The Hardest Shot in Golf

[PostandGhost]

I saw this video the other day and it really shocked me.  This is going to sound like I'm questioning a neuroscientist.  I'm sure he has tons of data backing his hypothesis and I would like to see some more information about his studies, specifically if it varies by golfer's ability.  The TLDR, or the TLDW, is that he believes the two hardest shots are the ones after a bad shot, i.e. an out of bounds ball, and the shot after a missed makable putt.  

 

First, the provisional shot is the easiest shot in golf for me.  I'm a terrible driver of the golf ball somehow my provisional is always long and straight.  Once I pump one out of bounds, obviously I'm angry but there's also a sigh of defeat and my internal dialogue basically says "Can't get any worse", which frees me up to pound a drive.  I've always said that if they had a provisional golf tour, I would be the leading money winner every year.  I would be interested to see what the PGA Tour average is for players hitting back to back balls out of bounds.  The bubba ball is undefeated for me.  It's kind of the same reason why I think it's easier to make a 10 footer for bogey than make a 10 footer for birdie.  Even if I hit a bad drive that stays in bounds, an 8 or 9 on the Doctor's scale, I still feel no pressure on the next shot because I'm great with my irons, especially when there's pine straw under my feet.  I guess I've had a lot of practice.

 

Second, the missed 'makable' putt affecting the next shot is something else that is foreign to me.  If anything I would think it has more implications on the next green when you have a similar putt rather than the very next shot, or even the shot after the next shot, presumably a tee shot.  Typically, after you miss a makable putt, you have a tap-in, which could be missed but highly unlikely.  I hope we would all agree that tap-in putts aren't very hard.  I guess there might be some nerves if you jam a 3 footer by and have a 4 footer coming back?  But that doesn't happen that often with myself or the people I play with.  Likewise, I would be interested to see what the average for 3 putts are on the PGA Tour from a 'makable' range.  If the Doctor is correct about the missed makable putts, you would think that the data would show a higher rate of 3 putts inside a 'makable' range than just outside that range that is not 'makable'.  And maybe the data backs him up, I don't know.  

 

I guess I never really thought about it and I just figured most golfers were like me and had a severe loss aversion bias.  The hard shots to me are the tee shots on tight holes where you have to hit a perfect drive or the actual makable birdie putt, not the next one after a bad shot from either of those two.  Some of the best rounds of golf I've ever played is when I bogeyed or double bogeyed the first hole.  It's like I got that out of the way and now I can just go play golf.  It's like a 60% shooter in basketball that misses his first 4 shots, he knows he's about to make the next 6 shots.  Obviously this is very anecdotal although I'm interested to hear if anyone else is like me or if I'm the odd one out and everyone struggles with what the Doctor says.  

 

 

[iutodd]

I actually think the kind of bad shot you hit is important - for instance if you normally play a little fade and then you hit a huge slice and it goes way right.  That is a “bad shot” but I’ve anecdotally found that it kind of helps in a way. Golfers are supposed to practice with exaggeration in mind - you can see all kinds of videos of pros doing super exaggerated movements in drills. If you want to hit a little fade…well a huge slice is sort of just an exaggeration of that movement and it can sometimes help “center” your swing a bit. 
 

Now if you normally hit a fade and then hit a low duck hook worm burner or something - like that is awful - and the next shot is really hard because you have no reference, no instant sense memory of what your swing should feel like.  You just have the absolute wrong feel in your system.

 

The shot after a missed makable putt is only hard if you let it get to you.  If you’re upset and your emotions are too high (or too low) then it’s hard to make a good swing on the next tee.  

[smashdn]

Mentally maybe.  From an execution standpoint I'll offer the greenside wedge shot where you are mostly on the same level as your landing spot and into the grain.  I stub that chip more often than I want to admit.  I know you can "hit it like a putt" but even doing that I can stub the club into the ground before the ball.

[Pepperturbo]

Those two hardest shots in that video are for inebriated people, LOL or those that don't play much, probably struggle with focus and execution. 

