Trying to put a round together

[jasminxo]

• 20 years old
• 24.2 handicap (and going up )
• Playing for 2 years

About 4 weeks ago, i was 32 handicap; was consistently having coaching from the pro and finally got my golf together; i decided to enter a competition to try and get my handicap down, which i did! I got 45 point a nett 62 round on a Par 75 course, and was knocked down to 24, ever since then, I cannot put a decent round together, i'm not shooting between 80-88 gross scores; or averaging out at 25 points in a stableford.

yesterday, i entered another competition, and i had 19 points going out (-1) and thought, finally, i'm going to put a decent round together, and then ended my round being +10 par.

I'm really struggling at maintaining my consistency in golf, and i'm getting frustrated when i go out on the course; people blame the people i play with, but i don't see how that can have an affect, others say it's because i try too hard, and others say i'm too low for my ability.

I just need to know how i can maintain my mentality out there on the course?

 

[G1BB0]

Its probably down to putting too much pressure and expectation on yourself. I can play social golf comfortably in the mid to high 80's (although not for a while). In comps I tend to blow it either on the 1st few holes or a shoddy back 9. It mostly boils down to an inconsistent swing if I am honest.

Look at what costs you the most shots, is it off the tee, 2nd shot or chipping/putting? It could be all of them which suggests rather than working on everything at once just concentrate on one aspect at a time whilst spending a little time on the rest.

After having the worst 4 rounds ever last weekend I have gone right back to basics and working on grip, posture and above all tempo (I was trying to skin it and ended up with a mental breakdown with any club!)

Most of all if you hit a bad shot have a little chuckle, dont beat yourself up and concentrate on the next shot. Don't try and do a hail mary to recover the previous one just play it on its merits. If it means hitting an easy iron to get back in play or lay up do it, dont go for a 200yd 3 wood that you make 1 in 20.

Good luck, golf can be fun and be a PITA but its a hobby not a living :thup:

 

[louise_a]

Welcome to the forum, where do you play.

After a sharp drop in handicap, its not unusual to have a few poorer rounds. I can guess that after 19 points on the first 9 you had a poor hole early on it the back nine, and it got to you, so you tried harder to get the lost points back and it went from bad to worse.

You need to try and relax and not think too much about what has happened, you cant go back and replay the bad holes. I have been there and know what its like.

 

[louise_a]

Its
Most of all if you hit a bad shot have a little chuckle, dont beat yourself up and concentrate on the next shot.

That is just what I do these days Gibbo, it works wonders.

 

[virtuocity]

I was the ultimate high handicapper who thought far too much about winning, reducing handicaps, scoring, hitting birdies etc.

Stop it. Stop it now. It won't help.

What are your bad shots? Fats? Thins? Hooks? Slices? A combination?

As for the mental side of the game, you can read a few books, work tirelessly on your pre-shot routine and develop the mind game of a Category 1 player. But you're not a Cat1 player.

Winning mentality for a 24 handicapper (as I learned the hard way) is very, very easy to achieve. I would just advise you, before hitting each shot, to remember that you're playing for fun. Think about what you find fun in golf. Then approach the ball and make a swing with this mindset. Don't start thinking about lefts, rights, fats etc- just keep that 'feeling' of fun throughout the swing.

Your coach has got you down from 32 to 24 in the space of a month and it's going to be a long process to get down into the teens. I would recommend having a chat with him/her and telling him/her your issues and aspirations.

 

[jasminxo]

I was the ultimate high handicapper who thought far too much about winning, reducing handicaps, scoring, hitting birdies etc.

Stop it. Stop it now. It won't help.

What are your bad shots? Fats? Thins? Hooks? Slices? A combination?

As for the mental side of the game, you can read a few books, work tirelessly on your pre-shot routine and develop the mind game of a Category 1 player. But you're not a Cat1 player.

Winning mentality for a 24 handicapper (as I learned the hard way) is very, very easy to achieve. I would just advise you, before hitting each shot, to remember that you're playing for fun. Think about what you find fun in golf. Then approach the ball and make a swing with this mindset. Don't start thinking about lefts, rights, fats etc- just keep that 'feeling' of fun throughout the swing.

Your coach has got you down from 32 to 24 in the space of a month and it's going to be a long process to get down into the teens. I would recommend having a chat with him/her and telling him/her your issues and aspirations.

bad shots tend to be 100 yards into the green, i hit my pitching wedge on average at 120 yards, so, it's difficult to hit my wedge softly into the green as 9/10 i'll thin it or i'll probably end up topping it.

 

[G1BB0]

grip down an inch or 2 and play a full shot

(something I forget to do lol)

 

[bobmac]

it's difficult to hit my wedge softly into the green as 9/10 i'll thin it or i'll probably end up topping it.

