How do I keep those 8's and 7's off my card?

[Barking_Mad]

I seem to hit a bad drive and then compound it by then proceeding to hit 3 or 4 bad shots in succession

As someone above said, learn to take your medicine and accept the bad shots as things that happen.

Play the percentage shot based on your skill level when playing a recovery. If that means a chip out sideways or backwards, just do it. It's less painful than trying to hit an iron through a gap or under a low hanging branch and seeing it bounce back in the cabbage.

I was playing with a friend yesterday who plays off 23. He hit his 2nd shot 20 yards short behind a small line of trees. He had no real shot to the green and a poor lie, but he could have chipped it behind and past the line of trees and on to the next tee, where he had a clear chip on to the green.

Instead he went for a tiny gap, hit a tree and bounced in the ditch and took an 8. Cue much anger and club throwing ?

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Par 71, and the 8 and one 7 were on par 5's which is even more frustrating! the other 7 was a par 4. I suppose a double on a par 5 isnt that bad in the cold light of day, but i must admit i may have to change my strategy on them and play them like a par 6

Don't hit driver off the tee on par 5s that you can't possibly reach in 2.

 

[Crazyface]

Don’t try and make up for a bad drive with a bad decision. If you are in the rough/trees, just play a shot that is guaranteed to get you back on the fairway, e if this means going sideways. Also, don’t try and make up for a shorter tee shot by trying to whack the next shot onto the green from 300 yards - a nice layup will let you get on the green for 3 and still (outside) chance of a par, bogey at worst. Trying to make up the distance will often lead to another top/slice/whatever. Just play the percentage game and leave the Tiger shots to the experts ?

This all day long. I'm drilling it into my friend and his scores are now under 100 on a regular basis. Thank the lord. We now have a great stableford game.

 

[Jigger]

The answer you wont really want to hear, is the hard answer. That is once, you improve your swing, strike, clubhead control, touch, clubhead path, mental strength, course strategy, club selection, fitness, strength, your short game and putting. (think that covers all the areas of golf)

Golf is hard and easy to rack up scores, a drop shot here and there over a hole and then suddenly you have a pickup or 7,8,9 on the card.

Its a rare day, when I dont have a double or worse on my card. Thats probably true for alot of players.

If you find out the answer to all the above and its an easy fix then patent it and sell it. You will be a rich man

There’s a fair point in this post. As much as I hate them as they all have issues an shotscope distance tagging system will allow you to compare yourself to different handicaps to spot your weaknesses.

 

[Deleted member 25575]

I played yesterday with only 7 clubs, that was a real eye opener for me, all the par 5s were pretty much 3 shoters, some of the longer par 4s were par 5s, but what it did do was make me think, and play within myself. I shot 81 which is great for me, a little under handicap. Try that once or twice, it should hopefully let you see different shot choices and ways of playing holes because (in my instance) driver isnt an option, it also helps with shot making too.

The other thing I do, is look realistically at the score card and see where you can pick up shots and where to play defensively, there are holes at my course where for my handicap par is pretty much a bird, so look at those holes as a par 5 or 6 or whatever, of you make a 5 or 4, bonus, but you're not chasing that from the off.

One question, are the big numbers coming at the start, middle, end of the round or just random? It may be that you start slowly (so warm up) or get tired and finish rubbish (work on fitness).

 

[Canfordhacker]

I saw great post from John Sherman on Twitter on this today

"It's hard to reset after a disaster hole

Try to remember
- they are bound to happen
- your routine is your saviour
- playing aggressively will not fix things - more likely to make it worse
- It's just golf"

 

[bradleywedge]

I played yesterday with only 7 clubs, that was a real eye opener for me, all the par 5s were pretty much 3 shoters, some of the longer par 4s were par 5s, but what it did do was make me think, and play within myself. I shot 81 which is great for me, a little under handicap. Try that once or twice, it should hopefully let you see different shot choices and ways of playing holes because (in my instance) driver isnt an option, it also helps with shot making too.

The other thing I do, is look realistically at the score card and see where you can pick up shots and where to play defensively, there are holes at my course where for my handicap par is pretty much a bird, so look at those holes as a par 5 or 6 or whatever, of you make a 5 or 4, bonus, but you're not chasing that from the off.

One question, are the big numbers coming at the start, middle, end of the round or just random? It may be that you start slowly (so warm up) or get tired and finish rubbish (work on fitness).

The bad holes aren't really consigned to any part of the round, although I do have a poor start normally on my local course (quite a difficult opening 3 holes), but apart from that the poor scores can rear their ugly head at any moment.

Some interesting replies on here though, I will certainly take them on board when I try to leave the big scores off my card on Friday. Thanks guys.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Guaranteed no matter how I am playing, I always seem to have a few 7's or 8's on my card. I can keep it together for about 14 holes, (pars, doubles, odd birdie thrown in), but I always have a few guaranteed card wrecker holes.

I seem to hit a bad drive and then compound it by then proceeding to hit 3 or 4 bad shots in succession. I then move to the next hole and I'm fine again. The card wrecker holes are sporadic and dont all come together, so I seem to able to gather myself between holes. For instance I shot 84 the other day with 2 x 7's and an 8.

