I've done it again!

[One Planer]

Blown a good score :angry:

I posted a while back about blowing a decnet score and coming in playing to handicap.

Well guess what, numpty here has done it again twice in the space of three

Thusday last week, I reached the 13th green (195 yards par 3) chap and a putt for my par, then it hit me that I was only 6 over going to the 14th. I then proceeded to drop a shot a hole and cam in playing to 11, which I was still happy with big 3 under my handicap.

Played Saturday with a few pals, again, I was 8 over through 14, then dropped 6 shots through the final 5 holes to play to 14 and my handicap.

I'm not to dispondent with beating and playing to my handicap in consecutive rounds, but I just feel it could have been better!

Both rounds were bounce games with pals. On both occasions I wasn't counting a score, but knew I was playing well.

I'm happy that the changes my pro suggested are starting to bear fuit, albeit late in the season.

The one thing I don't have is a set routine to help me focus under pressure. Perhaps this is something I should look at?

How do you guys cope when you know you're on for a good score?

 

[JustOne]

Thought this was an achilles thread! Just another crap round then? Phew!

 

[bladeplayer]

Blown a good score :angry:


How do you guys cope when you know you're on for a good score?

Having lately twice turned level par with 22pts , and finished 35 & 38 im of no help to you mate , but if ya find an answer il buy it off ya

 

[CMAC]

Play more comps, it gets easier the more you play.

 

[Matty]

How well or otherwise do you usually play the last 6 holes on the course? Are they harder and one over on each is a reasonable score? If so you might just be being too hard on yourself.

If they are not difficult holes and there are some pars in there for you then you need to find a way to keep your head and rhythm when under pressure - and building a routine would be a great place to start. You need to focus on the shot in front of you and not what has been or might me a few minutes forwards or backwards in time.

Perhaps you should also consider not adding up your card until you are walking of the 18th green too.

 

[mikee247]

Blown a good score :angry:

I posted a while back about blowing a decnet score and coming in playing to handicap.

Well guess what, numpty here has done it again twice in the space of three

Thusday last week, I reached the 13th green (195 yards par 3) chap and a putt for my par, then it hit me that I was only 6 over going to the 14th. I then proceeded to drop a shot a hole and cam in playing to 11, which I was still happy with big 3 under my handicap.

Played Saturday with a few pals, again, I was 8 over through 14, then dropped 6 shots through the final 5 holes to play to 14 and my handicap.

I'm not to dispondent with beating and playing to my handicap in consecutive rounds, but I just feel it could have been better!

Both rounds were bounce games with pals. On both occasions I wasn't counting a score, but knew I was playing well.

I'm happy that the changes my pro suggested are starting to bear fuit, albeit late in the season.

The one thing I don't have is a set routine to help me focus under pressure. Perhaps this is something I should look at?

How do you guys cope when you know you're on for a good score?

Give it up mate before you end up in a mental hospital with other frustrated golfing window lickers! ..... Dont ask Lee Westwood thats for sure.

 

[Slab]

Isn't it true that every round could always be better though? that lipped putt, the OOB drive etc

And as a genuine question, what is it that you've changed recently that has given you the belief you are now capable of playing to 7 or 8 handicap from a handicap of 14 and why do you think the improvement would be that pronounced?

 

[One Planer]

Thought this was an achilles thread! Just another crap round then? Phew!

You're all heart James

Isn't it true that every round could always be better though? that lipped putt, the OOB drive etc

And as a genuine question, what is it that you've changed recently that has given you the belief you are now capable of playing to 7 or 8 handicap from a handicap of 14 and why do you think the improvement would be that pronounced?

It's not a case of playing to 7 or 8 slab. I accept that I may drop shots coming in, but when I drop only 6 through 14, then 5 in 5 it's a bit like "The wheels came off" syndrome. And it 's always after the 14th.

The improvement that has me playing much better is down to the changes my pro made in April-June this year. The main thing that has helped is a better sequencing into the downswing, with my hips leading (.. Better rotation of them) and the upper body following.

I've always been a pretty solid putter, but with the tweaks my pro made to my chipping, I'm now chipping it a lot closer and taking the pressue off having to make 10ft+ putts. To this end I'm holing out more putts so I'm making more pars and, now, more birdies.

 

[Imurg]

It's the old cliche - Take each hole as it comes.
It's easy to get ahead of yourself and think "If I par these next 2 I can afford a bogey at the 17th and a par in will give me...."
It comes down to your ability to keep your concentration in the here and now and not let "what if" drift into your mind.
This is one of the reasons low players are low players - apart from the consistency, they play each hole as it comes.

It's not easy....

