Nerves!

[DWOT]

Just reading this thread is helping my state of mind, that said I just thought about tomorrows match and got the bottom of the stomach feeling.

Breath deep and relax.............

[Terry Davidson]

Here is a bit of advice on the swing thought process.

I've found with not only my students but even myself that it really helps once you're down on the shot, to focus the mind strictly on your grip hand and ideally the forefinger and what it's doing.

This might sound really stupid but it developed from the 'Inner Game of Golf' and the chapter he has in there on teaching a new player (albeit a tennis pro) how to putt well with his eyes closed and strictly concentrating on the back of the right hand on the putter.

Most players are not really aware of exactly where their concentration is focused when they are actually backswinging and delivering the cue. Most of them (and myself until recently) focus on the cue and/or the stationary cueball or object ball or even the cue running over the bridge. None of these are involved in the actual mechanics of drawing that cue back straight and only the grip hand and forefinger are since that is the prime mover and controller of the cue.

The next time you get to the club for some individual practice, try potting the blue off the spot from the yellow spot with your eyes closed and focus ALL your attention on the grip hand and forefinger.

Then try the same concentraqtion with your eyes open and see if it helps. I've certainly found it really helps me to ONLY move the grip hand (not the head) and also to drive through to the chest consistently.

I hope this helps some people, as it also will get most players into the 'zone' quicker

Terry

[DWOT]

Cheers Terry, am off for some practice later providing I don't feel too carp from this blooming illness, I'll be giving that a go.

[DWOT]

Something else that's just come to me regarding last weeks poor efforts...

On the Monday and indeed the previous week I'd beaten probably the best player in my team (much to his discontent) and I've only just remembered that on the tuesday before the match he put me down before my game even started and even though I partnered him in the doubles match that we won to win the match he was even putting me down during that, what I'm also suddenly aware of is that I'd been looking up to him and had been asking him for advice. Now the result of both him putting me down and not being very forthcoming with any advice definitely had a negative effect on my own mindset, when I should habve been in a very possitive one after beating him twice recently, I now see that he was putting me down as a result of his own ego taking a bit of a dent and it worked for him!

[checkSide]

"The Inner Game of Golf" really is a brilliant read - don't be fooled by the title and the fact that they swing in an arc; the inner game is all about the stuff you say to yourself while you're playing, and as others in this thread have testified, sometimes we're pretty harsh on ourselves!

This is a great book.

I used to think it was the best.

Until I read "Pleasures of Small Motions" by Bob Fancher.

Definitely worth a read if you liked the Inner Game.

Cheers.

[AndyG]

This is a great book.

I used to think it was the best.

Until I read "Pleasures of Small Motions" by Bob Fancher.

Definitely worth a read if you liked the Inner Game.

Cheers.

Excellent stuff. My reading list keeps on growing! Great thread, everyone, even if I can't seem to view the 3rd page for some reason...

[AndyG]

Well, that's strange. Swear my browser said there was a third page before I just started it... going mad...

[DWOT]

It's been saying that for a while, no idea why!

Anyhow, employed some of this last night and lost a very close practice match against the first team captain and best player at the club 3-2, With a bit of luck I'd have had a few decent sixed breaks too but ran out of possition on more than one occasion, more than happy with how I played though and as long as I can keep my nerves under controll tonight I'm confident of doing well.

[Luke Hooper]

Something else that's just come to me regarding last weeks poor efforts...

On the Monday and indeed the previous week I'd beaten probably the best player in my team (much to his discontent) and I've only just remembered that on the tuesday before the match he put me down before my game even started and even though I partnered him in the doubles match that we won to win the match he was even putting me down during that, what I'm also suddenly aware of is that I'd been looking up to him and had been asking him for advice. Now the result of both him putting me down and not being very forthcoming with any advice definitely had a negative effect on my own mindset, when I should habve been in a very possitive one after beating him twice recently, I now see that he was putting me down as a result of his own ego taking a bit of a dent and it worked for him!

dont worry, youll always get people like that...

i like to have a motto in these circumstances, dont get mad, get even

[DWOT]

dont worry, youll always get people like that...

i like to have a motto in these circumstances, dont get mad, get even

I did, the opposition dodn;t show tonight and we didn't get a call til late so we're claiming the match as people left work early and travelled a reasonable distance to play the match, however as they didn't show we had some practice, I beat him 3 times individually and twice in doubles as well.

[DWOT]

Here is a bit of advice on the swing thought process.

I've found with not only my students but even myself that it really helps once you're down on the shot, to focus the mind strictly on your grip hand and ideally the forefinger and what it's doing.

This might sound really stupid but it developed from the 'Inner Game of Golf' and the chapter he has in there on teaching a new player (albeit a tennis pro) how to putt well with his eyes closed and strictly concentrating on the back of the right hand on the putter.

Most players are not really aware of exactly where their concentration is focused when they are actually backswinging and delivering the cue. Most of them (and myself until recently) focus on the cue and/or the stationary cueball or object ball or even the cue running over the bridge. None of these are involved in the actual mechanics of drawing that cue back straight and only the grip hand and forefinger are since that is the prime mover and controller of the cue.

The next time you get to the club for some individual practice, try potting the blue off the spot from the yellow spot with your eyes closed and focus ALL your attention on the grip hand and forefinger.

Then try the same concentraqtion with your eyes open and see if it helps. I've certainly found it really helps me to ONLY move the grip hand (not the head) and also to drive through to the chest consistently.

I hope this helps some people, as it also will get most players into the 'zone' quicker

Terry

I potted 4 out of 10 and rattled the jaws with 3.........

Was all I had the impetus to try tonight but was suprised I even potted one to be honest Terry.... (p.s. I potted the first 2 attempts, lol)

[Giggity1984]

This is a great book.

I used to think it was the best.

Until I read "Pleasures of Small Motions" by Bob Fancher.

Definitely worth a read if you liked the Inner Game.

Cheers.

That book is my bible. I highly reccomend it too!

You are not alone OP, I am the king of Choke Artist's.

[AndyG]

"Pleasures of Small Motions" arrived in the post today. Can't wait to get stuck in to it. I'm hoping that it will help me to put some of Terry's "swing thought" stuff into action - objectively I know that such a focussed approach should be perfect to get me into the zone, but I feel like my mind can wander off on a whim, and before I know it, I've already missed several easy shots and got myself in a rut.

(A bit of light reading to complement the iphone development which is taking up the rest of my spare time.)

[Giggity1984]

(A bit of light reading to complement the iphone development which is taking up the rest of my spare time.)

It's not the lightest of reads........ bit heavy in places!!

[AndyG]

It's not the lightest of reads........ bit heavy in places!!

Cheers - I'll report back with my findings!