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Anger/Frustration/Temperment

JoshinWA

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2006
185
0
"then take your mother out for a nice seafood dinner and never #&^@^%^* call her again."

:D

R35

Rock - Are you referring to Dorothy Mantooth? DOROTHY MANTOOTH IS A SAINT!

(Great movie, that).

Personally, I try not to swear loud enough for the other guys to hear it. I too realize that I am not a pro, and even they make mistakes. As Hogan said, he only hit a few good shots a round. I have never thrown a club in anger. I might toss a wedge from the green to the fringe before heading to a putt, but that is a gentle, underhand toss, not a hurl.

I am quite a perfectionist in normal life, so it is very difficult for me when I "screw up" on the course. Also, I haven't played as much this year as I used to, so I am not playing up to my full capabilities. That is a bit frustrating as well. What I try to tell myself is that each poor shot leaves me a chance for a great next shot. And sometimes it really happens!
 
Jun 24, 2006
1,948
9
I have a temper, I get it from my parents. When i play with other people(that i dont usally play with) I try to force myself to make the round as enjoyable for the other players as much as i possible can. This means no cussing(that they can hear), no rudeness, looking pissed off, anti social, and anything else that can give people a bad impression of myself.

When playing with people i play with regulary..all that goes out the door. mostly because im comfortable, and because they do it to, so they dont realy care.

I plan on trying to start playing golf like reteif goosen. Mentaly of course:). Not letting anything bother me.

For example: second and final round of the club championship(shot myself out of the tourniment on the first day)

first hole..hit my approach from 148 to 3 feet. big right to left putt(im a lefty) and i horse shoe it back at me. That drove me nuts until the second green were i lipped out from 15 feet for another bird. Then i had those 2 putts boiling my blood. Anyway..a had 4 more putts like this..all for birds. oooo well.

Starting with my next round im going to try to play as if i dont care. meaning dont say or do anything when i shank me wedge into the lake on the 18th hole when i need a par for 71 or 72. Just get my clubs and move on.

That's not going to happen, but I'll try it:)
 

emc

What would the Joker do?
Feb 4, 2006
895
1
I will cuss when I miss those 3 footers or if I miss a green with a sand wedge or something really stupid. However, I just do it to myself to gee myself up into hitting a better next shot
 

JEFF4i

She lives!
Supporting Member
Jul 3, 2006
13,545
95
I used to have a problem with it, wasn't anything bad overtly, but it was all internal. The angrier I got, the worse I played.

Now that I've matured, I am more even tempered on my highs and my lows. I let birdies and strong pars pump me up, but it's all internal and I gain momentum and confidence. The only thing I get overtly excited about are eagles, but I love eagles.
 

VtDivot

SLIGHTERED
Supporting Member
Apr 16, 2005
7,154
32
I'll complain or be bewildered more than anything after a bad shot or bad break. It usually lasts a hole or two. I try to put it out of my mind and focus on the next shot. I've gotten good at the putting it behind me part, I just wish I could not let these little things bother me.
 

Fourputt

Littleton, Colorado
Sep 5, 2006
973
0
Just resurrecting an old thread....

...rather than start a new one on the same topic.

I've played with, been good friends with golfers who had anger management deficiencies. The guy I started playing with regularly about 20 years ago had the bad habit of dropping very loud F-bombs. He would scream it so loudly that I swear I could hear the echo off the foothills 5 miles west of the course. When he made a bogey on one hole, he would then set a goal of birdie on the next hole. When he failed in that attempt (normally), the bombs would just get louder. Sometimes made me want to crawl into a hole. He has mellowed over the years.... rarely even swears under his breath any more. :)

Another friend, who is quite a good player, is the only person I ever played with often who was a club thrower. That truly bothered me, as it is just something that I would never, ever consider doing. I don't know if he still does it, as he retired to Arizona a couple of years ago, and I haven't seen or heard from him since.

As for me, of course I get frustrated and angry with myself for making bad shots, and even more for making poor decisions. But I don't throw clubs. EVER!!! I don't do anything that would cause damage to the course. I have been known to stick a wedge toe first into the ground, but never on the tee (... certainly not around the green), and I would stomp the gash closed before moving on. I don't even do that anymore.

