Shot an 84, and left confused

[Paul77]

Campise Golf Course, Glasgow. 84 gross, +14 over.

It felt like every other day playing golf, no increase in energy levels or anything. I just took each shot as it came. Luckily I had the course to myself, forby seeing a few here and there. It's a short course but the hills kill your legs.

I have no idea where the 84 score came from. There was a lot of trouble on the holes so the driver only came out on the more open holes, but the 3 wood saved the day most of the time. I even managed a birdie, 7 pars and a few 6's. I could have shaved off a number of shots with better concentration but you only ever think of that later with the help of Game Golf stats. 34 putts in total and I think it was the putter that saved the score.

http://www.gamegolf.com/player/paul77/round/400995

I'm confused as for me this is a belter of a score but it's just come out of nowhere. Last rounds have been horrific, +26, +27, +54, +33 and then this +14 just kind of had me thinking that my alter ego must have played yesterday and not me lol.

I'm not letting it get to me though. I'll be happy if I'm shooting that way on a more consistent basis, however, for now, it's nice to have a record of it.

I have been to the range a lot recently. However, not just hitting balls but aiming for targets with 6 balls for each club. I don't know if it's helped but I'm not complaining

Hope it helps other high handicappers to know that keeping at it does make a difference.

Paul

 

[louise_a]

Well played, now you know you can do it, it should be easier to do it again.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Well done. Now you know you can do it, its about repeating it regulalrly

 

[IanG]

The golfing gods do these things to us from time to time just to mess with our heads.

 

[jamielaing]

This has set your marker and you just need to keep going and aiming to reach it again. Well done, great round!

 

[Curls]

the 3 wood saved the day most of the time.

I even managed a birdie, 7 pars and a few 6's.

Hope it helps other high handicappers to know that keeping at it does make a difference.

Paul

Well done Paul, I've cherry picked what I see as the most important points in that post.

3 wood to keep out of trouble. On our home courses we can get a bit carried away or worse comfortable with what we need to do, when you play a different course you are forced to engage more and play not cautiously but more within your ability. It's priceless.

7 pars, a bird, throw in a bogey and you've play 9 holes in level par. You obviously have a game, you just need to put it together.

Hope this helps - Nice sentiment, indeed this is testament to practicing more but also the way you managed yourself differently. Good man, don't get disheartened now by a backwards step, instead be even more mindful about where you are attempting to place the ball, your realistic ability to do so consistently, and your commitment to that shot, which must be total. Happy golfing!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It's great when you make a score that is a leap from your normal - shows you are capable of moving to that level - good stuff

 

[Paul77]

Thanks folks. If that is what I'm capable of then, I'm going with that strategy from now on. That wee 3 wood is a cracker, and I hit it straight everytime. Even went for the 194y par3 uphill. Came just short of the green but chipped close for par. Keep it in play was my mentality purely because I had no idea where the course lay. I seen short grass, and tried to get there.

 

[Crazyface]

Oh well if no one will say it .....BANDIT !!!!!

 

[Paul77]

Oh well if no one will say it .....BANDIT !!!!!

The last time I was called that, I won the work tourney at Ross Priory. I'm ok when I don't have folk playing up my back I think, and I'm not trying to Tiger my way around a course

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Thanks folks. If that is what I'm capable of then, I'm going with that strategy from now on. That wee 3 wood is a cracker, and I hit it straight everytime. Even went for the 194y par3 uphill. Came just short of the green but chipped close for par. Keep it in play was my mentality purely because I had no idea where the course lay. I seen short grass, and tried to get there.

Keeping your play conservative is always a good route to a good score. I played a 3 wood off the tee for yonks - and got to 6 - learn to hit it far enough and it is forgiving. Was actually thinking 'conservative' play lines myself hitting irons off all tees and no fairway woods. If I don't put myself in situation where I feel I can play the tougher approach shot necessary and you can keep out of trouble. Our second - tough 470 yds (and plays longer) par 4, but play a nice safe fairway wood or long iron off the tee and I know I can't reached the green - then play a simple 5 or 6 iron to 100yds then wedge into green. Take driver off tee and then you feel you have to going for green - so risk bunkers left and right and OoB left and back with a long second - and oft come off with a 7. Take the conservative route and take a stress free 5.

 

[Ethan]

Golf is a funny game and gets even weirder with time. I find that my best scoring rounds occur not when I am nailing the driver long and straight but when I am kinda scraping it into the fairway, sclaffing the second shot somewhere near the green and managing to fumble it in the hole. Nothing pretty but nothing disastrous either. Maybe a few such holes enforce a more conservative play with an extra club and a safe aproach.

 

[Paul77]

The course is littered with wee stone walls lining the fairways. The course sat on three levels so if you pushed a shot left or right over the walls you had a walk to get the ball. The course manager said to me after the match that I must have played the course the way it was designed. My score would have done well in a medal apparently. Need to understand all that first before I pretend to be that golfer.

There's a handful of big stick holes, but punished by long grass rough up to your knees. Playing there again on Tuesday niight coming with my pal so we'll see if it was a fluke or not.

 

[bobmac]

The last time I was called that, I won the work tourney at Ross Priory. I'm ok when I don't have folk playing up my back I think, and I'm not trying to Tiger my way around a course

If you did that, you could shoot 85

 

[Paul77]

If you did that, you could shoot 85

It did cross my mind that one.
I doubt I could get to an 85 on a 7100 yard course. I'd run out of steam. Campsie is only 5173 yards. If it was any longer I'd have needed mountain rescue.

 

[Cossie440]

I always find the days I go out and play with no real expectation on myself are the days when I shoot the best rounds. The only time I've ever broken 90 was a sunny Thursday afternoon last July when I called in sick with work and went off to play on my own. Just relaxed and played for pure enjoyment and it all came together. Problem is now you've set the expectation it puts pressure to go and repeat it and don't play quite so well.

 

[Paul77]

I always find the days I go out and play with no real expectation on myself are the days when I shoot the best rounds. The only time I've ever broken 90 was a sunny Thursday afternoon last July when I called in sick with work and went off to play on my own. Just relaxed and played for pure enjoyment and it all came together. Problem is now you've set the expectation it puts pressure to go and repeat it and don't play quite so well.

That's my worry. Sitting in the pub when I'm 60 saying "Remember that round of 84 I got?" Everyone else says - Nope!

 

[Cossie440]

But thats half the challenge with any sport not just golf is the mental aspect of it.. I remember meeting John Higgins a few years back at a snooker QnA and when I asked him how do you win under pressure? He replied just concentrate on the feeling of when you're playing well!! I guess you have to try and bottle the feeling of being relaxed and swinging well then use it as your mindset when you start your round

 

[Dan2501]

Nicely played mate!

 

[Paul77]

Cheers Dan.

The change was not thinking about a bad tee or why I hit the shot. It was how to hit the next one as I walked up to it. Easy when you're on your own. It'll be harder on Tuesday cause my mate will be all like "Ok lets see this magical 84 then" I'm not bothered. I'll play into the same areas again. Added advantage of knowing the dangers.