Is the round over before its even really began?

[dazzio78]

I can certainly relate to this (see my thread 'swing woes'). Each time I go out, albeit only on the par 3, I want to do better than last time, and make amends for the errors and swing issues that have started to occur. I think I definitely need to relax and stop worrying about every little detail. I think I'm trying to make things more complicated than they need to be at this stage of my golf development.

 

[garyinderry]

I think a shortened version of this would be -- try to go out with no expectations.



this is very much like when people go on the pull. head out looking for someone and go home alone. go out not caring and have women dripping off you ! :rofl:

 

[Idlenorth1]

Some of this may be true, played tonight with my doubles partner and was just a knock off the yellows, wanted to score and swing well ready for medal on Sunday. No warm up for either of us and both hit 1st fairway and green and came off with pars, I then started to hit some wayward shots and ended up 4 over hcp for front nine, was then 7 over hcp after 11 and totally fed up. Got held up on 12th tee for a good 10 mins and passed time by taking the mickey out of each other, middle of green on par 3 with tee shot and par. Followed this with 4 more pars (including rolling off back of 500 yard par 5 into wind for 2 whilst been let through - very happy) bogey on 17 and par on 18 to leave me 1 over hcp so was very happy with my comeback
The problem is having the mindset to not care about the score from the off and swing free but this is definitely easier said than done

 

[CMAC]

nothing new in this thought process, didnt we cover this in your 'Dehydration-the back nine killer' where it was pointed out so many have a better back 9 due to being more relaxed after the score was 'gone' :mmm:

 

[granters]

I welcome a bogey or 2 at the start. Gets me relaxed and aggressive. It's when I start well I'm in bother. Last medal I was 42 to the turn despite playing well,back in 34.it is what it is. I'm peed off if I don't birdie the first but a Saturday is my golf day so couldn't give a monkey's what happens. It's down to your own outlook and confidence. I'd say higher handicaps get far more bothered about poor starts etc than lower. If I have a shocker I know its only a few medals before I get the .1's back. Believe in yourself people!

 

[Ian_S]

Having played competitive sport for 15 or more years, being cricket, rugby or golf, this 'first tee nerves' seems not to be to me. I think, as an ex-opening bowler, I'm just used to having to be on it straight away so getting to the first tee these days doesn't really bother me. I know to trust my swing, it is what it is, and just go for it.

It is a mindset, definitely, but it's one I'm so used to I wonder sometimes whether I take it for granted. If only my golf ability could match my mindset, I'd be sorted.

 

[louise_a]

I could believe the OP, when applied to my last comp (12 points after 10, finished with 31) but the reverse also happens, maybe the next thread will be Round falls apart when expectation rises.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My rond is never over until the last putt goes in anymore. Even if the 0.1 is already chalked up I am trying hard to keep the body language positive, and grind out the best score on the day I can. I use to switch off and the game would falter. Now I am tring to make one par, and then another and if I have a bad drive, getting the best score out of the hole I can.

 

[Billysboots]

I always set off with the mindset that I will be happy to be in the buffer, and anything better is a bonus. That way, if I am three or four over handicap at the turn I still have something to play for. It just makes for a long, painful round if you start off with expectations high and then get off to a poor start. I've reached the turn in stablefords with 13/14 points many times before and still buffered because I know, unless I'm playing really poorly, that the points will come.

It's also worth bearing in mind that you don't know how the rest of the field are performing, so pressuring yourself to come in under handicap may not be necessary. Yesterday at ours was a classic case in point. The weather at the start of our monthly medal was fine, if a little breezy, and I played the first 7 one over gross. And then the weather changed dramatically - we had high winds, driving rain and hail storms, and the shots started being frittered away all over the place. But I kept grinding away, knowing everyone else was playing in the same conditions. I came in with a net 73 against a par of 72 and SSS of 71, finishing third. Normally I would be satisfied with that score - yesterday I was delighted.

The moral for me is that it's not just about your own game, although clearly that's all you can influence. But you are also competing against a field, and even if you think your own round is poor, you won't know until all the scores are in and you can judge your own performance in the context of others just how good or bad you were!

 

[kid2]

MJ.......
First great post...... 2nd i agree fully with what you said.And im correct i think someone mentioned in am earlier post that you were on one of the Tours.....Its nice to have the opinion of someone thats in the thick of things......But i have a question...... Funnily enough for me its exactly the way my thought process goes but for me im slightly back to front on this one..... In my last 5 comps including yesterday at a totally new course iv turned +5 gross....... Being off 13 you can imagine this is a huge confidence boost and especially after spending the winter working on my swing through a series of lessons......

But how do i keep the round going on the back 9....... Sometimes ill pull it off other times im scrambling like mad not to get 0.1 back let alone break Par......

I get a little tired mid round regardless of how much i eat or how well...... Im always sipping fluid right the way through the round....The only thing that i think may have a bearing on it is the fact that i carry....I have done since rupturing both Achilles tendons...... Initially it was to strengthen the legs after the injuries...But im thinking now that maybe carrying could be causing the tiredness......

I know that im knocking on the door of some really good rounds and its frustrating to play the back nine a little worse than the front when it seems to be the reverse for everyone else......
By the way....I never get wound over bad shots and always take one shot at a time.....So im sure its not mental with me.....