Performance Anxiety Help

[Markelly82]

The last couple of years I have struggled during the summer months performance wise. I start the year out playing well and that sort of sets expectations for the remaining part of the year. I usually have much less expectations to start the year since I haven’t been playing and practicing.  Then I’ll start going to the range, chipping, and putting regularly. I expect to play better but results either don’t come or inconsistent. It’s infuriating. I just finished a member guest as the guest and I sucked.  I barely contributed.  I have the fire power to make birdies in bunches but consistently seeing breaking 80 hasn’t happened.  During the practice round, I made 4 birdies in 12 holes.  I maybe had 3 birdies the entire 45 holes we played.  I ended up getting the yips chipping.  I chunked 10+ wedges from 40 or less a lot of those just being routine chips.   Last year I played in a club championship and shot 88 the first day and 76 the final day.  The 76 had a bogey and double in the last 3 holes.  
 

I just don’t know what to do and scrambling for answers as it makes you want to quit when you can’t perform when you need it.  

[cnosil]

3 hours ago, Markelly82 said:

 I start the year out playing well and that sort of sets expectations for the remaining part of the year.

I expect to play better but results either don’t come or inconsistent. It’s infuriating.

I just finished a member guest as the guest and I sucked.  I barely contributed.  I have the fire power to make birdies in bunches but consistently seeing breaking 80 hasn’t happened.  During the practice round, I made 4 birdies in 12 holes. 

I just don’t know what to do and scrambling for answers as it makes you want to quit when you can’t perform when you need it.  

1.  Learn the performance expectations for your handicap.  Follow people like Lou Stagner.

2. it shouldn't be infuriating;  this is a game and sometimes you play well and sometimes you don't   If the issue is anxiety from playing competitive rounds then may do some meditation or read the Bob Rotella books since people seem to like those. 

3.  What is the impact to your everyday life by playing poorly in tournaments?  Probably nothing.  

 

 

 

[Markelly82]

Oh there’s definitely no impact. I’m not paid to play. It’s just more internal I’d say.  The expectation of practicing and trying more should reap better fruit. It feels like if I put in all the time to work on things I should be more capable. I’m guessing my priorities are out of whack I’m sure.  I just want to be better I guess.  

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, Markelly82 said:

Oh there’s definitely no impact. I’m not paid to play. It’s just more internal I’d say.  The expectation of practicing and trying more should reap better fruit. It feels like if I put in all the time to work on things I should be more capable. I’m guessing my priorities are out of whack I’m sure.  I just want to be better I guess.  

We all want to play better and sometimes we do and sometimes we don't;  this even happens with the players at the highest level.   Seems like you are putting to much pressure  on yourself to play well.  Practice is easier than playing competitively since you can always just hit another shot and there is no pressure when practicing.  

[Markelly82]

I guess my confusion and frustration is, how can you spend time and energy to practice and not have certain expectations going in.  
 

I can’t account for anxiety and pressure into practice sessions.  It’s almost like I’m more worried about what people are thinking that my hands and heart get to beating. 

19 hours ago, cnosil said:

1.  Learn the performance expectations for your handicap.  Follow people like Lou Stagner.

2. it shouldn't be infuriating;  this is a game and sometimes you play well and sometimes you don't   If the issue is anxiety from playing competitive rounds then may do some meditation or read the Bob Rotella books since people seem to like those. 

3.  What is the impact to your everyday life by playing poorly in tournaments?  Probably nothing.  

 

 

 

 

[cnosil]

6 hours ago, Markelly82 said:

I guess my confusion and frustration is, how can you spend time and energy to practice and not have certain expectations going in.  
 

I can’t account for anxiety and pressure into practice sessions.  It’s almost like I’m more worried about what people are thinking that my hands and heart get to beating. 

 

What are your specific  expectations for a round and what are you seeing?   How do you practice?  What is your course management strategy?  As a 10ish handicap you should have a decent all around game,  what do you think people will think about your game and why does that worry you?     

Edited July 15 by cnosil

[NM01]

19 hours ago, Markelly82 said:

Oh there’s definitely no impact. I’m not paid to play. It’s just more internal I’d say.  The expectation of practicing and trying more should reap better fruit. It feels like if I put in all the time to work on things I should be more capable. I’m guessing my priorities are out of whack I’m sure.  I just want to be better I guess.  

