One Dang Hole!

This isn't a first for me (https://forums.golfwrx.com/discussion/1586580/check-out-my-scorecard#latest) After 12 holes I was even and then dunk two in the lake and limp off with a quad. Play the rest of the round even to shoot +4.

I guess I need to look for a 17 hole course somewhere.

Yesterday I had put together an ok run (for me) on the back 9. 2 over through through 15, and then on 16 right in transition the guys I'm playing with talk. I hate to blame something like that but I flinched and came up about a foot short of the ball, which skittered about 35 yards into the rough. My next shot found the water, then fairway, back of green, and so on for a quad 8. Immensely disappointing.

I wish it was only 1 dang hole. When I get done lately it always seems there are 4/5 holes where I go if I’d only just bogeyed those holes.

But with a 17 hole course you would have still shot +4. You need a 12 hole course.?

I know that feel.

Had a great round going at one of my favorites last year. +2 on the front, -1 on the back going into 17. Long par three - it varies depending on the tees and pin - that day I think it was around 200. Hit a solid 4i that the wind grabbed just enough to drift right into a bunker. Pin was cut close to it so instead of just getting it on the damn green, I tried to get cute with it.

ONE MORE FOOT OF CARRY, I'd have had a tap in for par. Alas, less that one more foot ... it rolled back to my feet. HIt hard out - WAY too hard - and proceeded to 3 putt.

Par'd 18 after missing a 10 footer for birdie.

Still a score I'm proud of but that one goddamn hole.

I had a 94 today with a quint, a quad, and three triples. Otherwise I had a pretty decent round lol ? It was actually one of the crazier rounds I’ve ever played. I felt pretty good overall about most parts of my game. I was trying out this new mental game approach/PSR (because many of the low caps on here claim that is the secret). In all seriousness I think it was working. The terrible holes were just weird. Compounded errors. Bad shots out of nowhere. I putted as well as I have in a long time, and for the “short game and putting” crowd, that part of my game was solid today. Just wildness off the tee and loose irons here or there.

Anyway, I’ve got to figure out how to stop the big numbers.

I think we've all been there. I know I've been inside the bar with the guys after a round, and when asked what I shot that day I say something along the lines of "77, with a triple on hole 4". It is indeed very frustrating.

Oh man I hate those rounds, just last week a 73 with a double on 17

back when I had the toe hook driver miss I’d shoot 78-80 all the time, 15 holes E or -1 ... and two triples and a double for 78-80

Yep, we've all been there. Key to consistently shooting lower scores is to turn those 'blowup' holes into bogies or doubles at worst. Sometimes it's better to play it safe on tough holes and take your par or bogey than it is to force the issue and bring trouble into play.

Sorry I'm kinda new around here-- what's the new mental game approach / PSR you speak of?

Sorry it is a new approach I’m taking to pre-shot routine (PSR). I’ve debated the “play golf” vs “play golf swing” approach for years. There are those that will tell you that is where the magic sauce is when trying to get into low single digits or better. I’ve always believed (and unfortunately still do) that no amount of better course strategy or “mental game” etc can overcome a crappy golf swing. Or more specifically, I believe that I already maximize my opportunities from good course management. I’ve studied the topic for years and don’t often come away from a round thinking that I just played like crap because I made poor decisions. I made a 9 on a hole yesterday, and I used the exact same approach to it that I did on the previous hole in which I lipped out a birdie putt. I had also birdied this hole the day before, and teed up from the same spot and aimed to hit the same tee ball etc. I just had several crappy swings / shots that led to a 9 I didn’t do anything stupid, nor did I have some negative thought over the ball. In fact, I had a good state of mind approaching that hole because I had started the day off pretty well.

However, I do believe there is something to getting really target focused vs “swing thoughts” over the ball (though all of my best rounds came when I had one swing thought over the ball that was totally working for me that day). I also believe that I am too “analytical” while playing golf and probably over-analyze or strategize vs just playing and relying on my athletic instincts. Thus, I’ve been trying to do all of my analyzing and swing thoughts behind the ball but then just clear my mind and get really target focused over the ball, and just “mindlessly” pull the trigger. I think there is something to it, though my swing has been a bit off the past couple of weeks and so again I’m back to “no amount of mental game can overcome a bad golf swing” mantra...

Yup

one wayward Driver into the woods

One shot into the water

A couple of missed 3 foot putts (grrrrr)

I shot 85 this morning and could easily - EASILY have been 79.

I had a 73 today and one bad shot messed it up. Golf is hard.

Was having the round of my life last week, thought I’d finally break the magic barrier, but a 9 on a late par 4 killed it. 74.

On a 9 hole run two days later, 7 on a par 3. 39.

Today, held 9 together on the 9 hole course I grew up on until age 15. 1 over, no blowups.

This streak will pass and I’ll be back to “me” soon, but today was the first round without cortisone and since surgery that from the time I teed off to the time I finished I never once thought of my left elbow. So happy to have a nice little run.

SO - don’t let it get you down, it will pass!

I laugh about it with my friends now, but twice I’ve had MASSIVE blow up holes that destroyed great rounds. A 17 on a par 5 horseshoe hole around water and shot 82. Also had a 13 on par 4 to shoot 80. These were about 5 years apart and ironically both happened on the 12th hole. Never been under par for 18 but could’ve been if I’d just made a par on either one of those holes.