Do yourself a big favour.......
Have a lesson on the clock face drill. It's the best thing you will ever do in golf.
Your pro will know what it is

http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/tips-...tips/2011/february/clock-face-pitching-drill/

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Do yourself a big favour.......
Have a lesson on the clock face drill. It's the best thing you will ever do in golf.
Your pro will know what it is

http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/tips-...tips/2011/february/clock-face-pitching-drill/

Welcome along. Where do you play. My advice would be go back to your pro and get some short game lessons. It sounds as though the ball striking is getting better and consistent. If you can learn to make scores from 100 yards and in then it takes so much pressure off the rest of the game. For learning to control your frustration, I suggest downloading New Golf Thinking onto Kindle or I pad (now available in paperback) and look at the sections relating to bouncing back etc. It isn't a book to be read cover to cover but is something to dip in and out of

 

[G1BB0]

are you on commission payments Homer?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Welcome along. Where do you play. My advice would be go back to your pro and get some short game lessons. It sounds as though the ball striking is getting better and consistent. If you can learn to make scores from 100 yards and in then it takes so much pressure off the rest of the game. For learning to control your frustration, I suggest downloading New Golf Thinking onto Kindle or I pad (now available in paperback) and look at the sections relating to bouncing back etc. It isn't a book to be read cover to cover but is something to dip in and out of

Im not sure how much help Bob needs - he is a pro afterall

 

[G1BB0]

pmsl

 

[the_coach]

bad shots tend to be 100 yards into the green, i hit my pitching wedge on average at 120 yards, so, it's difficult to hit my wedge softly into the green as 9/10 i'll thin it or i'll probably end up topping it.

Best answer to this would be as 'bobmac' advises, talk to your PGA Pro about the 'clock face' defining the length of a swing needed for part shots.

Also understanding that it's the body pivot, the chest/shoulder turn, with a connected arm swing with the hands just holding the handle, that's the 'engine' to provide a controlled smooth accelerating swing 'through' the ball so provides the distance control.

Every shot still needs a smooth accelerating clubhead, you will experience a deal of bad contacts & outcomes to pitches/chips if you 'try' to hit softly as that will means a decelerating clubhead which is not the ways you want.

The only real ways you end up getting a decent score home, is by not thinking about the end result on your ways around. Got to develop the ability to just take one shot at a time. Chew the fat, smell the roses in between, get to the ball & 'switch back on' to concentrate on the shot in hand only, don't get ahead of yourself thinking of the chance of recording your best ever score & an index reduction. Don't beat yourself up over a bad shot that will just make one bad shot turn into many!

 

[IanG]

The only real ways you end up getting a decent score home, is by not thinking about the end result on your ways around. Got to develop the ability to just take one shot at a time. Chew the fat, smell the roses in between, get to the ball & 'switch back on' to concentrate on the shot in hand only, don't get ahead of yourself thinking of the chance of recording your best ever score & an index reduction. Don't beat yourself up over a bad shot that will just make one bad shot turn into many!

This is something I really struggle with. Despite 'knowing' what not to think about my brain seems intent on drifting back onto the subject. Maybe I should try counting backward from 1000 or something. Any tips from those who succeed in distracting themselves?

 

[the_coach]

This is something I really struggle with. Despite 'knowing' what not to think about my brain seems intent on drifting back onto the subject. Maybe I should try counting backward from 1000 or something. Any tips from those who succeed in distracting themselves?

Have some sort of a 'trigger' when you get to the ball, picture a line you step across, or a box around the ball you step in to, tweak the golf glove, whatever it is, just make it the same every shot.
From then just focus on the shot in play, choose a definitive not vague target, have a small routine from picking the aim line from behind the ball, see the successful shot. aim the clubface aim your body parallel left have a couple looks & swing. if you don't give the brian a clear precise picture of the task, the shot, then you have vagueness, indecision become distracted by the negative.

 

[ScienceBoy]

This might help, one way of keeping a score together Trying-to-break-100-The-3-Goals-Method

 

[IanG]

Have some sort of a 'trigger' when you get to the ball, picture a line you step across, or a box around the ball you step in to, tweak the golf glove, whatever it is, just make it the same every shot.
From then just focus on the shot in play, choose a definitive not vague target, have a small routine from picking the aim line from behind the ball, see the successful shot. aim the clubface aim your body parallel left have a couple looks & swing. if you don't give the brian a clear precise picture of the task, the shot, then you have vagueness, indecision become distracted by the negative.

Thanks for that - I'll give it a try when I get to the ball, as well as working on not thinking about my score while walking between shots.

cheers
Ian