 

34 minutes ago, Markelly82 said:

I guess my confusion and frustration is, how can you spend time and energy to practice and not have certain expectations going in.  
 

I can’t account for anxiety and pressure into practice sessions.  It’s almost like I’m more worried about what people are thinking that my hands and heart get to beating. 

 

There’s practice and then there’s proper practice.

Actual you can put some pressure into your practice sessions. You have to give yourself consequences for not performing whatever task you are practicing.

What is your practice routine?

[MNUte]

21 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

 

There’s practice and then there’s proper practice.

Actual you can put some pressure into your practice sessions. You have to give yourself consequences for not performing whatever task you are practicing.

What is your practice routine?

Yep. Also, OP, have you played any true "practice" rounds recently to bridge the gap between your practice sessions and your on course play? E.g. finding a cheap par 3 or muni course early morning or late at night where you can take time on the course to work through some of the things you're practicing. 

 

For me, I'm still a mess off the tee, which is why my handicap is still relatively similar to last years (alongside having a potty training toddler that's destroys my back). But what I have been able to do is go to the practice chipping & bunker range 5 minutes from my office. This season, I've focused solely on getting locked in from 125 yards and in, including being comfortable getting out of bunkers. I've then been able to go to the course I have a player's pass at (yay 9 holes for $10) and just play two or three balls under real game conditions. If I'm the only one on the course, I'll also throw a ball or two in a bunker or into a bad situation and work on getting out of it. Things change when you actually have a flag to get to, a different slope than what you're used to, etc. 

 

Doing that has helped me improve slowly and shoot my best score of the season this past weekend  during a fully serious round (a 3 over 39 after 9 holes). I still messed up my tee shots on most of the holes, but was still able to get my ball to 125 and in without losing strokes. From there, i was so comfortable from my practice rounds putting me in similar spots that I played a lot more comfortably than i previously had and trusted myself to make the correct shots. That included hitting a 100 yard shot from a fairway bunker to within 6 feet, hitting a 30 yard shot to the middle of the green and making a long putt to save par (but at worst give me a two putt bogey). In turn, that helped me make better on course decisions (not trying to do a pin hunting flop and just taking the 30 yard shot to the middle of the green) which also saved strokes. 

 

 

[Markelly82]

5 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

 

There’s practice and then there’s proper practice.

Actual you can put some pressure into your practice sessions. You have to give yourself consequences for not performing whatever task you are practicing.

What is your practice routine?

Practice usually consists on hitting half chips and wedges with my 60, 56, and 52.  I want to make sure the ball is flying depending on if I’m swinging hip, chest, or shoulder height.  
 

then I go to pw, 9, 7 5.  I’m working to hit my numbers on these. Making sure the contact is clean and hitting down on the ball and catching it first.  I am also making sure it’s flying the different distances I need

 

then I hit a couple of drivers, 3 wood and 5 woods.  
 

about 1/3 of my bucket is concentrating on my wedges.  
 

I’ll finish by working to play the course I’m going to play next.  Hit driver and make sure I’m keeping within a 30 yard zone to hit the fairway.  Then I’ll hit what I’d think would be the club into the green trying to keep within a 10 yard zone of the flag I’m hitting to.  

[cnosil]

11 minutes ago, Markelly82 said:

I’ll finish by working to play the course I’m going to play next.  Hit driver and make sure I’m keeping within a 30 yard zone to hit the fairway.  Then I’ll hit what I’d think would be the club into the green trying to keep within a 10 yard zone of the flag I’m hitting to.  

Is this your play expectation as well?  30 yard dispersion with driver and being within 30 feet to what distance?

Where is your putting practice?

