Golf ball help + the ups and downs of golf

[jammag]

I need some help, I have been playing with the pro v1x recently and whilst it is a very good ball, I find the price they are and the way they cut up making me want to try find a better value for money ball without losing the benefits. I have no problem in paying £35 a dozen but when the pro v1xs look like rubbish after a round you dont want to really use it again. I hit the ball quite high with my irons so dont usually have any problems stopping the ball with 4iron through to lw. Obviously the lower clubs spin back a bit as well but generally they stop quickly after landing, due to this I feel I can maybe go for a slightly less spinny ball but would like the touch this gives around the greens.

I know the obvious thing is to try out the sleeve of balls but I want to know what you would recommend to try. So far on the list I would like to try are the Z stars xv and x, nike one platinum, is there anything else you would recommend of what ball would be similar to the pro v1x?

Now onto the ups and downs of golf. I joined a new club recently and it does suit my game a bit more its more open to use my driver more and the greens are bigger. On Wednesday me and my friend decided to go up for a round and I played fairly well, I am/was an 18 handicapper, I started off bogey birdie birdie bogey, so level after 4, over the next 4 holes I had another bogey and birdie with 2 pars, so through 8 I was level par, I was controlling my feelings well up until this point just thinking hole by hole remain calm I am an 18 handicapper for a reason so it could all go belly up on one hole. I then reach the 9th and I think a par here and I have my first ever front 9 level par. I then tried to take too much of the corner ended up behind tree get away with a double bogey so finish the front 9 at 2 over. I was really happy with this and thought now start again for the back 9. I am still playing fairly well and 10-17 I have 4 pars and 3 bogeys then going down the last I know I thought I should carry on playing the attacking way and unfortunately I nail my driver into the greenside pond finish with a double bogey for the back 9 as well. Ended up 7 over par 77. I then got dropped down to 15 which I am very happy with.

What I found most astonishing in this and its very hard to not think about these things was that rather than comparing myself to my handicap when I went over par I started comparing myself to the course par. Which is completely wrong but then when you drop a shot you feel disappointed and it was a new experience for me hopefully this experience will help me next time I am in this sort of position.

Anyway now to the down point of this. On Saturday I decided to enter my first competition which was a stableford thought this would be a good route to work my way into how this club runs comps. After the round 2 days previously I was pretty happy with my game. Yet first shot shanked it left into a tree and this went on for a lot of the round, I just lost my driver, finished with 21 points compared to the 47 I had 2 days earliar. It was very frustrating and I wish I could say it was because it was a lot windier and rained for a bit but I was so disappointed and gutted at the end of the round so I now have the big challenge of trying to regain the confidence back into my game. Ah this game I love it but its so annoying at the same time.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Plenty of good balls out there. I was using the TM Burner TP's which were a 3 piece ball for £20 per dozen. The best advice though is to try a few in 3 sleeve packets until you find one you are happy with. The Bridgestone B330RXS is another premium ball worth a look at under £27 per dozen.

As for the horror of the competition you clearly went in there and tried too hard. Where you were relaxed with your mate and didn't chase a score when you had a bad hole and so course managed and plotted your way to a good points haul, my guess was you tried to hit the first one hard off the tee as a signal of intent.

Once you had a bad one you just tried harder and harder, probably took risky shots on and it becomes a self defeating circle of despair I know intimately. Put it down to first comp nerves, learn from it and then consign it to history and try again next time.

 

[ash01]

Homer's Burner TP balls are a good recommendation, they will do the job for you.

As for the comp round, its not that you can't do it, its mainly down to mental preparation in my opinion.

My good mate will score decent around our place (4 or 5 over) off an 18 h'cap, put a card in his hand and the sky is the limit.

Only late last year could I finally work with him to get him into a competition "mode" and steady himself in competition rounds.

My advice would be to get a partner or friend who is experienced in playing all sorts of comps (medal, stableford etc.) and go around with them and see how they conduct themselves and ask them to help you prepare and advise on course management.

Ash!!

 

[pbrown7582]

Ah the good old competition nerves can strike at any time especially on occasions such as your first comp at a club! Same with the double on the last thinking about the score you could post it's hard and frustrating but you will over come sounds like you playing some good golf.
Maybe try some TM penta I thought they played similar to the pro v1x and some deals to be had on last years model.