Why do we think "it'll be alright if I go for it?"

[GreiginFife]

Just on from my thread on thinking I was going to get away with a decent score only to collapse slightly, I was also thinking about the error of judgement on the par 3 10th that meant I walked off with a 6.

Now, thinking back, I know that the sensible thing to do would have maybe resulted in a 4, heck maybe even a par, but I went for the "world cup" shot.

I hit a poor tee shot and ended up short and in some pretty deep clag. Instead of nudging it out on to the short stuff (which I must have known was the right course to take), I go at it with a SW and try to blast it out toward the green. The result is a tangled club head and the ball sclaffed further in to the rough. 2 to get out from there meant I was already looking at a 5 at best.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and it tells me I was an idiot. But surely I must have known what I was doing was wrong but did it anyway...

Anyone else do this but understand why?

 

[6inchcup]

I think we have all been guilty of the 1 in 1,000,000 shot at some time in our golfing lives and everyone knows they shouldn't take it on but think this time I WILL hit a 5w 280 yds over water from a parched downhill lie and land it softly to a pin tucked behind a cavanous bunker,I tend to get behind these people when ever I play,you know the ones,after hitting their Sunday best drive 180yds,they stand waiting on a par 5 f.or the green to clear even though it is still over 300yds to go uphill,just in case they hit a good one!!!!!!!!

 

[CMAC]

schoolboy error..........and what we all do as we might.........just might pull of a Seve shot



golden pro rule is never follow a bad shot with another bad shot............:thup:

 

[mcbroon]

Did the same today - hit a drive that ended up under a tree and against a root with a restricted backswing. Rather than come out sideways and be sure of a decent lie for the next shot, I tried to hit a hollywood shot which deflected off the root and into the fairway bunker, right up against the lip. 2 to get out of there and now I need to get up and down from 160 yds for bogey (par 5). Ended up making double. If I'd come out sideways, or even on a slightly less aggressive line, I'd at least have had a putt for a par.

I think it's because, right up until you make the mistake, you haven't lost any shots yet, so you're still thinking about how to make birdie, rather than limit the number of shots you drop. I know I was thinking that I just needed to get the 2nd shot out and up the fairway 100 yds or so and I'd have a 3rd shot into the green and might make birdie. I didn't think for a second that I might end up in the bunker.

It's probably just a failure to take into account all the possible bad results. I do it all the time and am constantly surprised by the many different bad results that are possible.

 

[drawboy]

It's because if we play off 28 we think we are off 15. Off 15 we think we are off 5. Off 5 we think we are +2. Basically we all think we are better than we really are.....until we walk off with a 6 on an easy 3. Hey! we all do it.

 

[chrisd]

I had a sudden rush of common sense this morning. On our second I slightly fatted the tee shot leaving an uphill 210 yard shot over a ditch. I pulled out a 3 wood and hit a lifetime career shot to the middle of the green. 9 holes later I made a similar mistake on a hole that runs parallel to the 2nd, I thought about the chances of carrying out a virtually same shot and played a 7 iron to lay up!

 

[Keeno]

It's because if we play off 28 we think we are off 15. Off 15 we think we are off 5. Off 5 we think we are +2. Basically we all think we are better than we really are.....until we walk off with a 6 on an easy 3. Hey! we all do it.

I like this

 

[Stuey01]

Because going for it is fun.
The only way to 100% guarantee you won't pull it off is never to try it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Did it in the medal yesterday. Coming of a quadruple bogey at the 14th I hit a good drive down the par five 15th. I swear the five wood was in my had 50 yards from the ball and I was going for it regardless. It was never really the percentage shot and I carved it right. Lost ball and another double. Judging by where the 7 iron provisional landed the five wood would have been too much club anyway. With the finish I had over the last few holes I could have made the buffer with ease. Schoolboy error

 

[GreiginFife]

I went back up tonight when I got home from work and recreated the shot as best I could. But this time I did the sensible thing and made a 4. Those 2 shots would have won me the comp yesterday. I really am going to think things through more from now on.

 

[shewy]

I played a little game the other day during a practice round, slow going anyway so played 2 balls, 1 conservatively, 1 smash it and try the hollywood shot every time, suffice to say I made some but mostly did not, shot 8 better conservatively.