Edited July 16 by cnosil

[fixyurdivot]

On 7/14/2024 at 11:47 AM, Markelly82 said:

The last couple of years I have struggled during the summer months performance wise. I start the year out playing well and that sort of sets expectations for the remaining part of the year. I usually have much less expectations to start the year since I haven’t been playing and practicing.  Then I’ll start going to the range, chipping, and putting regularly. I expect to play better but results either don’t come or inconsistent. It’s infuriating. I just finished a member guest as the guest and I sucked.  I barely contributed.  I have the fire power to make birdies in bunches but consistently seeing breaking 80 hasn’t happened.  During the practice round, I made 4 birdies in 12 holes.  I maybe had 3 birdies the entire 45 holes we played.  I ended up getting the yips chipping.  I chunked 10+ wedges from 40 or less a lot of those just being routine chips.   Last year I played in a club championship and shot 88 the first day and 76 the final day.  The 76 had a bogey and double in the last 3 holes.  
 

I just don’t know what to do and scrambling for answers as it makes you want to quit when you can’t perform when you need it.  

Honestly it sounds like you are doing just fine and pretty much right in the middle of the amateur bell curve.  All players at all levels go through ebb and flow periods of our games and getting all three (driver, irons, and putter) to show up in peak mode is not a regular occurrence. 

Golf is a tough game and we tend to be too hard on ourselves. So that brings in the mental part and the worst thing you can do is get overly burdened with swing thoughts and down on yourself when your not playing your best.  Just recall the times you have played well and keep at it. 

[Rob Person]

Frustrating moments eat at all of us.  Do you feel this pressure on casual rounds,  or mainly in competitive ones?

I probably can't help you in your stress management/pressure issues, but I can give this bit of advice...

If you play poorly, will it effect your role outside of golf? If you play well, how long does that last?

Wish I could give out some miracle advice, but the truth is, every shot is it's own risk/reward. Then there is always another shot to contend with after.

Have you ever played and not kept score? Just look at the card and say this hole is a par "x", run the hole and don't write anything down. It helps me to focus on that hole only and not worry about the end results.  In other words... maybe just have a fun round?

[NM01]

49 minutes ago, Markelly82 said:

Practice usually consists on hitting half chips and wedges with my 60, 56, and 52.  I want to make sure the ball is flying depending on if I’m swinging hip, chest, or shoulder height.  
 

then I go to pw, 9, 7 5.  I’m working to hit my numbers on these. Making sure the contact is clean and hitting down on the ball and catching it first.  I am also making sure it’s flying the different distances I need

 

then I hit a couple of drivers, 3 wood and 5 woods.  
 

about 1/3 of my bucket is concentrating on my wedges.  
 

I’ll finish by working to play the course I’m going to play next.  Hit driver and make sure I’m keeping within a 30 yard zone to hit the fairway.  Then I’ll hit what I’d think would be the club into the green trying to keep within a 10 yard zone of the flag I’m hitting to.  

So it doesn’t sound like you are working on any swing changes or other drills to improve any aspect of the game, but just to maintain what you have and the get that to carry over to the course.

How successful are you at hitting your goals on the range? 

What usually goes wrong on the course?

[Markelly82]

15 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

So it doesn’t sound like you are working on any swing changes or other drills to improve any aspect of the game, but just to maintain what you have and the get that to carry over to the course.

How successful are you at hitting your goals on the range? 

What usually goes wrong on the course?

I feel like I’m usually very successful in hitting my spots during my range sessions.  This last time out chipping got me.  I chunked or chillly dipped 10+ times over over 45 holes.  I don’t think I got up and down once from missing a green.  It was almost like I had a tick in my wrists and couldn’t get myself to swing properly or fully

[NM01]

5 hours ago, Markelly82 said:

I feel like I’m usually very successful in hitting my spots during my range sessions.  This last time out chipping got me.  I chunked or chillly dipped 10+ times over over 45 holes.  I don’t think I got up and down once from missing a green.  It was almost like I had a tick in my wrists and couldn’t get myself to swing properly or fully

Hips happen, something to keep an eye on to see if it’s a one off or if there’s a mental block there.

When it’s not this type of issue what else goes wrong on the course?

When your on the range how many shots in a row are you hitting to whatever target or spot?

What are the spots or whatever you use on the range for practice? Are they flags, yardage signs, etc.

Edit. What do you consider success when it comes to hitting your spots?

what is the criteria for that success based on?

Edited July 16 by RickyBobby_PR