Streak did pass, lol, other night instead of one, I had 5 dang holes! 4 doubles and a quad in 9 holes. Needless to say, the 18 I played in 90 degrees and high humidity immediately before that may have contributed - I had nothing and just didn't care.

Having a 17 and still finishing with an 82 reminds me of the time I had a 13 on a par 4 and then got a case of I don't give a cr@p and shot -4 for the rest of the round. No pressure - just pin hunting. I wish I could have that mentality more often.

It was during a buddies trip to MB and the next to last day we had a tradition where everyone threw $100 into the pot and we paid out 1st and 2nd place. Must play completely by the rules, no gimmies etc... and I pulled off my 17 on the 3rd hole. I then had the mindset just like you described, to heck with everything. Did not for one second think of my score or how I was doing vs. my buddies. The guys I was grouped with kept my score and never said anything. Wound up in 2nd place.

Best part of the hole was actually still grinding over a 20 ft. putt that rolled in for me and I can call it a smooth 17. Then watching my friends erupt in laughter once I was done. One guy literally had tears running down his face. I sincerely appreciate them holding it in until I’d completed that disaster.?

+4 on the 18th tee yesterday and walked off with a triple for 79.

I've never broken 80. Came close a number of times. A few weeks ago I had a quad on an easy par-4 (found both the fairway and greenside bunkers) that I normally par in my sleep. Shot 82. Golf is a funny game.

Did exactly this the first time I broke 80. The worse part was that I piped a drive down the middle of the fairway, so I somewhat told myself “ok man, relax, it’s done...you’ve finally done it”. I ignored the poor lie I was in (downhill, no grass on hardpan on this spot), and went ahead and played to the green over a pond. Skulled one into the pond. Then hit a squirrely wedge left of the green, chipped on and nervously 2-putted. I got it done anyway, but should have been a 76 instead of a 79. Whew!

Try not looking at score until round is over, removes self-imposed pressure.

Had 38 on my weekday league on front 9. I usually blowup on a hole and score low 40s..

Finally was able to play without a blowup..

3 birdies, 4 bogies..

Men's night was yesterday. Our front 9 in a Par 37 so going sub 40 is always a good challenge and only the front 9 counts for men's league.

I feel like I am on the edge of breaking par but it just never happens and it all comes down to putting.

#1- Par 4. Solid drive, short side myself left which is the worst spot I could miss, put it to 6 feet for par and miss the putt. Bogey

#2- Par 3. Solid 7 Iron to about 12 feet, lip out for birdie.

#3- Par 4. Miss left off the tee and end up in the bunker on the 16th fairway lol, have about 135 to the middle of the green but have to get it up over some trees. Hit a PW and land pin high on the front of the green. tricky 15 footer for birdie that I barely miss again.

#4- Par 4. Great drive down the left side of the fairway. Nice PW in from about 133 but plays up hill a club to a back pin. Edge of the green leaving me 20 feet. Leave it 6 inches short for birdie.

#5- Par 5. Another good drive down middle. 222 to the middle of the green but I want to miss short if anything. Strong wind from behind, hit a 5 Iron that rolls into the green side right bunker, get it out to about 8 feet and guess what? 3 PUTT FROM 8 FEET GOING FOR BIRDIE!!!!! It was pretty straight and I guess I was just tired of leaving birdie putts short and I blew it by 5 feet , downhill on the way back....moving on

#6- Par 4. Throwing away negative thoughts as I approach the tee box, let it go. This hole requires a lay up shot about 200 yards where the fairway ends and drops down into a valley to an elevated green. I prefer to just bomb a 3 wood far enough to get past the down slope where the rough is rather manageable and have a 60 yard approach in. I do exactly that but the pin in front right which the whole green funnels into. I somehow hang my ball up on the back edge trying to play the slope. Leaving me about 35-40 feet severely downhill , I am thinking that I'll be lucky to keep this on the green let alone 6 feet past the hole for a potential par save. Aiming wayyy right of the hole to play the slope I read it perfectly, ball is just tracking so well towards the whole at such a nice pace and STOPS 1" in front.....How this came up short still blows my mind. I take the Par and move on.

#7- Par 4. Push my drive a little left and have to hit out of some long grass from about 110. Punch a 54 out which ends up in the green side left bunker. Put my bunker shot to about 5 feet straight up hill. Pull the putt right and miss...

Told myself I am not shooting 40 playing this well. Time to make 2 birdies

#8- Par 4. Push my drive again but stays left side fairway making the hole a little longer. 8 Iron downhill from about 165, hit it a little thin but it takes a nice bounce on the front edge of the green and rolls up to 5 feet from the pin.....you know it....leave the putt 2 inches short....It was a weird break and tough to read as it was right on the edge of a ridge but still. Another short birdie putt missed.

#9- Par 5. Great drive down the middle. Hit 3 wood into the wind and just smoked it. Best 3 wood off the turf I have hit all year. Nice cut down the right side leaving me a great approach from about 30 yards. I play a PW bump and run to a front pin location which stops 1 foot away from the hole. That birdie putt I did not miss.

End my evening with a 39....I mean its a good score but I left so much out there. Maybe one day it will all come together.

Today I bought a new putter. LOL