Golfers ego

[revkev]

Ego is a disease that afflicts all of us. If I could get mine in check I'd bag my ping eye 2s. They are my favorite irons ever. But the 6 iron that I used to pull from 170 only goes 145 now. My ego demands a 6 that goes at least 165. So I bag iron set after iron set and am continually dissatisfied even though I have a garage full of 6 irons that I can hit 165.

 

How does your ego negatively impact your game? Be honest!

[Moecat]

If I don't hit a particular club well during any given round, I will punish myself by continuing to hack with it until I hit a decent shot.  Basically, it's some weird obsessive-compulsive thing with me where I need to have a solid strike with whatever clubs I'm using that day ... doesn't matter if my score suffers ... I just NEED to make sure that - even if I only end up using 10 clubs that round - each one of those has to strike the ball well at least once.

 

[RookieBlue7]

Rev if I could find a set of BeCu Eye2's with the TiSandvick titanium shafts, I wouldn't hesitate to bag them. Mmmmmmm... Stiffy

[hckymeyer]

If I don't hit a particular club well during any given round, I will punish myself by continuing to hack with it until I hit a decent shot.  Basically, it's some weird obsessive-compulsive thing with me where I need to have a solid strike with whatever clubs I'm using that day ... doesn't matter if my score suffers ... I just NEED to make sure that - even if I only end up using 10 clubs that round - each one of those has to strike the ball well at least once.

 

I call that one Tin Cup syndrome

[JBones]

I haven't let go of the fact that I'm not 20 anymore......I still try to carry trouble that takes a 315 carry. Although last time I played, I flew a green that was 318 center, with a 10mph wind at my back.

[dru_]

My ego has cost me strokes on my handicap since I started keying a handicap.  In my case, I can be a long hitter with my driver, but it is a lower percentage stroke than my 4i.  90% of the tome, I would be better served playing the 4i, but my ego gets in the way, and I pay the price in strokes.  it has gotten better with recognition, but every now and again it sneaks in the back door and out comes stupid.

[EJ Mac]

My lack of distance allows me no room whatsoever for an ego unfortunately. I tried to closet my players cb's this year for a Super game improvement iron set, but the fact remains I simply cannot use the silly things. My 8 iron cb went further than the SGI and that is not saying much as I struggle to see 140 from a 6 iron and the nuked 8 with gps was 125 yds.

[kygolfer1980]

I over swing on driver a lot because I think it will increase my distance even though I hit it further when I swing smooth.  Something about hitting it in the center of the clubface?

[whiskey golf]

My ego has made the game less fun at times. Whenever I have a average round I think it's crap because I compare myself to my friends and I automatically assume I should be shooting the same scores. I don't do this anymore because I realize 1) I'm not them and 2) I don't put in the proper time to get to that level and I can only blame myself.

 

And for the course, I have done things similar to Moecat where I have to hit every club good at least once during a round.

[SMRT]

When I started I was lucky enough to hit the ball a long way right away so distance was never an issue. The issue was when I tried to start hitting it more consistently I lost some of the distance which messed with my head for awhile because I liked being the guy hitting a 9 iron 150 yards. Now I have been really working on my swing and ball striking and the distance is back while I am starting to hit the ball much more consistently. Now my ego gets in the way when I go from the range to the course and it appears that I have never hit a golf ball before. I can stand on the range, pick my spot, make the swing and be consistently close to the spot. You put me on the course and I chunk the crap out of it and the ball ends up 20 yards short. It hurts a little every time!

 

My ego also gets in the way during scrambles because I typically use my longer drivers and try to hit the ball as far as possible. My buddies know I can hit the ball a long way so they expect monster bombs all day. When I try to kill the ball it will usually go a long way but 350 yards in the woods does not help the team.

 

I am always working on it but if anyone has any advise to get out of my head and stay within my own ability I would greatly appreciate it.

[BIG STU]

Honestly I had a big ego problem up until about a year ago. I had a "Tin Cup" episode one day. I was playing a course that I have played a lot even before I moved down here permantely. My friend who is a great teaching pro and player was playing with me had gotten me to move to the whites in the preceeding 6 months or so. I was playing great. There was this par 5 and I had smoked a driver and had about a 230 carry over water. I tried that shot and plunk. I hit 4 balls in the water pissed off! He looked at me and said WTF? I said I have hit this shot upteen times over the years even with a 3 iron. He said yes but now you are 56 years old you cannot carry a 3 wood that far. He proceeded to tell me to "use my brain not my balls" That facts were facts that even with modern equipment I was too old to posibilly carry the ball that far. He also proceeded to tell me with my wedge play that it was a stupid move to attempt that. To stress that point he made me hit a lay up to my favorite wedge yardage of 110 yards and then I hit the wedge to 6 feet and made the putt. Lesson learned. Normally he does not give me advice and neither do I solicit it because he enjoys playing with me to get away from giving lessons and advice. Yep getting old can be a ****** but I had learned to deal with it thanks to him. When we were eating lunch after the round he asked me why do you think on the one mini that you were playing that you are now eligble to play in "super senior" division ? By the way this guy is wise beyond his years he is only 37. Yep I had to get my ego out of the way and had to learn to deal with my age restrictions

[MattF]

I have tempered my ego on the course to some degree...I know I don't drive the ball far (about 200-220 yards), my 6i is my 150 club and my name's not Phil, so I will take my medicine, rather than try to hit through a gap in the trees that looks like I might make it if I hit it perfectly.

 

Off the course however, this song sums it up for me!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtM-I6puL0A

[HighFade]

I don't have an ego anymore. I've been married 11 years, and coincidentally, that's how long I've been without an ego

[wbealsd]

Since I didn't play until I was already 50, I've never had the "distance ego" to battle with and was willing to embarrass myself around the group of friends I played with for a long time, but it wasn't until a few years ago after I decided I really wanted to LEARN TO PLAY and started taking lessons and practicing with a plan that I began to feel confident enough to play with strangers.  I'm just glad I'm confident enough now to play with new people I meet on the course.  That's made the game even more enjoyable!

[revkev]

I will adjust this to say managing ones ego. I agree that you can't be successful at anything in life without the confidence to know you'll do it and you'll do a great job of it.