Kreyling Korner – Week 19 – 08-23-18

THE LIP-SMACKER MATCH OF THE WEEK   

Battle Golf hands me two Ls in week 18 taking the overall record to 8-19.  Roller with an L to Schott and Ollie pulls one out against Cap. 

A/B Group – Adam “Marge” Schott vs. Joe “Cousin Joe” Cook – What? You guys were expecting an A/B match between Donkey’s Disciples (#1) and Putter Face (#2)?  Come on…you guys read Kreyling Korner and know there are certain rules.  Like I don’t eff with my team and a possible jinx.  Why would I make, oh I don’t know, Joe “Boot Boy” Eiser vs. Kurt “Lip-Gloss” Kreyling the MOW?  It’s not like there historical match-up is dead even at 1-1-4 (with their first ever match in 2011).  It doesn’t matter that only 9.5 separates their teams – and if the Glossy One’s team (Putter Face) manages to close the gap this week, next week’s End of the Year Scramble is going to be hella intense.  Joe gets 3 strokes tonight, which will be hard for yours truly to overcome.  But…if I did have to pick the match, I ain’t betting against myself.  Anyway, enough about that – its not the MOW because there could be a jinx!  GLOSSY PREDICTION – Schott wins 5.5-4.5.

C/D Group – John “Syndrome” Rayburn vs. George “Portuguese Warrior” Almeida – you’ve all heard it before.  Two of the oldest members of the league square off having played 11 times over the years.  John is old, can barely walk and makes hilarious comments; George is old, bald, sweats a lot and wears cargo shorts…blah blah blah.  Ignore the match between Brian “The Senator” Roddy and Oliver “Ollie” Livermore.  Again, who cares that this one is another match between the #1 and #2 teams?  Who cares that Ollie has been the biggest luck wagon in the last two weeks?  Seriously, Ollie – I know you are going to win the points and winning percentage titles this year, but how about shooting a net score close to par or under?  A net 37 in week 17 and a net 40 in week 18 and you still managed an average of 6.75 points in those two weeks!!!!  On the flip side you have Roddy.  Dude shoots a net 33 in week 18 and losses to low net (shot by PW).  If I was picking this match as a MOW, I think Ollies luck runs out tonight and the Senator takes the W.  But I’m not, because the official mow is Syndrome and the Portuguese (Such. A. Stupid. Word.) Warrior.  GLOSSY PREDICTION – Almeida wins 6-4.

THE KREYLING KORNER

If you are still reading Kreyling Korner, you are aware that the first-place team, Donkey’s Disciples, is playing the second-place team, Putter Face.  Only 9.5 points separate these two teams and the outcome of week 19 match play could have a significant affect on how much pressure each team will feel going in to the end of the year scramble.  Which got me thinking, and doing some research on the world wide web – what are the best ways to handle pressure on a golf course?  I’ll give you four.

Improve your response to fear.

Generally, when under pressure, two things happen – your muscles tense up and your heart rate increases.  If you learn to manage these two things, through controlled breathing, your chance of success increases immensely.

I think this is something Ollie should focus on.  Who cares that he has played poorly the last two weeks and still managed to win?  Who cares that we are moving on to the longer and harder Willows course?  All these factors are irrelevant.  If you top your first tee shot down in the valley.  Control your breathing and hit a recovery shot…just don’t hit it into the tall stuff on the left.  Or the water on the right.

Visualize success

To play your best golf, you can’t expect to shoot a good score, but you can visualize success before your round. This isn’t going to change your approach to every shot, which will certainly not be score-focused, but the brain has a funny way of manifesting your goals and dreams when you visualize them.

I think this is a good tip for Roller.  Pete might have told me about this past weekend and how you hit a tee shot 3 inches forward and 2 inches underground.  Pretty sure this type of shot defies the laws of physics…but that’s irrelevant.  Don’t worry about that shot this week.  Visualize success.

Stay positive

This tip sounds ridiculously obvious, but even though you’re having what you think is a terrible round, you’re only one shot away from getting it going again.

This tip reeks of my man Andy “Russell” Crowe.  You’re only one shot away from turning a bad round into a good round.  Or in your case, a terrible career (0 wins in 2017, $0 won in 2018, one of his few wins in 2018 is against the card, tied to the card last week) – you are only one shot away from turning it around!

Remember you are in in control

It may not feel like this in the moment of pressure — when your hands are sweaty, shaking and you’re praying that all goes well — but it’s true. It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you respond to what happens.

Joe Eiser – this one’s for you.  It doesn’t matter that it’s windy…or the rough is high…or you have a hang nail.  You are in control of your own destiny.  And in this case – it could be a GCCGL championship.  Or maybe it won’t be?      

Until next week – fairways and greens my friends. ­