How to let go of a really bad round of golf. Any advice? I just had one for the first time this year

Here's a little background on myself. I recently started playing Golf again after a 15 year layoff, and 17 years from playing competitively on the mini tours in Florida and around the country. Played in numerous PGA and Buy.com tour qualifiers (Now known as the Web.com) when I was in my early 20's. I never ever stepped up on a tee box without believing I was the best player in the field. It was not uncommon for me especially during the winter down in Florida to find out I was paired with someone who had a card on the PGA Tour or Buy.com at some point. When I would step on the first tee with them I felt like I belonged. Now lets fast forward 17 years later and I'm 40. This year I bought a membership and I got my USGA handicap currently down to a 0.3.

Now lets talk about two days ago and the nightmare that took place. I hit some balls on the range, everything is going fine. Hitting the ball like I normally due, getting loose, starting with my wedges and then moving through the rest of my bag. Its time to tee off so I make my way over the first tee on a beautiful fall day. I stand behind the ball, take a couple practice swings, pick my target and line and then........ Cold topped it! I end up making bogey on the first and move onto the second. I tell myself "Thats golf, suck it up and move on." As I step up on the tee I stick to my same routine. The course's tee boxes had been recently top dressed due to the course being aerated so I felt it was hard to build a solid foundation due to feeling through my feet that there was a possibility of slipping. So for the first time all year long, I cold topped another one off the tee.

Now at this point my mind is racing and I'm wondering if I'm in a bad dream or what kind of s*** I did to deserve this. I even went to church in the morning so I knew that couldn't be the reason. Let me just tell you what I felt during this round I haven't experienced all year. It was emberassing and the guys I am playing were highly confused by my poor play as well due to the fact that I have shot under par when we have been paired together in the past.

So yeah thats how it went on Sunday and it was demoralizing to say the least.

Any advice would be much appreciated, thank you for your time.

~Steve

I recently just had one of these days. For reference Im a +3 hdcp.

Went out for a practice day trying to shoot a good score with my partner to prepare for the usga fourball qualifier. After 8 holes we were at 10 over BEST BALL. Couldnt tell you how many balls we lost and all the bad thoughts going through our heads, but we ended up quitting the round after 9 holes. Got a bite to eat to decompress and spent the lunch blaming the round on external factors to calm our nerves. Took the day off and came back the next day and worked on the basics at the range. Alignment sticks, swing path, grip, all basics. Didnt play well in the qualifier but the game came back shortly after.

It will pass.

Thank you for your reply Dmecca. I'll just do my best to let it go and know that this stuff happens no matter how good you think you are and the scores you have been shooting during the year.

Bad short term memory is great. You can't focus on what is going wrong as that just feeds into the dilemma. Focus on what you're supposed to be doing

Few years ago at our club championship I had a bad case of the s's with partial wedges and ended up shooting 89. Round two the same day I shot 74 and back into contention

What were we talking about again?

It happens. I got back from vacation and didn't have a chance to touch clubs for two weeks (I normally play 2-3x per week) and went out and shot one of my best rounds (74) in a seemingly effortless fashion. The next day I was still riding high on that round and decided to work on shaping balls at the range - nothing but shanks. For the life of me I couldn't get a ball to hit off the toe no matter what I did. I decided it was a fluke and called it a day and returned the next day to find the same problem still existed and it was frustrating because it looked like I had no idea who to swing a club. To get over it I decided that I needed to work on fundamentals again (grip, posture, check-points) which helped but left me with no confidence in my game. Funny thing is I decided to go out and play this past weekend with ZERO EXPECTATIONS and NO SWING THOUGHTS which resulted in my best round ever (72). Funny game and sometimes I think you just have to walk away and laugh it off to avoid going down a rabbit hole.

It will pass. Don’t do a thing.

Easy answer is that your subconscious was focused on slipping. Therefore you were making some sort of adjustment in case this happened. Guaranteed that’s the cause of the tops. I’ve done similar in the rain worrying about a grip slip. You start strangling the club and steering rather than free swinging.

Try to focus on the back of the ball , or something else. Just tell yourself , “ if I slip I slip .... but I’m going to make a good pass anyway.” And trust it.

Shot 86 btw if you guys were wondering what my score was as I post every round I play so my handicap stays legit. Good or bad have to post them all.

This round was played at TPC Deere Run which I've played plenty of times before and made my share of birdies. Put a string of 4 birdies together on the backside which was a good way to finish. Wish that round would have happened Sunday but it didn't.

Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. Don't go to the range and try to work out an issue. Don't get into all the fundamentals and swing thoughts and trying to diagnose things. Just step away, and when you come back hit the ball like you normally do. Hell you dropped the game for 15 years and got yourself to scratch. Your mind and body obviously know how to hit a golf ball.

Being psychologically educated, self-taught and a low single-digit golfer, I don't recall ever learning of a "proven" way to let go of bad thoughts. It's more about inadequate self-control and an impulse to repeat certain negative actions or conclusions and letting them get in your own way of progress. To my consistent game, and 82 is ugly, yet I had one the other day. When I walked off the course I went through each hole and shot, noted my mistakes, what I failed to consider, what I should have done differently, then when I finished 18, I remembered the best shots and stored the rest.

Dwelling on a bad day or a mistake isn't going to keep a bad day or the same mistake(s) from happening in the future. When facing obstacles and decisions, mental self-control and clear forethought are what tend to keep bad or ugly from repeating themselves. A person has to make a conscious decision whether progress and success are the goals or staying in your way, dwelling on mistakes and fear of failure are going to be your fate. The ladder traits are common among personalities that don't want to or fear success.

Oh BOO HOO HOO. Be lucky you are out there. There are many people that are sick, would do anything to be in your shoes. Golf is not cheap, there are many that cannot afford to play.

This is hilarious, just be glad you can be out there. If you find this to be stressful, what will happen if one day a truly serious event happens.

These

It's hard to be your best all the time at golf

Glug down a couple of Guinness and don't worry about it, it's all about perspective

Bro you gotta learn to laugh it off. If it bothers you so much to come and complain to a forum about normal golf variance then not sure how you made it to be a scratch player.

> @nikeblades00 said:

> Bro you gotta learn to laugh it off. If it bothers you so much to come and complain to a forum about normal golf variance then not sure how you made it to be a scratch player.

>

>

It’s because topping the ball twice on the tee of hole 1 and 2 to start my round has never happened before as long as I can remember. I still remember bad shots from 20 years ago so I have an excellent memory. But hey it’s golf and weird things happen even though the worst feeling is when you cold top a shot in my opinion. I’m going to let it go and move on because you are right I should just laugh it off.

You're only human brutha...and life is all about balance. You gotta be terrible sometimes to truly feel the accomplishment of reversing it and being great again. Roll with and you'll be just fine.

Couple weeks ago had the pup out for a refresher at a game farm. Only missed one pheasant he pointed but the one I missed - quick first shot under as he was rising and two salutes as he kept going. Don’t ever hit ‘em all, lol, but stood there literally laughing out loud thinking I’d actually fired 3 quick shots at an easy bird like an excited newbie and that having my over/under along would have at least been less embarrassing. Thank goodness my older dog wasn’t there to give me “the look”. So, I talked to the pup and we continued on.

Now nothing is more traumatic to any of us than golf gone temporarily weird, but my point is stuff happens and just have to shake it off - move on to the next shot with no baggage. At your level I’d guess no damage done.

As a 7 hdcp I have no business telling you how to play the game, but you asked for ways to deal with a dirt road ugly round. I have experience there.

Just today I had a miserable front 9 and was 6 strokes worse than a 11 hdcp buddy I typically beat. We are always ribbing each other in our foursome and today was no different. As my chances of winning anything in league we’re dismal I made a new goal to catch my buddy on the back 9.

I started birdie birdie and had a bunch of pats pulling to within 1 stoke. I faltered a little but got to the (for me) difficult final hole 2 strokes behind. I birdied the hole and it put pressure on him but he got a par.

So, the point of the long story is for me once I’m out of the running I reset my goals to try to make it interesting. Maybe that can be a press bet, or skins type challenge or just try to catch a buddy like I did. Anything to get my mind off of the dog of a round.

Honestly, we all think we are better players than we are.

Best example of a bad day for reference is Jordan Spieth.

Look at his Thursday Friday vs weekend stats and you’ll feel better.

Trust me!

> @Irishman1979 said:

> Shot 86 btw if you guys were wondering what my score was as I post every round I play so my handicap stays legit. Good or bad have to post them all.

>

> This round was played at TPC Deere Run which I've played plenty of times before and made my share of birdies. Put a string of 4 birdies together on the backside which was a good way to finish. Wish that round would have happened Sunday but it didn't.

You made 4 birdies in a row to close to get to 86? Rough day!

