all my boxes so anyone who wants one can have one

So everyone already mentioned my two choices, which are Tour Edge and Wilson. The better question may be if a brand has been well-known that they're underrated due to their overrated nature. Kinda like a post-hype sleeper player in fantasy sports.

Steve, you've inspired me for a potential update for me this weekend... truly great work

I mean I don't like to say that Steve is 100% right on with something, but he is right here. People have different incomes, different habits, and different everything, and arguing about it or complaining takes away from the enjoyment you find in what you do. Am I a cheapass who detests how expensive it is sometimes to play a round of golf on an average course near where I live? Admittedly, I am, but I also understand that it's better to do it for enjoyment than to complain about the cost of it. I saw this play out in court last week. There was an attorney who I know, and he had his Timex on, a simple little one, and everyone remarked on how functional it was. He mentioned that another colleague said he needed a Rolex or a Tag because that was what showed success. He turned the person and apparently said, 'they all tell the same time, right?' and they shared a laugh. At the end of the day, we're all working with different menus and different ingredients, but we're all just trying to make a meal out of life.

So I'm not sure if anyone has been keeping track of this, but last week Pure Grips finally shut down after 15 years in business. A solid American-based grip company that popularized the idea of air pressure installation and is home to some of my favorite grips of all time in the Pure DTX, I was able to grab a couple of complete sets during the closing sale. Does anyone else have any memories or thoughts about Pure? I know there are users here on this very forum!

Fair play, it's the ol' journalism and attorney double. I thought something was amiss because it seemed so weird for you to go two generations with the stuff that works and then a switch. That S is so good through the turf in that kind of 54/56 area that I'm not surprised that's where you landed, and good on you to keep doing what you're doing. It's too easy to get seduced by something new and different just because... especially in release szn.

Rob, it's interesting that you've gone from D in both 54 and 58 to now S and K. What do you think necessitated the switch?

Ok, so just so I'm clear as I'm trying to lock down some form of a plan for transportation before prices start to creep, the Vinterra round is scheduled for early arrivals on Thursday in place of RNK, right, or is Vinterra potential for Wednesday, arrivals with RNK being Thursday? I just wanna know so that way I can plan arrivals and whatnot.

I hate the Commanders so much. Of all the teams as a young boy I chose to support why did it have to be them? I could have been a Bills fan or something else with a fun fanbase and hope, even if it gets crushed. Now I've suffered through the worst owner in professional sports and just when you think it's coming around the corner, that we're getting a young exciting head coach to lead the team into a new era of something at least resembling competitive and fun football... surprise, it's ol' 28-3 himself Dan Quinn. My excitement for this franchise in 2024 and the future just got kicked square between the legs. I hate you Commanders... so much

So if that S grind is the same as the Tour Rack custom grind catalog, which it appears to be, this wedge is going to be a winner. However, since it is mid-bounce, it's just not something I'm in on, as my full sole S grind on the bigger bounce from Cleveland is where my strike pattern works best. That grind option though saved my short game and made me kinda retire the Smart Sole.

Morning y'all. Happy to have a day away from the courthouse so I figured so take my car for some routine stuff this morning... turns out routine is not so routine. Brake pads and calipers are shot, which considering I've never changed calipers since buying the car and only pads once with almost 100K on it isn't bad. The downside. Between this and paying my deposit for Kingsmill today, we're looking at a 1500 dollar plus day... woooooo

I'm hoping to put it through full paces for the month or so at a minimum to see what the gains are, and as someone who mentioned during my test of SuperSpeed that I sometimes had trouble with grip control, I'm really interested in seeing how it works. First blush, I know @cksurfdude said he jerry-rigged a version with pipe insulation, but this doesn't feel like that, it's a firm plastic molding. When I start the thread I'll try to make you feel what it feels like.

As someone who is starting the Squeeze protocol and will be doing an unofficial review, I hope to have an intro post about this weekend; I will vouch for it so far as a good aid.

So while I'm not watching the Big Break in prep, I am going through all the benefits I have for organizations and how best to make this a deal-driven vacation, luckily my American Outlaws US Soccer benefits gets me some cheaper car rental rates, so that's a fantastic way to go about it me thinks. As mentioned both in this thread and in our PM, the real benefit of this is the camaraderie, although I do hope to play better golf than at the initial appearance, as I only got it really going on the middle part of the final round. It's not the point really, but you want a good showing!

MGS Community Call... After Dark

As a benefit/deterrent, if we do the community with all if us on it on the trip, I will attempt to do it from the lazy river. Me in a swimsuit.... you've all been warned.