The golfer's memory

Golfers tend to forget many things.  For example, it is good to forget the bad shots or poor rounds.  In fact, the most effective golfers are those who can have a bad shot or hole and quickly shake it off and rebound on the next one.  The best and most consistent players have  something akin to short term memory loss.  They do better because they literally can’t remember what just happened.  Every time they get on the next tee, they stand there with a clean slate, a clear mind.  The frustrations of the last hole are not there. They can’t remember that last 3-putt or the last chunked shot around the green.  They can't remember that previous drive that went into the trees.

Others have vivid memories of their bad luck.  They tee off seven still talking about that ball that never should have been lost on four.  They stand over a long putt on nine and remind everyone how they three-putted five.  They come back to the first tee later in the day and state their hope that they don't get another six like last round.

If you want to move on after a bad shot, you need to get past that bad shot.  You need to release all the negative emotion.  I may not score as consistently as some but I am pretty sure I enjoy my time on the golf course more than most.  I may lament a lost ball for a moment before grabbing another to hit.  I don't throw my clubs because I missed a par putt or chunk a chip.  I don't see the point.  I go to golf to relax and hang out with friends.  I don't want to make it a stressful experience for myself or others.

We also seem to forget some things from September to May.  For example, some people forget that they aren't scratch golfers and get mad about early season scores in the mid forties., when that is exactly where they should be.  We don't remember that winter lasts almost 8 months in Manitoba.  It does...so I think we need to suck it up and make sure to maximize the four months when we don't live in a frigid tundra.  We fail to recall how the greens handle the winter...with people frequently complaining about their condition at the start of the year.  Again, we live in a place in which winter lasts a long time.  Be patient.  The greens will get better.

I almost forgot to write about last week.  Four skins were claimed including Jamie McCutchin / Charlie McNabb ($20 on #2), Devin Allen / Brad Benton ($20 on #3), Blake Hunter / Stephen David ($32.10 on #5), and Jason Gorrell / Sonny Blackbird ($25.50 on #6).

Speaking of Gorrell, had a nice chip in from the back of the seventh green for an eagle.  His score of -2 on that hole was the only eagle of the night.  There were no deuces.

Closest to the pins were Stephen David on #5 and Devin Allen on #9.   I missed the putt on #5.  I can't recall if it was a 3 footer or a 50 footer.