> @"Lefty Light HItter" said:

> > @Irishman1979 said:

> > Shot 86 btw if you guys were wondering what my score was as I post every round I play so my handicap stays legit. Good or bad have to post them all.

> >

> > This round was played at TPC Deere Run which I've played plenty of times before and made my share of birdies. Put a string of 4 birdies together on the backside which was a good way to finish. Wish that round would have happened Sunday but it didn't.

>

> You made 4 birdies in a row to close to get to 86? Rough day!

No! The four birdies on the back side took place the first time I played Deere Run earlier this year a week after they hosted the John Deere Classic.

> @Irishman1979 said:

> > @"Lefty Light HItter" said:

> > > @Irishman1979 said:

> > > Shot 86 btw if you guys were wondering what my score was as I post every round I play so my handicap stays legit. Good or bad have to post them all.

> > >

> > > This round was played at TPC Deere Run which I've played plenty of times before and made my share of birdies. Put a string of 4 birdies together on the backside which was a good way to finish. Wish that round would have happened Sunday but it didn't.

> >

> > You made 4 birdies in a row to close to get to 86? Rough day!

>

> No! The four birdies on the back side took place the first time I played Deere Run earlier this year a week after they hosted the John Deere Classic.

Good news is it was just a bad day. I watched Andy Bean top one on the first hole of an event and birdied it. John Daly has shot multiple high 80's rounds in competition. Probably a first in a long time for you to shoot that bad, but I'd guess you have nothing to worry about.

> @"Lefty Light HItter" said:

> > @Irishman1979 said:

> > > @"Lefty Light HItter" said:

> > > > @Irishman1979 said:

> > > > Shot 86 btw if you guys were wondering what my score was as I post every round I play so my handicap stays legit. Good or bad have to post them all.

> > > >

> > > > This round was played at TPC Deere Run which I've played plenty of times before and made my share of birdies. Put a string of 4 birdies together on the backside which was a good way to finish. Wish that round would have happened Sunday but it didn't.

> > >

> > > You made 4 birdies in a row to close to get to 86? Rough day!

> >

> > No! The four birdies on the back side took place the first time I played Deere Run earlier this year a week after they hosted the John Deere Classic.

>

> Good news is it was just a bad day. I watched Andy Bean top one on the first hole of an event and birdied it. John Daly has shot multiple high 80's rounds in competition. Probably a first in a long time for you to shoot that bad, but I'd guess you have nothing to worry about.

Thanks. Regarding John Daly, he made a 13 on the 4th hole at Deere Run when he played in the event in 2011. He has not been back since. If I was to guess the course doesn't fit his eye cause he can be a little wild off the tee and the course demands accuracy along with length.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/howd-daly-make-13-i-two-putted

It's golf mate and we're human.

I wouldn't even worry about it, you'll probably never top two in a row again.

> @Jimjam651 said:

> It's golf mate and we're human.

>

> I wouldn't even worry about it, you'll probably never top two in a row again.

> @Jimjam651 said:

> It's golf mate and we're human.

>

> I wouldn't even worry about it, you'll probably never top two in a row again.

Yeah last time I experienced something demoralizing like this was 20 years ago so you are probably right. Thank you for your reply! Hope you are having a good day and I hope lots of birdies come your way in the future.

> @Irishman1979 said:

> > @nikeblades00 said:

> > Bro you gotta learn to laugh it off. If it bothers you so much to come and complain to a forum about normal golf variance then not sure how you made it to be a scratch player.

> >

> >

>

> It’s because topping the ball twice on the tee of hole 1 and 2 to start my round has never happened before as long as I can remember. I still remember bad shots from 20 years ago so I have an excellent memory. But hey it’s golf and weird things happen even though the worst feeling is when you cold top a shot in my opinion. I’m going to let it go and move on because you are right I should just laugh it off.

I think your problem is that you make a big deal out of a couple of bad shots and just shake off the good things you do on the course. You should dwell on the good things and do your best to forget the bad shots and breaks as soon as possible.

You learn from everything you do on the course, sometimes the learning curve goes upwards, but other times the learning is negative and leaves scares.

The strongest lessons are the ones that are spiced up with strong emotions - and reflecting upon them in hindsight makes it even stronger. Which is what I think you're doing here.

By starting this thread you're dwelling way too much on something that you'd better forget asap. If it makes any difference at all it will probably hurt your game.

> @chippa13 said:

>

lol