This game is so cruel !!!!

[Basher]

Went up to my course last night for a practise session prior to todays comp.
Hitting the ball like a dream off the tee, iron play was good too. Putting a bit so so (weakest part of my game) but acceptable.

Went up to the course this morning full of confidence for a good round.

Pulled my drive left off the first tee, messed about a bit and ended up with a 7. 2nd (par3) ended up with a 7 there too, and the next one! Front 9 saw mainly 6's and 5's with the 7's and even an 8!!!

Back 9 wasn't much better, 2 lost balls, mainly 6's and missed a 3 footer for par on the last.
I have to say my putting was much better though, holing some good 10 to 15 footers.

Long and short of it all is that last night night saw me playing really well, whereas today my game was pants when I needed it to be good. Such a cruel game. The good shots I did play will obviously remain logged in the old memory and spur me on to ensure I return to fight another day.

Analysing my round afterwards (like you do) made me wonder if I was bottling it under competition pressure. I know I'm not good enough to win outright, but I know I can play much better as last night proved.

Anybody else have the same thoughts?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Having played last Friday and blitzed the front 9 in -1 gross before missing the cut in the club championships I know your pain only to well. I think sometimes you can get an air of invincibility if you are hitting the ball well and assume every shot will come off. When you hit an errant one its a shock to the system and panic sets in.

I know from your reports on here that you have played well in competitive situations but maybe you were placing too much pressure on yourself to get a top 3 on the back of last night. I guess the moral is to relax andlet whatever happens to happen. Easier said than done with a card and pencil in hand but take heart that your putting held up under pressure and look forward to the next competition

 

[clubchamp07]

I know what I'd do, I wouldn't play any more Friday evening's. The hunger left you, so it was boring on the Saturday. Keep it fresh on Saturday forget about the day before.IMO

 

[Robokolo]

I had a thread about this a couple of weeks a go with the dissapointment of faltering in competition standards.

However after missing two big chances to get my handicap cut i then removed 4 strokes in the next competition. Remember golf is like a cruel misstress will hold you close and all will be fine but she can take it away with just one cold snap of her fingers!

Like everyone else said, channel your frustration into determination to perform next time round

 

[viscount17]

I've had a couple of months of good times so I agree the air of invincibility this gives yet this has been coupled with the anxiety of expecting the wheels to come off. So much so, that while I started my last medal with thoughts of another cut (mistake number 1?) once things started to go wrong, subconciously did I welcome it?

next round a day or so later, went round under par.

 

[Basher]

Thanks for the coments fellas. Some very valid points.

You're quite right Homer, I have put a few good scores together in competitions. Just seems to be a struggle at present to play anything like decent golf.

The challenge is there to practise and prepare for the next comp, hopefully by the time I'm teeing off in the next comp my game may be better.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can't remember if you've ever said whetheryou warm up before a competitive round. I usually get there about an hour before hand and stretch, hit a few wedges and then a few shots with each club (or sometimes 5-10 with either odd or even numbered irons). Its not a practice session so I try and avoid swing thoughts unless its going horribly, horribly wrong but just work on trying to get a decent tempo and to relax and feel club on ball. I'll hit a few bunker shots to get the feel of the sand (especially if its wet sand) and a few chips. I'll go pick up my card, have a quick trip to the gents (I suffer terribly from pre-match nerves - have done in every sport I've played) and then finish with 10 putting green. Again I'm not trying to hole everything but get a feel for the pace. I will finish with a few two footers so the last thing I see is the ball going into the hole. Then its onto the first tee, shake hands, swap cards and whack one OB

What I'm saying is it might do you good to find a routine that works for you and which gets you out there relaxed. Then you'll know what way the ball is flying and how you are putting and can allow for this during the round.

 

[Basher]

We do have a practise ground but it is not exactly close to the clubhouse or 1st tee. I therefore tend to give it a miss, opting for the putting green for a bit of chipping and putting practise before my round. I may go to the nets for a swing to warm up.

I think you may have a point there Homer, I just may need to get warmed up instead of approaching the 1st tee "cold"

My 1st tee shot is something of a lottery (probably due to no warming up!) Generally my 1st tee shot is often a slice, although I have since developed something of a hook since changing my grip in an effort to combat the slice.

I keep telling myself I must allow myself more time to practise, obviously work and family committments affect it. HID, as a rule never moans about my jaunts off to the course but work obviously restricts my practise. I do feel I should try and put more practise time in. May be the problem, although possibly 9 holes the night before a comp may not be the way, as suggested previously.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm not adverse to the odd few holes the night before but sometimes prefer a range sessionif I've not been firing on all cylinders, reasoning that I'd rather hit badly on a range and than go onto the course and remember what I did the day before.

I definitely think you need to make the effort to hit some balls even 20 or so will give you a sense of how you are playing and what your temp and timing is like. have a few chips and putts to get the feel of your short game and then a few swings on the first tee. The important thing I've found is not to leave the warm up too long before going onto the tee where you can start to stiffen up a tad. I once got to a club, warmed up and found I had 30 minutes to kill (misread the tee time). Went to the bar for a cup of tea and having sat down found I'd just stiffened up a touch and had lost my tempo for the first few holes. Keep loose

 

[need_my_wedge]

I had a lesson about 3 weeks or so ago, been striking the ball better than ever shooting between 44 - 47 for each of the nine holes I played since. Went up last Saturday for 18 with a mate brimming with confidence and proceeded to play my worst golf of the year. Came home in 112 - can't tell you how deflated I was. Couldn't figure it out, no matter what I did, could not strike the ball well at all.

Anyways, up the range last night, striking the ball great again.....

Will wait to see what the weather brings tomorrow......