[Oswczrdz]

So I have a problem. Actually, lots of them - but there's only one I'm going to cover here.

Growing up in my family, one of the absolute worst sins a child could commit was the sin of "BEING IN THE WAY". If I wasn't aware of what was going on around me, and a grownup had to stop and wait for me to clear a walkway - yikes, I shudder to think. This is one of the many reasons that I HATE crowds, and I hate standing in line.

How this manifests itself on the course is that I don't ever feel like I and slow down and think through a shot in my short game. Off the tee, you obviously have to wait for the group ahead to clear. There I get some time, I can take some practice swings, and relax a bit. But once I'm from my approach shot in, I stomp on the gas. I'm grabbing my wedge as I'm walking to the ball, taking a single swing, and then hitting a poor chip. I tend not to mark my ball as it takes time and holds up people behind me. I don't think putts through enough, and end up 3 or 4 putting even when I'm inside 12 feet to start. It's really killing me and my game.

How do you learn to slow down around the greens? When I look back and see people waiting for me to clear, it absolutely tears me up. And right now, looking at the scorecard, my short game is a place I could easily find about 20 strokes per round.

Advice? Prescriptions for alcohol or Valium?

[Accor$314]

I can think of a couple of rationalizations that may help you slow down:

How fast is a series of 4 bad rushed putts, when compared to a series of 2 deliberate putts? If you have to chip twice, did you save any time?

You may think that the group behind you wants you off the green a.s.a.p., but they probably prefer waiting to feeling that they are rushing you or knowing that they are causing you bad shots.

The group behind you won't mind seeing you trying to make your shots. Sluggish behavior between shots is far more annoying. You must learn to tune out everything other than the shot at hand, while you are over it.

[duawLauff]

Same issues as you. I've learned that deep breathing has helped me. It brings me into the moment, relaxes me and allows me to focus on my shot, be it a drive, approach, pitch, chip, or putt. Sometimes I have to force myself to do this and I have noticed a definite improvement, for example, in my putting.

[MadMark]

Well the way I look at it, if you are too big of hurry, most likely your tempo, and timing is going to be off. This is going to cause more poor shots. Those poor shots are going to cause extra shots that will take up extra time on each hole. There is so much talk about "slow play" that for some, it causes them play slow, which they are trying to prevent in the first place.

You just need to play at your own, comfortable pace, which will allow to play faster than if you were in a hurry. It's something like the golf swing. You swing 110%, out of your shoes, for the fences, and the ball will not go as far, or as accurately than if you were to swing with in yourself at 80%.

How you get to swinging with in your self is one of the mental aspects of the game you need to learn to do for your own better scores, which means less strokes, which also means less time.

I don't like crowds, or standing in line either.

[PlanTaleks]

I would be careful with that zen buddhism stuff. Next thing you know you're sitting in a tree playing a flute....wearing sandals...

[Zpxbawtz]

I tried to listen to Zen Golf on my iPhone, but that guy had me ready to either fall asleep or slit my wrists in about 5 minutes. God bless you if you managed to slog through it.

Hah! Yeah, some of it is quite.......abstract..

[RilmAlime67]

I would be careful with that zen buddhism stuff. Next thing you know you're sitting in a tree playing a flute....wearing sandals...

or nothing at all...

[LeslieMoran]

So I have a problem. Actually, lots of them - but there's only one I'm going to cover here.

Growing up in my family, one of the absolute worst sins a child could commit was the sin of "BEING IN THE WAY". If I wasn't aware of what was going on around me, and a grownup had to stop and wait for me to clear a walkway - yikes, I shudder to think. This is one of the many reasons that I HATE crowds, and I hate standing in line.

How this manifests itself on the course is that I don't ever feel like I and slow down and think through a shot in my short game. Off the tee, you obviously have to wait for the group ahead to clear. There I get some time, I can take some practice swings, and relax a bit. But once I'm from my approach shot in, I stomp on the gas. I'm grabbing my wedge as I'm walking to the ball, taking a single swing, and then hitting a poor chip. I tend not to mark my ball as it takes time and holds up people behind me. I don't think putts through enough, and end up 3 or 4 putting even when I'm inside 12 feet to start. It's really killing me and my game.

How do you learn to slow down around the greens? When I look back and see people waiting for me to clear, it absolutely tears me up. And right now, looking at the scorecard, my short game is a place I could easily find about 20 strokes per round.

Advice? Prescriptions for alcohol or Valium?

Counseling? No seriously, intentionally slow everything down, breathe slower, close your eyes and count to 10 before every shot, take a few seconds between shots to notice the world around you, the birds in the trees, the fish in the pond, all these will help. If you are playing out of a golf cart use every opportunity you have to walk some, walking will calm you down also.

[Spisivavona]

Perhaps you are just a fast player. We all have a different pace of play.

[Quigoxito]

Stop looking back. If you're keeping up a good pace of play - you have nothing to worry about. You just need to force yourself to slow down. It will take time to get used to it so don't be too hard on yourself.

[niemamczasu]

Remarkably similar here and for the same reasons. I can overcome it with deliberate thoughts but it creeps back in very quickly if I don't become aware of it. It is insidious and never helps, only hurts, my game. Hang in there and remember that you paid for your round and have a right to play each hole to completion (as long as you don't take 15 practice swings).

[Kimeoffessyr]

If possible, I start by leaving early for my round so I can drive at an even pace to the course, I put on my favorite "easy tempo" music or a book on tape, I take my time preparing my bag at the course. I try to warm up at a good tempo.

Of course, all this stuff happens about one in ten rounds, so the rest of the time, I am rushing around like everyone else and it ruins my tempo.

[Zpxbawtz]

I find myself in this situation sometimes and what works for me is to close my eyes, deep breath and exhaling to a count of ten, pause for another second and then open your eyes. It's a simple exercise and it has a great calming effect. I don't recommend doing it for every shot, only on those when you begin to feel like you're rushing.

For putting, take a page out of Zen Golf. Stop and take a moment to survey your surroundings and don't simply focus on the cup, this will put the shot in perpsective and give you a couple seconds to clear your mind.

[PlanTaleks]

If you are keeping up with the group in front then your pace is all it can be. I find the green feels slow because you are waiting. You are not moving and walking and swinging. Because you are not walking it feels slow when in reality it moves rather quick. It's the waiting that makes it feel slow. Don't worry about it. You probably aren't holding up anyone and the fact is...that's where the fat lady sings. Take you time and make the shot.

[Kimeoffessyr]

For putting, take a page out of Zen Golf. Stop and take a moment to survey your surroundings and don't simply focus on the cup, this will put the shot in perpsective and give you a couple seconds to clear your mind.

I tried to listen to Zen Golf on my iPhone, but that guy had me ready to either fall asleep or slit my wrists in about 5 minutes. God bless you if you managed to slog through it.

[doksSirmAdods]

ZEN GOLF?

[Kimeoffessyr]

ZEN GOLF?

Zen Golf: Home

There you go. That's his website.