# Control Your Anger Out On The Course



## Sam Snead

Golf is a game which is sure to push you to limit. Everyone has been there when playing the game. You get so worked up and angry with yourself. A bad shot can spark it all off and from there it can ruin your round. You have to control this anger you have to put it to the back of your mind and get on with it. It’s hard to do this as we all know but here are five simple tips which may work for you:

1 - Counting to ten can take your mind off what’s just happened. Take a deep breath and slowly count to ten. This will keep your mind occupied and keep you away from boiling point.

2 - Take off your golf glove slowly. What I mean by this is remove each finger from the glove and hopefully by the time you remove your last finger you will have forgotten all about whatever it was that got you so worked up.

3 - Chewing gum can be effective it is a proven method of reducing anxiety and stress. Chewing gum has been tested and it really does work.

4 - Tapping your fingers is another method to take into consideration. Tap the tips of the fingers together or hold one finger at a time between your other thumb and finger and roll the finger like a pencil. This is proven to relax your neck muscles and improves your circulation.

5 - Take a drink of cold water this will get the blood flowing and combine this with the fresh air you get out on the golf course, stimulates the endorphins that de-stress you.


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## golfjunk

I think this is a crucial point. As soon as you are angry it is very difficult to recover and your game is getting worse and worse. Good points to avoid that!


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## KrudlerAce

*Calming Down*

Nice tips, thanks for sharing.

I also like to think of something funny that may have happened to me recently or something I may have seen or heard from someone. Singing to yourself and or even humming can also have positive benefits.

Anything really to get a smile on your face.


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## Sam Snead

I forgot to add that one  but thanks for adding to the thread KrudlerAce. Laughing is something I like to do when I have a friends out with me. It does take your mind of the golf but you also have to take it seriously other wise you could get sucked into the chatting side of things rather than playing.


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## Surtees

Yes I do the closing of the eyes and some deep breaths when it starts getting to me. Angry golf is bad golf.


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## FrogsHair

I am with Krudler Ace. Laughter is the best medicine for anger. I have been known to listen to a comedy CD sometimes, between shots when playing golf. That, or watch someone else lose it on the course. Then again I am not one to get angry over an errant shot. 

I can honestly say It's been a good 15+ years or more since I really became angry over my golf game. Several disappointments along the way, but no club throwing, cursing, kicking myself events. I was golfing and all of a sudden I got a bad case of the shanks. No matter what I did, I could not shake them. I was even having problems with my metal woods. Only thing in my favor was I was hitting my PW pretty well. I was on the 11th hole when I decided to play only my PW, and putter for the rest of the round. 

I learned a few things that day. One was anger would make me give up golf, which I did not want to happen. Two, every shot I hit was my fault. Good or bad, they were my fault. Three was to learn how to fix on course swing problems when they showed up. 4 was to remember I was never the worst golfer on the course. 

Most recently I have revamped my way of thinking about bad golf shots. They are just part of my game. I don't practice or play enough to prevent them. With that in mind I started to pay more attention to what caused the good shots, and forgot about the bad causes all together. I have simplified my swing thoughts to just four, maybe five which I use when I do practice. Bad shots serve another purpose for me. That is they provide me with an opportunity to hit a really good shot to get back on track. :thumbsup:


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## Merlin76

Some very good advice.
No good smashing your club against a tree, you then have to buy a new club.

Some deep breathing and counting to 10 usually works for me ( and then throw against a tree - Joke!!).

I do everything a bit slower and try to relax.

(Home - JOHN BERWINS ONLINE GOLF STORE )


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## Sam Snead

Agree with the laughter. It is very important to have fun out on the course and as they say if you can't laugh at yourself... As for the club throwing someone used to do this at my local club and he got a thorough talking too one fine evening when he almost took someones head off with his 6 iron lol I have never been a club thrower but back in the day I was more like a mad lumberjack with his axe trying to swing wildly at the ball when the game got to me lol


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## Hacker AL

I always figure i am not good enough to get mad at my game...


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