I'm rubbish in any medal i play!

[minty18]

I'm waiting for GM to do a reader review on a mental coach.. I'd love to know what i'd shoot before and after using a mental coach.

I get told so many times "just concentrate on the next shot" when i'm thinking to myself "if i make par here then bogey the last couple of holes i'll have a great round".

My other problem is i often start thinking about the pint thats waiting for me in the clubhouse when i get to 14th hole.

All these things mean i too am a rubbish medal player.

 

[RGDave]

Odd you should put it this way. I played the back 9 today (my current nemesis) after an hours SW (my other current nemesis) and ONLY played shots I knew I could play.

5 over for the back 9.....

better than 19 over 2 days ago!!!!

 

[bobmac]

 

[CrapHacker]

All good stuff so far, as expected.

Especially about playing to your handicap, and playing to level 5s.

In terms of practical advice about how to get there ;

1) visualise the hole before you tee off - If you get 2 shots on a long par 4, ( ie aiming for a gross 6 ) give yourself 2 putts and 1 chip, which means you need 3 shots to hit 450 yards. Look to avoid trouble - if that means taking a 4 iron off the tee to avoid a bunker, then a 5 wood, to get you within 9 iron distance, so be it. You'll often then get the 9 iron on the green and 2 putt. Nett birdie - grand

2) practise your short game. Time spent on chipping is never wasted. If your 9 iron misses the green, but you chip to one putt distance - nett birdie


3) don't try and concentrate 100% all the while you're out there - enjoy the walk ( and company if possible ) and learn to switch your game on when you need it. That for me is what the pre shot routine is for. As you approach your ball, stop your conversation a good 10 yards short of it, and go into your routine. If your playing partner carries on yakking, don't be afraid to say something ( keep it light mind ) He'll quickly get used to it, and shut up at the right time for you.

4) practise your short game. ( it's quite important )

Don't write yourself off before you start the round. EVERYONE gets a little nervous before an important game ( that's EVERYONE, btw ) Nerves can actually help you play better once you learn to embrace them, not fear them.

 

[slugger]

Slugger, I've been there and it's a common problem.

I'd like to say I'm over it, but that would be a lie.

On Sunday, I was so p***** off about things I blew out massively on three hole 15/16/17 that I regularly par off the yellow tees.

I wasn't interested in making a boring bogey on these holes, I just wanted to prove to myself that I couldn't actually par them off white (which I can't).

The last 14 rounds I've play I've averaged one over par for these 3 holes. On Sunday I went 8/10/5 for a staggering 12 over par for 3 holes!!!

Why am I telling you this.....because ANYTHING is possible if your head is in the wrong place. Try too hard, try things which have only a 1% chance of success, etc. all will bite you where it hurts.

It's almost certainly the damage from the bad shots that'll be costing you.....learn to minimise these with good course management and a realistic approach.

My personal approach (when I'm chugging along accepting bogeys the same a birdies) is;


1. Only hit your driver when you know the worst that can happen is a chip-out from the trees. Don't use it on holes with OOB or lakes or anything even vaguely resembling trouble.

2. Play conservatively with almost "any" club (2nd shot) off the fairway if you can't get home. For me, it's normally a 5 wood or rescue BUT, I'll think twice about this if there is trouble right of left at the "expected distance". I'll give you an example....we have a nasty 440 yarder at mine which I often find myself 210 to go. IN bounce games, I hit my 5 wood and often get on. In medals, I have pulled it left or sliced it into the trees and walked off with 6 or 7 so many times, I hit a 5 iron. I then bump it on with a 7 iron and 5/10 times have a short-ish put for par.....

3. Develop a sixth sense for "where" the bad shot will go.
I'll give you an example (again). I played at TonyNs and have messed up the 15th par 3 every time. This week I didn't even try to hit the green, I just hit a relaxed 5 wood at the green, knowing it would fade and come up short. (better than gripping it strong and pulling it into trouble.)
From there, I chipped and made the 1 putt......I reckon there's more chance of my paring that hole if I just relax and accept that some costly things are almost sure to happen at times when I try to create a miracle, so don't even try.

I didn't even "try" with my tee shot (hybrid/rescue) on the short 8th par 4. I hit a very poor tee shot and had 120 to go when I could potentially drive up to short of the apron. Guess what, another par....

4. Don't get "cute" around the greens. Sometimes, it's just easier to knock it on, have 2 putts and walk off with a bogey than try to analyse the chip/pitch and mess it up....find 2 shots that work for you, I use a 7 iron runner and a GW pitcher. That's it.....I don't risk any of the other "trick" shots unless I have no choice.

5. Keep the ball on the course at all costs, sometimes short of the green is better than greenside, pin high. I don't mean under-club, I mean *if* the shot left (long iron from the rough say) has risk (OOB, water, killer bunker)...take it easy, club down so the hazards are out of reach.

This sort of stuff.....you have LOTS of shots to spare, if you keep your mind in the right place....just a few thoughts.....

Good luck....

thanks for all of that... obviously took a wee while to write it and i appreciate your time. lots of very good and valid points about my game... you been stalking me

 

[RGDave]

thanks for all of that... obviously took a wee while to write it and i appreciate your time. lots of very good and valid points about my game... you been stalking me

You are very kind, and most welcome....that's why I like being on here, just trying to share some experience and ideas to find the ways that suit our games....