 

[Curls]

Ever read "Going Low" by Patrick Cohn? He talks about mental scoring barriers, and how if you have a concept in your mind of how well you score (for most people thats their handicap), then you find a way to sabotage a good round and conversely sometimes save a bad round.

So at the turn the same little voice that says "hey you're 10 over, youre better than this" and you play the back in 4 to shoot h/c is the same voice that says "hey you're only 6 over this is too good" and panic to shoot 14. You can't acknowledge that the first of those exists without accepting the second one does. Once you do, it's about (as has been said countless times) staying in the moment and playing one shot at a time, with no preconception of the score you come home with.

On the up side, you must be playing well to put yourself in that position, I can't get passed the first 4 at my track this year without a cricket score but then Im not beating myself up cos Ive hardly played. Chin up!

 

[DappaDonDave]

Try some EFT Tapping to help you keep your mind on it.

Worked for me on our 18th. Its over a small dyke with a load of trees way way way right. Not really in play. But everytime i would hit my ball into the trees regardless of how good i was driving on the day. So tried a bit of this after reading "Dream On"

http://www.theenergytherapycentre.co.uk/tapping-points.htm

 

[mikee247]

:rofl: I think they might come and lock you up if they saw you stood on the 18th randomly tapping various parts of your body!! What ever flicks your switch mate! :thup:

 

[Region3]

As long as it's not something obvious like the last 5 or 6 holes at your place are very tough, my answer is pre-shot routine.

It occupies your mind so that you don't think of your score - or anything else. If you do it on every shot it becomes a habit.

I don't have a problem with knowing how I'm doing during the round, but you can't be thinking about it stood over the ball.

 

[Slab]

It's not a case of playing to 7 or 8 slab. I accept that I may drop shots coming in, but when I drop only 6 through 14, then 5 in 5 it's a bit like "The wheels came off" syndrome. And it 's always after the 14th.

So to take it to next stage, how many shots would you be happy to drop during play of those 5 specific holes?
(forget the other holes you've played & how you played them)

 

[One Planer]

So to take it to next stage, how many shots would you be happy to drop during play of those 5 specific holes?
(forget the other holes you've played & how you played them)

Being honest, I'd be happy to drop 3 shots after 14.

Our 17th is SI 1, and the 15th and 18th come in low on the stroke index too from memory.

 

[One Planer]

As long as it's not something obvious like the last 5 or 6 holes at your place are very tough, my answer is pre-shot routine.

It occupies your mind so that you don't think of your score - or anything else. If you do it on every shot it becomes a habit.

I don't have a problem with knowing how I'm doing during the round, but you can't be thinking about it stood over the ball.

We've spoken about this before Gary and I think you're right.

When I do start to feel pressure, I have nothing to fall back on. If I have a routine that I follow time after time, It, should, hopefully ease some of the pressue.

 

[rickg]

Try some EFT Tapping to help you keep your mind on it.

Worked for me on our 18th. Its over a small dyke with a load of trees way way way right. Not really in play. But everytime i would hit my ball into the trees regardless of how good i was driving on the day. So tried a bit of this after reading "Dream On"

http://www.theenergytherapycentre.co.uk/tapping-points.htm

Fascinating link... :thup:
just got to explain away to my playing partners on the 18th why I'm saying this 3 times whilst randomly whacking myself......

"Even though I have this slice, I deeply and completely love and accept myself"

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Stay in the present, as they say. Simple thoughts.....middle of the fairway, middle of the green, 2 putts. Par is never a bad score.
As Imurg said, low players can do it and that is why they are low players. You have the ability to par (or even birdie) every hole on your course, the thing that stops you doing it is the bad decisions and the mental lapses.

Focus!

:thup:

 

[Ian_S]

The traditional advice would be to learn to forget about your score.

However, this is a bit like the "don't think about a pink elephant" problem. You can't help but think about it. Another option, controversial as it may be, get used to knowing what your score is. Keep track and make sure you know where you are after every hole.

Just a different take on the same problem. If you can stand on the 18th knowing a par will get you a PB and you can not let it affect your game, then in my opinion that's a very strong mental place to be.

 

[Slab]

Being honest, I'd be happy to drop 3 shots after 14.

Our 17th is SI 1, and the 15th and 18th come in low on the stroke index too from memory.

Ok so taking your actual 5 dropped shots minus the 3 you'd accept on any regular day (& just playing devils advocate here) so what you're really saying to yourself is that it feels like the wheels have come off because you dropped two shots across the entire round!

That's two shots across 80 something shots that you find unacceptable... doesn't really sound like the wheels have come off or that it would be a mountain to climb to correct

Glass half empty anyone