Is the round over before its even really began?

mjyounie

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This is a situation I know all of you have found yourselves in before...Your standing on about the 8th tee and you know already there is no chance you can play to handicap because the score has already gotten away from you.. your thinking "I wish I could go back and start again"...There is a reason this happens and why the majority of rounds of golf are ruined beyond repair by the time you get onto the back 9..

Every golfer wants to play well and shoot below handicap. However, it is this very idea that is more than likely ruining your round so early. Typically what happens is you get onto the first tee and your so concious and worried about getting off to a good start you play tight and tentative. Your not swinging freely. As a result the ball doesn't go where you want and you start dropping shots. Because of this you try to steer the ball even more, thinking it will increase the chance of a good shot however this again leads to another bad shot. All of a sudden your stood on the 8th tee having played awful for the opening holes. The round is gone and out of no where you start playing well and how you know you can..before you know it you play the back 9 really well but your left annoyed about how you started.

There is an explanation for this...

The brain and body work together, If your nervous you body stiffens up, you lose your timing and rhythm. You begin to try and steer the ball rather than just hitting it and letting the shot go. You feel that if you play cautiously then you have the best chance of a steady start. But this doesn't happen. It does the opposite. Because you playing tight and 'scared' you make bad swings and hit bad shots. The more bad shots you hit in a row the worse it gets. You get the 8th tee and because you know the round is essentially over scoring wise you relax, play carefree and guess what...you start playing well!

The key is to understand what happens when you get nervous or put too much importance on getting off to a good start. Therefore you can step onto the first tee and play as though you do when your stood on the 8th when the round over. You have to play loose and relaxed. Let the score happen rather than trying to make it happen. You will play your best golf when you are confident, chilled and carefree. You need to start the round with the same attitude you play the back 9 with. In order to play well its actually better to play as though you don't care about what happens than if you care too much. It might sound like the completely wrong thing to do... but trust me, it works.
 
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In_The_Rough

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Interesting, I played a round recently over the easter hols and I was 10 over for the front 9!!! but played the back 9 in 1 under, the back 9 is also the longer tougher 9. I put this down to the fact the course had no practice facilities so I had no real warm up going onto the first tee, would you say this had a part to play then or not
 

HawkeyeMS

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Now this I can agree with, This is why you should play every shot on it's own merits as it is not affected by the last and has no bearing on the next. You can't force the result of a shot. It gets even more critical when you're putting. If you can get yourself into a position of "not caring" about the result you will play better and putt better.
 

sfby

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The "don't care" approach worked for me in my first ever medal - a soul-destroying 61 on the front 9 was followed by a 43 on the way back.
 

mjyounie

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Interesting, I played a round recently over the easter hols and I was 10 over for the front 9!!! but played the back 9 in 1 under, the back 9 is also the longer tougher 9. I put this down to the fact the course had no practice facilities so I had no real warm up going onto the first tee, would you say this had a part to play then or not

With everyone being so different its difficult to say. Me personally it only takes a couple of holes to warm up it I dont get a chance to get on the range before I play..

However, I do not believe that not having a warm up would have made this significant of a difference.

This is a classic story or what I am trying to explain.. You have to remember how it felt when you were playing that back 9 and take that same attitude to the first hole. Take the leap of faith and tell yourself your not really too bothered about what happens and you will find you swing confidently and start hitting the ball really well right from the start. Im guessing on the back 9 you were playing this way? You were not worried about what happens to the ball so you just got up to it, went through your routine and hit the ball?
The mind is a very powerful tool when used in the right way
 

In_The_Rough

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You are correct in what you say. When it got to the back 9 I threw the towel in as the round was in a mess and hey presto played better than ever. Got a nice relaxed grip, full shoulder turn and hit the ball solid for the entire 9 holes, the other thing I noticed was I was not dithering over the ball when in address position either
 

mjyounie

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You are correct in what you say. When it got to the back 9 I threw the towel in as the round was in a mess and hey presto played better than ever. Got a nice relaxed grip, full shoulder turn and hit the ball solid for the entire 9 holes, the other thing I noticed was I was not dithering over the ball when in address position either

Exactly!! Next time you play adopt this attitude from the start and you will be very pleasantly surprised with the results.
 

mikee247

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This is a situation I know all of you have found yourselves in before...Your standing on about the 8th tee and you know already there is no chance you can play to handicap because the score has already gotten away from you.. your thinking "I wish I could go back and start again"...There is a reason this happens and why the majority of rounds of golf are ruined beyond repair by the time you get onto the back 9..

Every golfer wants to play well and shoot below handicap. However, it is this very idea that is more than likely ruining your round so early. Typically what happens is you get onto the first tee and your so concious and worried about getting off to a good start you play tight and tentative. Your not swinging freely. As a result the ball doesn't go where you want and you start dropping shots. Because of this you try to steer the ball even more, thinking it will increase the chance of a good shot however this again leads to another bad shot. All of a sudden your stood on the 8th tee having played awful for the opening holes. The round is gone and out of no where you start playing well and how you know you can..before you know it you play the back 9 really well but your left annoyed about how you started.

There is an explanation for this...

The brain and body work together, If your nervous you body stiffens up, you lose your timing and rhythm. You begin to try and steer the ball rather than just hitting it and letting the shot go. You feel that if you play cautiously then you have the best chance of a steady start. But this doesn't happen. It does the opposite. Because you playing tight and 'scared' you make bad swings and hit bad shots. The more bad shots you hit in a row the worse it gets. You get the 8th tee and because you know the round is essentially over scoring wise you relax, play carefree and guess what...you start playing well!

