Good old fashioned choke!

road2ruin

road2ruin

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Having been playing some of the best golf of recent years including a couple of nett 64's (3 under handicap both days) in the club champs, 39 points in a midweek stableford and winning a board comp with a nett 62 in a medal we had Presidents Day today which is a stableford.

Playing off my lowest ever handicap of 14.8 I shot 41 points. Sadly it was a case of what could have been! Stood on the 17th tee with 40 points then proceeded to blob and 1 point the final 2 holes. When I left the winning score in was 42!
 
Wouldn't call that a choke. I was +5 gross on the16th tee (off 13) so was well in the hunt. Finished 6,6,6 (double, triple, single bogey). Played the midweek a few days later and got to the same point +6 and had exactly the same finish. I'd just say you were getting a little ahead of yourself and thinking about the score. You can only control the next shot and wondering about what you need to do on the next is wasted energy. You're clearly playing good golf so just ride the crest of the wave and let the scores take care of themselves
 
road2ruin said:
Having been playing some of the best golf of recent years including a couple of nett 64's (3 under handicap both days) in the club champs, 39 points in a midweek stableford and winning a board comp with a nett 62 in a medal we had Presidents Day today which is a stableford.

Playing off my lowest ever handicap of 14.8 I shot 41 points. Sadly it was a case of what could have been! Stood on the 17th tee with 40 points then proceeded to blob and 1 point the final 2 holes. When I left the winning score in was 42!
Click to expand...

Turn it into a positive, what happened on those last two holes? How was your head? How was your swing? Where did you lose the shots? Think about it and analyse your mistakes and learn from them and you can never truly fail.
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Wouldn't call that a choke. I was +5 gross on the16th tee (off 13) so was well in the hunt. Finished 6,6,6 (double, triple, single bogey). Played the midweek a few days later and got to the same point +6 and had exactly the same finish. I'd just say you were getting a little ahead of yourself and thinking about the score. You can only control the next shot and wondering about what you need to do on the next is wasted energy. You're clearly playing good golf so just ride the crest of the wave and let the scores take care of themselves
Click to expand...

Looks like SOMEONE is protecting their handicap! ;) :D
 
To be honest I made the completely school boy error of adding up my score whilst walking between the 16th green and 17th tee.

17th - 200yrd Par 3 - Hooked the tee shot into deep brambles, played 3 off the tee missed a fairly straight forward putt for a point - BLOB.

18th - 358yrd Par 4 - Power draw into the trees on the left, found the ball however unplayable and had to take a drop. Ended up holing a fairly decent put but only for a point.

Given that I get a shot on both I really should have been able to finish off with nett pars on both which would have given me 44 points and the win. Nevermind, still played a very solid round (up until that point) and have been given another 0.9 cut.

This means that I have managed to get my handicap from 19.2 at the start of April down to 13.9 as of today so all in all a decent season. Still in the semi final of our matchplay although had I played it a month ago i'd have been getting 2 shots, I'm now giving 1! Also have Player of the Year to go for, 3 medal rounds left and probably need to shoot handicap or better in 2 of them to be in the running!
 
road2ruin said:
To be honest I made the completely school boy error of adding up my score whilst walking between the 16th green and 17th tee.

17th - 200yrd Par 3 - Hooked the tee shot into deep brambles, played 3 off the tee missed a fairly straight forward putt for a point - BLOB.

18th - 358yrd Par 4 - Power draw into the trees on the left, found the ball however unplayable and had to take a drop. Ended up holing a fairly decent put but only for a point.

Given that I get a shot on both I really should have been able to finish off with nett pars on both which would have given me 44 points and the win. Nevermind, still played a very solid round (up until that point) and have been given another 0.9 cut.

This means that I have managed to get my handicap from 19.2 at the start of April down to 13.9 as of today so all in all a decent season. Still in the semi final of our matchplay although had I played it a month ago i'd have been getting 2 shots, I'm now giving 1! Also have Player of the Year to go for, 3 medal rounds left and probably need to shoot handicap or better in 2 of them to be in the running!
Click to expand...

What club are you a member of?
I'm always looking for new courses to play in Surrey, so good to get new recommendations.
 
road2ruin said:
Playing off my lowest ever handicap of 14.8 I shot 41 points. Sadly it was a case of what could have been! Stood on the 17th tee with 40 points then proceeded to blob and 1 point the final 2 holes. When I left the winning score in was 42!
Click to expand...

I don't think it's a 'choke' unless you already knew that 42pts was winning. Potentially your 41pts might have ended up being the winning score.
 
JustOne said:
I don't think it's a 'choke' unless you already knew that 42pts was winning. Potentially your 41pts might have ended up being the winning score.
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While I don't really like the word it does still sound like a bit of a choke despite the result. Even if 41 did win he still would have choked but got away with it and still won. Like he said he got ahead of himself and did not swing with the same freedom and commitment for the last two holes because he knew he was on for a great score.

Like I said earlier take the feedback you have been given and learn from it. Don't berate yourself or mourn the loss just Keep putting yourself in those situations and try to recreate some of the pressure in practice.

Here is one of my favourite ever quotes:

" I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career, I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I have been entrusted with the game winning shot and missed. I have failed over and over and over again, and that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan
 
G_Mulligan said:
" I have missed more than 9000 greens in my career, I've lost almost 300 balls. Twenty six times I have been entrusted with the game winning putt and missed. I have failed over and over and over again, and that is why I can't find a fourball partner." JustOne
Click to expand...

Fixed :p
 
JustOne said:
I don't think it's a 'choke' unless you already knew that 42pts was winning. Potentially your 41pts might have ended up being the winning score.
Click to expand...

Sadly I would definitely count it as choking! As G_Mulligan points out it was a case of getting overly exciting knowing I was standing on the 17th tee with 40 points in the bag and already thinking that if I play like I usually do on these holes I'll be looking at 3 points minimum but disappointed not to get 4.

I then proceeded to try and 'guide' the ball instead of swinging freely and it cost me on this occasion! :)
 
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