A lesson in course management and concentration...

rob_golf1

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Just got to get this off my chest...

Played a nine hole knock with some guys from work yesterday. First time I had played with them and played really well, making par on all of the par 3's and getting a birdie on one of the par 4's. Really enjoyed it up until the last....Par 5. I went into the last hole with a 4 shot lead....

It was at this point that all my course management and concentration went out of the window. I took a driver off the tee which got me off to a decent start, just straying off right into the rough. Still had a nice lie but for some silly reason decided to take a fairway wood. Looking back now I should have just played a 6i and then a PW into the green and given myself two putts to secure a nice friendly win with my new colleagues. But NO, I went into some fairly thick stuff after the second shot and hacked out of the there to give myself a 30 yard pitch onto an elevated green. I then duffed my chip into a bunker and what follows next is probably the worse golfing decision I have ever made....

For some unknown reason, I decided to take a practice swing in the bunker and make contact with the sand.... Straight away one of the guys was in there; 'YOU CAN'T DO THAT...' 'ONE STROKE PENALTY'. I knew I had done wrong and I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. A lapse in concentration cost me there. I then proceeded in scoring a 10 for that hole which one of my playing partners claimed, should have been a lot more. It ended up in me losing the friendly game by one shot, but I felt devastated...

My one point from this post, remember the most simplest of rules even in a low pressure situation as that!
 
Not guna lie that is a silly one buddy. I have it ingrained in me to take my practise swings before stepping into the bunker.
 
Not guna lie that is a silly one buddy. I have it ingrained in me to take my practise swings before stepping into the bunker.

Yeah I couldn't agree more. Been playing since I was 9/10 (now 24) and I have never done it having been taught most of the simple rules as a youngster!
 
I would say it sounds like your first tee **** was to blame. I guess if you want to analyse what went wrong I would personally think about my reaction to losing the first.
My driving is shocking at the moment, Iv just got back into golf after 3 years out, I hit pretty long and my handicap should be around 14 once my cards are counted. Iv played around 6 rounds in the last 3 weeks. Overall game is getting there, but my first drives are pants, however; I seem to absolutely crush my second (3 off the tee) I think this is due to me being relaxed and knowing where my game is at the moment.
 
I would say it sounds like your first tee **** was to blame. I guess if you want to analyse what went wrong I would personally think about my reaction to losing the first.
My driving is shocking at the moment, Iv just got back into golf after 3 years out, I hit pretty long and my handicap should be around 14 once my cards are counted. Iv played around 6 rounds in the last 3 weeks. Overall game is getting there, but my first drives are pants, however; I seem to absolutely crush my second (3 off the too) I think this is due to me being relaxed and knowing where my game is at the moment.

Looks like I mispelt shot!!😂
 
Looks like I mispelt shot!!��

Well my assessment of the situation was that I was in a good position off the tee. I still had a nice landing area if I had taken a 5i or 6i instead of trying to go for the green with the fairway wood which is what I was going for. This is in turn what led me to hacking out and then messing around in bunkers! Shocking!
 
Tough after playing so well but a lesson that will stand you in good stead for the future and hopefully when you're going well next time and put one in trouble, you'll find a way to get it out onto the short stuff again and move on. And I bet you don't take a practice swing in the sand again
 
You obviously had a mare on the 18th,but just take it on the chin & think about the 17 before that got you a 4 shot lead.
 
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