How your expectations change

KeefG

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I went out today and shot an 89 (gross 19 over) and came off the course feeling deflated, dejected and some other words that begin with de too. And dissapointed.

4 weeks ago if i'd have walked off with an 89 I wouldve been absolutely delighted, but times have now changed, and in 4 short weeks an 89 is no longer good enough for me as I know I am more than capable of, and should be, shooting in the low 80's.

If only I can cut out the stupid little mistakes :mad:

Isn't it strange though how your expectations can change so drastically in such a short time?
 
Temple is a tough course and shooting an 89 very good, bare in mind the course was made for the Ryder cup ;)

Just think of the scores coming in winter!! That might cheer you up :p
 
I think to be brutally honest you might have been a tad over critical on yourself as you are only one over your handicap. If you can manage to do that and not play as well as you would have liked shows there is huge potential for the future but the secret is to make slow sustainable progress.

I have suffered in the past with huge handicap cuts (OK I won at a stroll and it was deserved) but then spent the next few months battling to get anywhere near my new figure.

If you can play well in competitions and come down slowly then it will form a solid basis on which to improve. Don't ge tme wrong I think being disappointed etc is a good thing but needs to be allied to a realistic approach. You cannot shoot good scores all of the time and sometimes you have to accept the bad round and learn from the mistakes made.

Take the positives from today and then look forward to shooting better next time.
 
Give yourself a break, forget the little mistakes, try to focus on a few of the good shots and take them to your next round, then the old adage "one shot at a time". ;)
 
Guys, i'm not trying to get attention for my score or me mentally beating myself up....

I was saying, isnt it weird how your expectations of yourself can change so drastically in such a short space of time?

4 weeks ago i'd have taken your hand off if you'd have offered me an 89 before I started a round, dammit i'd have taken your hand off for a 99, now I dont feel as though i've done myself justice.

Thats a 10 shot difference in 4 weeks....thats a lot of expectation!!
 
I was saying, isnt it weird how your expectations of yourself can change so drastically in such a short space of time?

4 weeks ago i'd have taken your hand off if you'd have offered me an 89 before I started a round, dammit i'd have taken your hand off for a 99, now I dont feel as though i've done myself justice.

Thats a 10 shot difference in 4 weeks....thats a lot of expectation!!
If you sneek a round in the 70's this summer you'll be in trouble :D You'll never be happy with 80's for as long as you live!

Weird game but the better you get the more expectation you have. If you're off scratch and you carve one into the trees that's pretty much your round ruined. Expectation won't go away...that's what keeps you going :)

You're absolutely right that so much can happen in such a short time.
 
In answer to OP, Yes in golf the expectations will change towards a single shot once achieved easily, the same will happen in a round, then in your game as a whole. This is a sign of either, improvement in your playing ability or in a golfers imagination. The latter normally more with the young but is part of the make up of all golfers.

The single shot for example could be one you have made before or one of a certain distance from a good lie that you have made before and the expectation that you can repeat it., and so it goes on.

The thing is if you dont expect to do what you have shown yourself capable of,and dont have the imagination to see it happen then you probably never will again. :rolleyes:
 
Know exactly how you feel!

I've been shooting high 30's low 40's points-wise in the last couple of months after some lessons and time to practice and feeling good about my game. So much so that, as it sounds with you, a few over your handicap, particularly when SSS is factored in, and you're gutted!

Good advice in the other posts - take away the good shots and what you were good at as well as what you need to work on and the cuts will keep coming.

This is what makes golf so damn addictive!
 
A year ago I would be happy with 18 over and since I've consistently gotten down to low teens, things have changed. Last week I shot a 4 over and a 7 over for the first time in my life.

But, this week I'm shooting back into my low to mid teens and I'm now very critical on myself- throwing tantrums (throwing clubs and balls) each time I duff a chip or miss a putt.
 
throwing tantrums (throwing clubs and balls) each time I duff a chip or miss a putt.

Thats the one part of my game i've got rid of over the winter - keeping my anger in check, quite frankly, I was an embarrasment to myself and also to the people I was playing with sometimes!!!
 
donutwheels

I feel your pain as last season I couldn't get up and down in less than three if my life depended on it. I ended up getting so tense on simple chips that the outcome was inevitable before I took the club away. As a former of club thrower, it serves no purpose and makes you look silly (well it made me look daft).

Try and go out and chip with impunity and not worry. Your scores clearly show you have real potential so it you fluff one let it go and focus on putting the next one stiff
 
Isn't it strange though how your expectations can change so drastically in such a short time?

Not really. Only YOU know what YOU can do/are capable of.

I totally appreciate your sentiment...sometimes, it's there for the taking, and you don't take it......

On days like this, I might be disappointed with an 80.
 
throwing tantrums (throwing clubs and balls) each time I duff a chip or miss a putt.

Thats the one part of my game i've got rid of over the winter - keeping my anger in check, quite frankly, I was an embarrasment to myself and also to the people I was playing with sometimes!!!

Good, especially as you are part of team Mizuno.....
 
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