The key is to understand what happens when you get nervous or put too much importance on getting off to a good start. Therefore you can step onto the first tee and play as though you do when your stood on the 8th when the round over. You have to play loose and relaxed. Let the score happen rather than trying to make it happen. You will play your best golf when you are confident, chilled and carefree. You need to start the round with the same attitude you play the back 9 with. In order to play well its actually better to play as though you don't care about what happens than if you care too much. It might sound like the completely wrong thing to do... but trust me, it works.

Def a bit of "Dr Bob" in this extract I think!! ;) its very true however and I can relate to it as I play good golf when Im relaxed and chilled and swig a lot easier. Its not rocket science that suggests that if you are relaxed you swing the shoulders and gain more rhythm easier but the point perhaps thats missing here is being able to adopt this approach and make it happen..... its not easy for a competitive sportsman to tee up in a medal, matchplay club champs or match and not have any nerves or apprehension. Easier said than done. If I could find a way to manage that better and in deed the red mist when it goes all wrong, Id be a lot lower as I'm sure would many of others on here. Until that days comes Ill continue to hunt for the holy grail and via the book beside toilet! :thup:
 

HawkeyeMS

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The "don't care" approach worked for me in my first ever medal - a soul-destroying 61 on the front 9 was followed by a 43 on the way back.

when I say "don't care" I don't actually mean you don't care. You still give the shot your full attention, just accept that you can't force the result. Once you have done whatever you do before your shot. Get into the mindset that you don't care where the shot actually goes, you'll find you swing with less tension.
 

mjyounie

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when I say "don't care" I don't actually mean you don't care. You still give the shot your full attention, just accept that you can't force the result. Once you have done whatever you do before your shot. Get into the mindset that you don't care where the shot actually goes, you'll find you swing with less tension.

Perfect description!
 

In_The_Rough

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Exactly!! Next time you play adopt this attitude from the start and you will be very pleasantly surprised with the results.

Will give it a try. I am not playing today as my neck has gone into spasm which is why am I on here engaging in the fun!! 1 Problem with me though is that I have a couple of very destructive swing faults which can cause mayhem. Weight transfer is my biggest fault. Any drills you recommend for this, I have a couple but would interested if you have any different to mine.
 

mjyounie

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I've had it both ways around... Out in 38 back in 50 and out in 48 and back in 39 :rofl:

This could be very similar to what I have been talking about but in this case because you have got off to the start you wanted and your looking at finishing on a good score you get tight and tentative over the back nine because your trying to protect your score.
 

Hobbit

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I know my indifferent, on occasion, start is down to an appalling pre-round routine. I might have a few practice putts, or pints, and I'll probably warm up by the first tee with a few practice swings.

As for the score, and tension in my game, there's virtually none. I play for fun and banter, and if the score is stunning so be it. However, I start out with the desire to beat my handicap, followed by staying in the buffer zone, followed by not embarrassing myself with a cricket score. Even with only half a dozen holes left I still believe a round is salvageable. I know I can have 5 birdies on the bounce, and I know I can shoot under par on the back nine.

I trust my game and my swing.
 

mjyounie

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I know my indifferent, on occasion, start is down to an appalling pre-round routine. I might have a few practice putts, or pints, and I'll probably warm up by the first tee with a few practice swings.

As for the score, and tension in my game, there's virtually none. I play for fun and banter, and if the score is stunning so be it. However, I start out with the desire to beat my handicap, followed by staying in the buffer zone, followed by not embarrassing myself with a cricket score. Even with only half a dozen holes left I still believe a round is salvageable. I know I can have 5 birdies on the bounce, and I know I can shoot under par on the back nine.

I trust my game and my swing.

Excellent, im glad you trust your game.. This post is meant for the players out there who get so caught up in playing well it does the opposite.
 

lyden

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If I'm playing with my mates I'll hit driver off the first tee, however in a comp I'll always hit hybrid. The consequences of hitting a bad drive in terms of the round for me are catastrophic. Hitting 3 off the first tee would deflate me beyond repair. I can't reach o.b with the hybrid is that tentative or sensible?
 

6inchcup

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i remember playing in an open comp at LANCASTER about 15 years ago,the first is a dog leg left to right par 4,after one of my playing partners finally putted out for an 11,he put his putter away and walked off the course never to be seen again,talk about all over before it began.
 

Mungoscorner

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Very interesting read,and makes a lot of sense.
I've lost count of the amount of times i've hooked driver out of bounds on the first hole,or skulled a simple pitch from the middle of the fairway.I've been told the hook happens after i fail to complete the backswing and i look as if i'm trying to steer the ball,the skulled pitch seems to be because i come up on the shot,i'm looking for the balls flightpath before i've even struck it.
 

Hobbit

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Does expecting to make a mistake actually make golf easier? I expect to make 'x' number of mistakes in a round, and because of that I don't beat myself up in the slightest when they occur. I feel no tension or angst when I've goofed. The shot is almost forgotten as soon as it happens, and certainly a few holes later it doesn't even cross my mind. Yes, I can recount it at the end of the round but I see no point in dwelling on it when I set up to play subsequent shots.
 

garyinderry

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I try not to beat myself up in the first few holes. back home I was always happy with a bogey at the first. as long as I don't double bogey I usually ease myself into the round through the first 4-5 holes and more often than not will go on a long par streak somewhere later on.


great post OP !!
 
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