Front 9 is destroying me - mental issue

[Jdb2005]

Past 4 rounds I've played in my front 9 has been absolutely horrific and I think it's now become a mental thing. Was out in 42(+7 ) and in with a 37 (+3). Although I played under my handicap I can't help feeling annoyed. Our back 9 is slightly easier and feel i can always come in with a decent score. if i could master the front 9 as well id be much happier. How do other forum members deal with the mental issues similar to this.

 

[Evesdad]

Same issue for me though its the back nine killing me! It's all in me head!

 

[Lump]

is there a key set of holes you feel you struggle on?

I tend to struggle more on the back 9 at our place. There are 3 holes just at the turn which can undo a round for me if I don't concentrate on playing good golf rather then trying to force a score.

 

[Jdb2005]

Holes 3-5 SI 9,15,3 hole 3 is by far the hardest on the course

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Work back from the green. Where do you lose the shots? Our front nine is easier (in my opinion) and I normally play it reasonable well, at worse two or three over handicap. I get shots at 10 and 11 so it should be a chance to get it back on track or bank a few shots but rarely make par. Perhaps knowing I have a shot I take it too easy. I have a real issue with our 14th. It's all about the tee shot and I keep missing left into the clag. Right is not the end of the world but par is out of the equation. Not sure what the best approach is at the moment

 

[Lump]

Holes 3-5 SI 9,15,3 hole 3 is by far the hardest on the course

my advice would be the either plot the holes and take as much risk out of them, or/and try playing them a different way.

I've started hitting 3 iron off the tee at our 11th to stop running out of fairway/hitting the bunkers straight out. Ok it leaves a longer iron in but my scoring has vastly improved doing this.

 

[Durango]

Have you warmed up properly? I've been scoring poorly on the front nine for a while even though it's the far easier nine, rolling up with ten minutes 'til tee off doesn't help! You could go through the shots you think you will hit on the range before you start maybe.

 

[Jdb2005]

Usually there about half a hour before tee off , at the range for 15-20. Lots of stretching . I use a hybrid on 3 , 5 iron on 4and driver/3 wood on 5. Out the 3 hole 5 is a nightmare took a snowman (8) in the last medal. River on the right hand side of fairway, trees up the left hand side. If you hit the fairway your approach shot is to an elevated green up on a hill with knee high rough to the left and agin the river on the right with bushes right at the back of the green. Monster hole. And gives me the fear .

 

[Cherry13]

Have you tried breaking it down into 3 sets of six and seeing how you fair against hcap? I get most of my shots in the middle 6, so I just need to be patient and focus on recovering there if not doing well, or picking up some shots if behind.

Have 3 par 5's and the easiest of the par 3's.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Same issue for me though its the back nine killing me! It's all in me head!

It's the front nine and the back nine for me.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Same issue for me though its the back nine killing me! It's all in me head!

ditto this.

our last 3 holes are card wreckers at the best of times, but I usually start coming undone around 13... It is all in my head as I have birdied every hole on the course at one time or another, so I know I can play the holes properly, just don't seem to manage it that often....

 

[Ian_S]

It's all about the tee shot and I keep missing left into the clag. Right is not the end of the world but par is out of the equation. Not sure what the best approach is at the moment

That tightly mown stuff down the middle could prove advantageous

 

[ScienceBoy]

My home course has both a tough stretch on the back and the front, 5-7 and 12-14. I find playing those defensive works very well, accept bogeys on all of those and look to the easier holes to score. I get 11 shots but I don't have to use them on SI 1-11!

 

[Ian_S]

Have you tried breaking it down into 3 sets of six and seeing how you fair against hcap? I get most of my shots in the middle 6, so I just need to be patient and focus on recovering there if not doing well, or picking up some shots if behind.

Have 3 par 5's and the easiest of the par 3's.

I like this advice. If you're struggling with the front 9 then don't think of them as the front 9. It's an arbitrary distinction anyway.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I like this advice. If you're struggling with the front 9 then don't think of them as the front 9. It's an arbitrary distinction anyway.

I break down into 3s, works rather well. Lets you focus on the shot in front of you and not much else.

My target +2 for every 3 holes, doesn't matter about SI or doubles etc, if I get a triple a par and a birdie I have reached my target!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

That tightly mown stuff down the middle could prove advantageous

I know it's out there somewhere. The ball doesn't. It is a tight driving he and the fact it has ruined a good club championship and recent medal card means its seeped into the mind. When we had the dry weather three wood was an option but in the wet or against the wind it leaves too much to do to hit the green and with OB tight to the right of the green it can be a risk taking it on with fairway wood or hybrid

 

[Stuey01]

Apologies if this stating the obvious Homer, but have you tried playing it as a 3 shotter, give yourself a pitch and a putt for par, rather than taking it on and getting into trouble?

 

[ger147]

In a few bounce games, can you play the back 9 first and then the front 9?

 

[vkurup]

I have the same problem... my front 9 is pathetic but I come roaring back in the back 9. While it is a mental issue, dont ignore the fact that you might not be warmed up for the Front 9. I am a car park golfer (Homer-ism) and am usually running to the first tee. a couple of practice swings and I am off. It is usually only by the 3rd or 4th hole that I am a bit warmed up. But by then, the loss of the first 3 holes would have killed you mentally.

Recently played my PB and there was a big difference as a I was ready about an hour before tee, did some stretching and hit about 10 balls on the range before rolling up. Double bogied the first hole, but was enjoying it by the 2nd!!

Dont rule out this angle...

 

[G_Mulligan]

Past 4 rounds I've played in my front 9 has been absolutely horrific and I think it's now become a mental thing. Was out in 42(+7 ) and in with a 37 (+3). Although I played under my handicap I can't help feeling annoyed. Our back 9 is slightly easier and feel i can always come in with a decent score. if i could master the front 9 as well id be much happier. How do other forum members deal with the mental issues similar to this.

Fairly common problem to develop a mental block towards certain holes or run of holes at a course you play regularly. Do you put too much pressure on yourself to start a round well and if you lose a couple of shots early allow this to affect your confidence or allow negative thought patterns to creep into the rest of your round? Do you change tactics on later holes to try and gain those shots back by being too aggressive especially if you find trouble instead of taking your medicine and trying to save par?

There is a good article in this months golf monthly regarding a 'screw up allowance' the term is a bit too American for me but the theory is sound and is something I have recommended for some time. Even the best players hit bad shots and make bogey's so don't let this effect the rest of your round just put it down as one of the bad shots you will hit that day and move on. Tiger allows himself 10 seconds to get angry and berate himself after a bad shot and then all of his focus switches to how to play the next shot to the best of his abilities wherever it may have ended up.

One thing you could also be doing is starting to focus on the trouble you have previously found on these holes, bunkers, water, OOB, etc. You can't be thinking of any negative outcome when playing a shot and don't try to stop thinking about it or think don't hit the ball somewhere. You need to replace the negative thought or outcome with a positive image and the correct target.

Hope this helps