What I do is get very quiet when the frustration builds up too much. My buddy Mark says he can always tell when to stay away from me, because I will just stop talking and bantering for a hole or more (usually till I make a decent shot). These days it even takes several bad holes in a row to put me into silent mode. Mostly I play a social game, even in a tournament. I find that I play best when I'm playing with guys who are philosophically most like me. Guys who have learned that golf isn't life and death. That golf with the right people is FUN, even when one's game is off. It really doesn't hurt that badly to pay off your friends on a $.50 per hole skins wager by buying a round of beers at the 19th hole.

Perhaps going through a period here in the last 6 years of having a couple of injuries (right elbow, requiring surgery, then just coming back from that and breaking my left wrist taking a shot with a SW), which caused my handicap to balloon from 10 to 18 has made me more aware of why I play the game. After being used to shooting regularly in the high 70's and low 80's, I've had to deal with playing a lot of rounds over 90, and while it was frustrating, there always seemed to be something positive I could take away from the course. For one thing, my putting never faltered during that period. It might take me 6 shots to reach the green on a par 4, but I still had that chance to putt for a triple, and the only thing I took away from the hole with me was that 1-putt. :)

Sorry for the long ramble, but this can be a dicey issue, and I think that from most of the earlier posts that I could likely have really good time playing with most of the guys who hang out here on Shot Talk. Thanks for bearing with me... :D
 

kwcsports

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Dec 12, 2006
596
0
It sounds really simple, but I take a deep breath after a bad shot and let it out and move on. I do not think about it again. My problem starts on 16 when I figure out what I need to shoot on the last 3 to break 80. I normally fall apart and finish double double double. I have got to work on this starting this spring, lol.
 

jho786

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2006
36
0
When I played HS golf, I was the #5 flight (even tho I shot 38-41 for 9 holes, thats how good the team was), and played with my coach. Of course you want to be on your best behavior because that wont go well with your coach. I would just go "ahh dammit" when I had a bad shot and shook my head and walked and brushed it off. I had to keep my anger down with my coach and the opposing team's coach there as well. I cursed under my breath a few times but I mostly did what I mentioned before, it helps a bit more. My other teammates did the same because my coahc made sure we were on our best behavior because he would let you know about it during practice. One time my coach was standing at the next tee which was elevated and saw one of my teammates chasing geese around with his club around (idiot yes). When we me 1/2 down the fairway he yells to my teammate "hey dan, do you want to tell me why your acting like a ****ing animal?" which put him in his place.

I think my problem is I become loud and excited and verbal when I hit GOOD shots and keep my vibe up waiting to hit another one ;)
 

HighTopFade

Well-Known Member
Sep 1, 2006
520
12
Bender

I had this one golf buddy that I will avoid playing with at any cost. Even if I had to lie and tell him that I had plans already. My other buddy and I call him "bender". When he gets mad, he throws a tantrum and bends his driver shaft. He would just lean on the grip end and push down on it. My wild imagination thinks it will hit it's breaking point and Ping graphite chips will go in my eye and blind me for life. Bender hasn't played in a few years. A lot of people are people are happy about it.

I am no perfect person either. The worse think I say after a bad shot is, "son of a bitch". I don't even say it in anger. As if I'm surprised or something.
 

JEFF4i

She lives!
Supporting Member
Jul 3, 2006
13,545
95
I used to be terrible about it. But, now I will have my ups and downs, but it's all internal, it's all forgotten soon after it happened, and I'm usually very, very quiet out there.
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
I don't yell and throw clubs but I will refer to the the ball as "you dirty whorebag".
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Pa Jayhawk

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2005
7,196
62
Country
United States United States
To put bad breaks into perspective, I likely treat the same way I would when a ball hits a tree and kicks back into the fairway. Things happen, both of which are usually deserving of a good laugh. It is usually when I do something that I knew I shouldn't and pay for it that I usually find more frustrating and swear at myself under my breath. More under the category "live and learn". Usually I have found getting bent out of shape on things like, in life as well as golf, doesn't give me the necessary time to process my error and learn from my mistake.
 

gwlee7

Ho's from Rocky Mount, NC
Supporting Member
Jun 15, 2005
1,402
1
All I know is that if anybody ever talked to me the way that some people talk to themselves after a bad shot, I'd have to kill them right then and there on the course.
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
I once played with this guy who missed a putt on the 2nd hole and he yells "Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!" as he smashes, I mean I don't know how it didn't bend, his putter shaft against his forehead. I was like, "holy crap this guy is a lunatic". I think I somehow lost him at the turn but that was a long 9holes. If you are one to do this stuff, please take an introspective look at your behavior. Yes, we do think you are an a$$hole...
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