How many bad breaks a round?

[tiger1873]

I watch an interview with Tiger the other day and he had an interesting  comment that got me thinking.

 

He said golf is not about good shots but instead about what do after your bad shot.

 

I see so many kids parents who get so mad when a kid has a bad shot.  In a round of 18 holes what are the chances you don’t have a few bad breaks or bad shots. 
 

[heavy_hitter]

23 hours ago, tiger1873 said:

I watch an interview with Tiger the other day and he had an interesting  comment that got me thinking.

 

He said golf is not about good shots but instead about what do after your bad shot.

 

I see so many kids parents who get so mad when a kid has a bad shot.  In a round of 18 holes what are the chances you don’t have a few bad breaks or bad shots. 
 

 

Bad breaks are bad breaks and often caused by a poor swing.  I believe, for the most part, the player is the one that makes the bad break.  A bad break is something you have no control of.  A bad break is going into a fairway divot.  A ball that hits a cart path and bounces OB is not a bad break.  You shouldn't have hit the cart path.

 

This post shouldn't be in the Equipment Section.

Edited October 5, 2020 by heavy_hitter

[Jimi Thing]

I agree, very few bad breaks in golf. Those that are mentally not great will disagree. 
 

mostly poor decisions which lead to indifferent swings, resulting in poor execution and poor results. 
 

my favorite: those complaining that their shot got a bad kick into the water. Not owning the fact that the course always slopes towards a water hazard. 

[kekoa]

So there aren't bad breaks in golf caused by something other than a bad swing?  I guess PGA commentators have no idea what they are talking about then. 

[heavy_hitter]

7 minutes ago, kekoa said:

So there aren't bad breaks in golf caused by something other than a bad swing?  I guess PGA commentators have no idea what they are talking about then. 

 

I don't think either of us said that. 

 

Re-Read what I said.

 

It may not be a bad swing, but could be alignment as well.  Do you want me to list every thing?

 

Bad Break:  Player A hits a ball which hits the first cut and bounces into 4" rough.  Player B hits the same exact spot and the ball bounces into the fairway.  Solution for player A.  Better swing or better alignment.

 

Bad Break:  Two players hit their 7i 190.  They are playing hole #17 at the Honda.  Par 3 over water into a usually stiff wind.  Player A uses a 7 iron to a flag stick and hits the middle of the green.  Player B gets a stiff wind and ends up in the drink.

 

As far as commentators, Johnny Miller was the best because he was brutally honest.  He would rarely claim :Bad Break" for a player.

 

I think good players don't think in the terminology of good breaks and bad breaks.  If you think in that terminology you will never be great.

 

I have told this story on here and will tell it again.  I think everyone who is a golf fan knows that Greg Norman was immensely talented.  As far as talent goes was one of the best ever but underachieved when it came to winning.  Tom Watson won multiple majors and was as mentally as tough as they come.  I still think Greg Norman was more talented.

 

Greg and Tom shared the same caddie over their playing careers.  The caddie was asked by someone doing a story what the difference was in the two players.  Paraphrasing he said "If Greg was walking to a ball and saw it was in a fairway divot he would become angry.  He would cuss all the way to the ball and complain about always getting bad breaks.  When Tom saw the ball in the fairway divot.  He would calmly smile and say 'WATCH THIS'."

 

Look at all the "Bad Break" players.  They always have bad breaks.  Norman, Sergio are two I can name right off the bat.

[wildcatden]

What if you hit a great shot straight at the pin, it lands 1 yard short and on the first bounce hits the flagstick and goes bounding off into the water?

 

Bad break?

[heavy_hitter]

15 minutes ago, wildcatden said:

What if you hit a great shot straight at the pin, it lands 1 yard short and on the first bounce hits the flagstick and goes bounding off into the water?

 

Bad break?

 Absolutely bad break.

 

Trust me.  My kid is the KING of claiming Bad Breaks. 

 

Hits a ball and it gets plugged into the bank of a water hazard.  Him "Bad Break".  Me "Don't hit it in the hazard". 

 

Hits a ball and it gets a fried egg in a green side bunker.  Him "Bad Break".  Me "Don't hit it there or learn how to hit that shot."  Bad Break?  Sure.  By the same token he caused that bad break.  Needed another club.

Edited October 5, 2020 by heavy_hitter

[leezer99]

1 hour ago, wildcatden said:

What if you hit a great shot straight at the pin, it lands 1 yard short and on the first bounce hits the flagstick and goes bounding off into the water?

 

Bad break?

 

I posted it the other day but my son hit the flagstick on a par 3 and it ricocheted off the green.  Told him to just aim for the bottom of the cup next time.

[tiger1873]

This should be be moved out of the equipment section by the mods.

 

 

I don't think there is such a thing as a round without a bad break or bounce.  If someone claims they are perfect 100% of the time there either full of BS or cheating.

 

The best players make bad breaks look they don't exist. They have bad shots like everyone else but they have an great ability to pull off a great shot after it . Trying to 100% perfect shots is impossible although I see so many parents who think a kid should never make a mistake.

 

When a player gets in trouble I think that's when you can actually tell the real skill of a golfer as well.   The player who can't get out of trouble but claims a sub 75 on a round is more than likely lying.  

 

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by tiger1873

[tiger1873]

21 hours ago, heavy_hitter said:

 Absolutely bad break.

 

Trust me.  My kid is the KING of claiming Bad Breaks. 

 

Hits a ball and it gets plugged into the bank of a water hazard.  Him "Bad Break".  Me "Don't hit it in the hazard". 

 

Hits a ball and it gets a fried egg in a green side bunker.  Him "Bad Break".  Me "Don't hit it there or learn how to hit that shot."  Bad Break?  Sure.  By the same token he caused that bad break.  Needed another club.

 

 

You have to accept your going to have mishits out there and stuff like that happens.  Now what you describing can be poor course management or inconstant distance and sometimes you simply can control how a ball will react after it lands.  If you hit the bunker and it causes you to blow up a hole I view that as a weakness not a bad break. 

 

I seen parents of kids who claim they can usually score below par but can't get out of a bunker or have very poor course management skills.   It's total BS the kids are not that good.

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by tiger1873