'Blowing' up on the last hole

[Loz1607]

In my last two rounds I have played really well with 39 points after 17 holes on both occasions, only to either triple or double bogey the last.

Admittedly our 18th is a tough hole (400+ yards up hill) - any one have any tips on avoiding this as I am so close to putting a really good round together but for these little blips?

 

[Deleted member 23270]

Is it a shot hole for you? If so why not play for a safe 5 (5 iron, 5 iron, wedge?) and happily walk off with 2 points?

 

[Loz1607]

Unfortunately not. I have considered smacking a drive up the 1st to avoid the usual pull into the trees

 

[Beezerk]

Unfortunately not. I have considered smacking a drive up the 1st to avoid the usual pull into the trees

If it's a bail out and you have a decent option for your 2nd shot do it.
We have a couple of holes at our place where I often aim down an adjacent fairway (sometimes it goes down there unintentionally ) as the safe option, unless you're really unlucky you usually have a decent 2nd shot.

 

[GreiginFife]

Our 18th is a card wrecker as well at over 400yds to a steeply tiered raised green.

Similar to you I was cocking it up more often than not. So now I take 3w off the tee to increase fairway hit chance and aim to be on the green and close in 3 rather than going all out trying yo get there in two. Then even if I two putt its still not as bad as it had been. Mainly parring it now though with only the odd bogey.

Its just about changing how you think and play the hole as I'm sure you already knew prior to posting. Try playing it as 3 to the green and trust your putting.

 

[IanM]

Its just about changing how you think and play the hole as I'm sure you already knew prior to posting. QUOTE]

True - but easy to say, tougher to do

 

[BomberSRL]

Just had a look, to me if i was double or triple bogeying, would look to my short game. We have a 420 yard Par 4 that plays into wind most days. I have now resorted in trusting my short game enough to hopefully put an 80 yard wedge close enough for a chance at par or defintiely an easy bogey. Will take 1 or 2 shots off the score as a damage limiter?

 

[GreiginFife]

Its just about changing how you think and play the hole as I'm sure you already knew prior to posting. QUOTE]

True - but easy to say, tougher to do

Why? If time and again you pull it into the trees with the driver, dont use the driver and take a club you wont pull to keep it in play.

Why is that tough to do?

 

[Loz1607]

Why? If time and again you pull it into the trees with the driver, dont use the driver and take a club you wont pull to keep it in play.

Why is that tough to do?

Trouble is throughout the rest of the round I have been hitting my driver well and have no reason to think I cant do it again - maybe 3 wood is the club to use going forward, although did that in the semi final of a knock out last year and topped it in the heather .

Maybe its more of a mental issue and jsut need to get over it. I have birdied it in the past to win a comp also so need to focus on positives.

I have a reasonably tidy short game so would certainly fancy my chances of making no worse than 5 if I laid up, but to me that also feels a little negative and not what gets me to these good positions after 17 holes

 

[louise_a]

Its funny you have created this thread as I was only talking about this at the golf club yesterday.

I have a list of blow ups on the last.

a 9 in an England Golf regional medal qualifier a couple of years ago cost me winning it, although I did still qualify for the national final
3 putting the 18th last week in and EG Seniors event and missing qualifying for the grand by 1 shot
This Monday blobbing the last when 2 points would have seen me and my partner win a County event.

I cant find a reason except that maybe I relax thinking that the job is done, although it was pointed out that maybe its the opposite and I tense up.

 

[patricks148]

thats part of the game getting to the end of the round without blowing up and why comps do count back on the last few holes.

had a spectacular one a few weeks ago, had a great score on the 17th tee. hit a good drive and was in range on the par 5 18th in two. took a bad bounce left and plugged up the face of the left hand green side bunker, 10 shots later i was signing the card...for buffer rather than a cut

 

[Doh]

The other thing is that you may be falling into the trap of thinking to far ahead instead of concentrating on the shot in hand. I know I have been guilty of this in the past.

 

[ScienceBoy]

A double on the last is no different to any other hole.

If you swapped your first and last hole scores to par ( double for a par etc) would you feel different about the round?

 

[patricks148]

A double on the last is no different to any other hole.

If you swapped your first and last hole scores to par ( double for a par etc) would you feel different about the round?

of course it is, if you do it on the 1st you have a chance to get the shots back on the rest of the round, the 18th you don't!!


you really come out with some

 

[Norrin Radd]

you have got to play each shot on its own merit ,we can all hit sunday best on the very odd occasion but in truth those shots dont turn up when you need them most . play the shot not the hole.

 

[ScienceBoy]

of course it is, if you do it on the 1st you have a chance to get the shots back on the rest of the round, the 18th you don't!!


you really come out with some

If you don't like my posts block me, that feature is there for a reason. I try to play devil's advocate at times, try to look at things a different way to spark discussion. If all posts in a thread were the same what would be the point in a forum?

I will continue to be who I am, I strongly suggest you block me if you really don't like what I say.

 

[patricks148]

If you don't like my posts block me, that feature is there for a reason. I try to play devil's advocate at times, try to look at things a different way to spark discussion. If all posts in a thread were the same what would be the point in a forum?

I will continue to be who I am, I strongly suggest you block me if you really don't like what I say.

no.. only if you just start cutting a pasting off of google to any question thats on here, those i block

 

[Hobbit]

Go and play it late evening when there's nothing riding on the score. You need a few good experiences on the hole to draw from. It's just another hole.

Also, you're building the pressure on yourself by looking for a good finish. It's just another hole.

Why add your score up and know what you're on, and potentially posting? The only score that is important is the one you sign for. It's just another hole.

It doesn't matter whether it's 350yds or 450 yds, Relax on the tee shot, it's no different than any other shot. AND it's just another hole.

 

[Tashyboy]

I have done it on our 18th several times. Ironically our 18th tee ( a par 5 ) had some storm damage where trees had fallen in and around it, four or five months ago so the White tee was moved to the yellows. It was moved forward 40 yds.

I have birdied the hole twice now. How's that supposd to happen a hole I was regularly getting 7's plus on I have now birdied. It was all to do with the drive.
I got to a stage where I just stood on the tee and thought of a hole where I can just leather it like our eighth and tenth. Nine times outta ten it is now straight down the middle.

If I was confident of mullering a 3 wood, I would. But am not. However after playing in Norfolk on courses like Kings Lynn, which is very tight, and both Hunstanton and Sheringham. PPs used there three woods to great effect. They have brought that attitude to our place and it is helping them massively off some of the tees.

 

[ManinBlack]

of course it is, if you do it on the 1st you have a chance to get the shots back on the rest of the round, the 18th you don't!!


you really come out with some

If you don't like my posts block me, that feature is there for a reason. I try to play devil's advocate at times, try to look at things a different way to spark discussion. If all posts in a thread were the same what would be the point in a forum?

I will continue to be who I am, I strongly suggest you block me if you really don't like what I say.

Now now children! I think what the OP was getting at was not so much that it was the last hole but that it happened a lot on the last hole. Sounds like sheer anxiety & trying to steer the ball. I know the feeling well! Easy to say, but play the hole as if it doesn't matter. I've played some of my best golf doing this.