Golf is stupid and makes no sense

[North Mimms]

Could be that your pre shot routine allows the tension to build up. By just stepping up & hitting it you are looser. I've played some of my best golf when not caring about where the ball finishes up.

Yep, it's why after a dreadful front nine, you think "nothing to lose" and just relax, and play much better.

I played in a foursomes comp last week- I was getting over a two week virus and still a bit weak but desperately needed from fresh air. My partner was full of cold with streaming eyes but felt the same.
We decided on first tee that our aim for the round was "to finish 18 holes" . We assumed we were going to be pants and decided to try all sort of stupid things that you wouldn't dare in a medal round.
Came a respectable third.

Stupid stupid game

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Saturday was the perfect example of this. Six points for the first eight holes couldn't hit a thing, contemplating walking in after nine (even though I had nothing else to do) and then a par for three points on a tough hole into the wind seemed to change everything around. Holes 9 - 14 yielded sixteen points and all seemed rosey again.

Stood on the fifteenth tee, the easiest by far on the back nine and promptly duffed it into the knee high rough for another blob. Lack of concentration? Who knows, but one thing is for sure, it has certainly got me beat.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Went to the range to try and cure the shanks. Not there yet and definitely coming out to in and if you put a barrier left and right of the ball it was hitting the right one every time. So frustrating but got a lesson (with my old teaching pro, the start of a reunion me thinks). It might be something simple in set up of takeaway, transition. Not sweating it yet as off Friday to work on it before the weekend

 

[User 105]

You have to find a different way to deal with your "slow play anger" than the PSR. Perhaps allow yourself a rant and then once you pull your club out of the bag you take some real deep breaths and you only think target...target...target. Once your club is back in the bag you can rant again BUT it's unlikely you'll feel it so much if you hit a good shot. Perhaps one is fuelling the other?

Completely agree. Slow play is fuel for my bad shots, then when I hit a bad shot that just gets me more wound up about the slowness. And the cycle continues.

I know it's stupid and I know I'm my own worst enemy. My original PSR used to help, helped me clear all the bad stuff out my head before I get over the ball, but that seems to have broken down now.

I just need to find another way to deal with it.

 

[Orikoru]

Completely agree. Slow play is fuel for my bad shots, then when I hit a bad shot that just gets me more wound up about the slowness. And the cycle continues.

I know it's stupid and I know I'm my own worst enemy. My original PSR used to help, helped me clear all the bad stuff out my head before I get over the ball, but that seems to have broken down now.

I just need to find another way to deal with it.

I also play much worse the slower the round is, but it's not an anger issue with me. Something about having to wait ten minutes to hit my shot just makes it far more likely that I'm going to fluff it for some reason. My best rounds have always been when I'm just in a two-ball, the course is quiet and we've absolutely raced round.

 

[User 105]

I also play much worse the slower the round is, but it's not an anger issue with me. Something about having to wait ten minutes to hit my shot just makes it far more likely that I'm going to fluff it for some reason. My best rounds have always been when I'm just in a two-ball, the course is quiet and we've absolutely raced round.

That all definitely has a baring as well. I'm a very quick player and I know when I play quick I score well. I don't get in my own way.

As soon as it starts to slow down I know whats going to happen.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Completely agree. Slow play is fuel for my bad shots, then when I hit a bad shot that just gets me more wound up about the slowness. And the cycle continues.

I know it's stupid and I know I'm my own worst enemy. My original PSR used to help, helped me clear all the bad stuff out my head before I get over the ball, but that seems to have broken down now.

I just need to find another way to deal with it.

I just tend to loiter and either have a drink or some food and enjoy the view and have a chat with the PP's. If the course is stacked up there's no point getting stressed. I will try and swish a club a few times to keep loose but won't worry about the shot until we are ready to play and then do what I'd done had I hit the initial shot and just been able to walk up and hit this one

 

[garyinderry]

Went to the range to try and cure the shanks. Not there yet and definitely coming out to in and if you put a barrier left and right of the ball it was hitting the right one every time. So frustrating but got a lesson (with my old teaching pro, the start of a reunion me thinks). It might be something simple in set up of takeaway, transition. Not sweating it yet as off Friday to work on it before the weekend

I told you what you were doing weeks ago...

I also gave you a series of drills to work on.

You have a repeatable swing. Its just a pity its over the top. You can break that cycle.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I told you what you were doing weeks ago...

I also gave you a series of drills to work on.

You have a repeatable swing. Its just a pity its over the top. You can break that cycle.

Sorry. With the greatest respect I'm grateful for your advice and the time to reply but I'm not going to take you up on this so there's no point making the same point over and over. I've a lesson (with the teaching pro I previously used) on Thursday and already had some pointers to work on if I get a chance to get to the range before then

 

[garyinderry]

Nice of you to finally reply.

The reason i went on and on is because you ignored my advice over and over. I was only trying to help.

As a fellow golf nut, i thought you would relish the prospect of someone offeing some sound advice or at least discussing your swing. I didnt enjoy watching you make the same mistake over and over again. Your old pro wouldnt say it, so i thought i would.