Please tell me I'm not far away am I?

The only way to avoid 7s and 8s is to switch to tennis.
Why do you think that you're any different?

 

[bobmac]

The only way to avoid 7s and 8s is to switch to tennis.
Why do you think that you're any different?

Or avoid having to recover from bad shots by reducing the slice into a fade or the hook into a draw.
If you're missing it both sides it sounds like your grip needs looking at.
Don't just accept you're always going to hit bad shots, that's the quickest way to never getting better.

I moved from a wide open course to a very tight course and shot 85 the first round, playing off 3.
I soon learned how to keep the ball on the fairway and knocked 10 shots off the first round score.
It will take some work and practice but nothing hard comes easily.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Or avoid having to recover from bad shots by reducing the slice into a fade or the hook into a draw.
If you're missing it both sides it sounds like your grip needs looking at.
Don't just accept you're always going to hit bad shots, that's the quickest way to never getting better.

I moved from a wide open course to a very tight course and shot 85 the first round, playing off 3.
I soon learned how to keep the ball on the fairway and knocked 10 shots off the first round score.
It will take some work and practice but nothing hard comes easily.

I keep driver in the bag if my target landing area is insufficient to host a proper polo match.
That helps a little bit.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Always play the shot that you think you have the best chance of playing well and that will give you the easiest next shot.

 

[srixon 1]

Like others have said, leave your driver (and ego) in the car until you can get off the tee consistently with a lesser club. When I first started I couldn’t hit a driver straight to save my life so I used a 5 wood. When that broke (it was a laminated wooden one) I moved onto a 3 wood. It helps, but it isn’t all about distance.

 

[Orikoru]

You could try holing it with your 6th shot, that should work.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Your in the first cut rough off the tee - the rough’s not at all bad, quite short really, but ball is sitting down a little.
You’ve 130yds to the flag and know you can get a 7i into the ball and easy hit it 130, there is only one green side bunker but you have to clear it if you go for green and you know you are not great out of bunkers at the moment, and it’s quite deep with deep rubbish not too far other side of green from that bunker. What do you do?

1) Go for the green but it snarls up, you catch it a little heavy and you land in the bunker. Difficult bunker shot close to front and you don’t get out. Second time more room but in effort to get out you thin it over the green. Ball lands in deep rubbish and first go gets you out but not onto green. Chip on and two putts. You write down an 8 on your card.

2) You know you are pretty good hitting greens from about 80yds. So a firm hack wedge out of rough onto fairway sideways and a bit forward to other side of fairway so green side bunker is nowhere near you line in - leaving you a clear shot of … about 80yds. Pitch/bump and run onto the green and two putts. You write down a 5 on your card.

I do 1) as often as I do 2) ?

 

[howbow88]

I play off 6 and I'm currently having the same issue. Pars, the odd birdie, a few bogeys, and at least 1 or 2 holes that completely kills my round.

I was lucky enough to play Brora recently. I played very steady, a bit boring to be honest, and came on to the last hole (a tricky par 3), 6 over. All pars and 6 bogeys. Out of nowhere, I get a 7.

I just don't really get how it is happening - I play my natural game, it happens. I play more attacking, it happens. I play more conservatively, it happens. It's getting on my bloody nerves.

 

[bobmac]

I play off 6 and I'm currently having the same issue. Pars, the odd birdie, a few bogeys, and at least 1 or 2 holes that completely kills my round.

I was lucky enough to play Brora recently. I played very steady, a bit boring to be honest, and came on to the last hole (a tricky par 3), 6 over. All pars and 6 bogeys. Out of nowhere, I get a 7.

I just don't really get how it is happening - I play my natural game, it happens. I play more attacking, it happens. I play more conservatively, it happens. It's getting on my bloody nerves.

What is the issue, poor contact or direction?

 

[Bdill93]

1 over through 7 yesterday.

Triple bogey on 8, bogey on 9

Bottled it

 

[timd77]

Interesting thread and one I can certainly relate to. I’m a 19 handicapper so I’m happy with bogeys and the odd par, but there’s always 2-3 triples in there to ruin things.

I’m disappointed with some of the replies… isn’t there a pill we can take to eradicate the poor shots?

 

[PJ87]

We have a 600 yard (630 off whites) par 5 at My course

Normally against the wind, potential card wrecker

I just aim to be on the green in 4 .. then it's 2 putts for a bogey and move on

Parred it few times but this way I'm not bothered if I do get a 7 as it's only a bogey by my par standard

 

[howbow88]

What is the issue, poor contact or direction?

Anything and everything. That's the most annoying thing - there doesn't seem to be any real pattern.

I played Prestwick a few days after Brora. I was 1 under after 5, then I 3 putted the 6th for a bogey. No big deal, but then a double, and then a triple in the next two holes. Both holes I hit a bad tee shot, then a bad approach shot, then a bad pitch shot. I went from playing well to playing like a hacker, within the blink of an eye. What was more weird was that I then played really well again.

I know golf is always a bit of a puzzle, but I just cannot make sense of this.