 

The hardest or most challenging shot in golf for me; my ball is in a bunker, 110yds out from a front pin positioned just above a false front; means I will most likely use open face 9i.

[Shankyouverymuch]

The playing through tee shot is the hardest 😄.

[Dodge1]

Just now, Shankyouverymuch said:

The playing through tee shot is the hardest 😄.

That’s literally what I just came on to say!  When the group ahead waves you up to play through; terrible nerves!!!

[Nels55]

I remember seeing an article in a golf magazine many years ago about a PGA pro who won a most improved player award.  I don't remember the pros name but I do remember that he said that the main thing that he had learned which lead to his improved play was that just because he 3 jacked a green it did not mean that he had to hit his next tee shot OB.  

 

Being able to make a really good shot after a really bad shot is an indication of someone who can play the game.  

[MountainKing]

I was gonna say the 60-70 yard bunker shot..

[jdl]

I think more specifically, if that "bad shot" was a sh*nk. 🤣

[Foonsy]

1 hour ago, Shankyouverymuch said:

The playing through tee shot is the hardest 😄.

I've never actually sat and thought about this, but it's so true. Hilarious

[Cliffy2020]

Technically - 50yd bunker shot

 

Emotionally - Playing through on a tight, tree lined hole when you’re fighting a 2-way miss.

 

Viscerally - That island green par 3  where they post up that smoke show beverage girl with the great cans offering that sucker bet for shop credit after pouring you that double Tito’s/Fresca

[leftyb]

for me it's not any shot in particular on that day - could've been my chipping yesterday, my driver today, irons tomorrow, and putting the next week. Which is why I pay to play and don't get paid to play. I literally can go a month putting like a pro, but driving it like Joe, and then suddenly, out of nowhere the script flips. Once something that was a problem gets in alignment I hit another pothole and bend one of the other rims. Very rarely have all the wheels in my game been going in the same direction and rolling true. Point being - this is a loaded question for me. My answer will vary dozens of times a year.

[dashanks]

14 hours ago, Shankyouverymuch said:

The playing through tee shot is the hardest 😄.

I've actually had pretty decent luck with those shots.  Probably because I am SO nervous that I CAN'T think of a swing thought so I just take it back and hit it on auto-pilot.   

[getitdaily]

Hardest shot is a 50-80 yard bunker shot.

 

Hardest for me is driver on a hole that bends left and has water on the left.

 

Disney palm has 2 of them in the first 6 holes...

 

[ShortGolfer]

I do pretty well with through play tee shots.  I slow down and that improves my tempo.

Last time I put my  100 yard tee shot on a tiny green, impressing my audience sitting on a bench in the shade, taking a respite from the hot summer weather.

 

I can see how a missed makeable putt can be huge statistically.  The typical golfer doesn't get too many opportunities for making birdies or pars, so when they miss one, it weighs on them.

If you play a lot that doesn't matter much, but there are a lot of people only only play occasionally.

 

Folks just don't like losing balls.  It is hard to erase that from your mind.

 

I'm retired and get to play every week.  I'm really happy when I can make an up and down after taking a penalty drop.  

I've been working on grinding through bad lies and not letting things get worse.

 

 

Edited October 26, 2023 by ShortGolfer

[nitram]

15 hours ago, MountainKing said:

I was gonna say the 60-70 yard bunker shot..

So what are you gonna say instead ? ? ?

 

Because that is a HARD one . . .

[MountainKing]

7 minutes ago, nitram said:

So what are you gonna say instead ? ? ?

 

Because that is a HARD one . . .

 

After reading the post, it doesn't seem like it's complicated enough

[dugue4]

2 hours ago, dashanks said:

I've actually had pretty decent luck with those shots.  Probably because I am SO nervous that I CAN'T think of a swing thought so I just take it back and hit it on auto-pilot.   

this is me too

[OnTheBag]

The answer to this question is different at each level of golf.  For high handicappers, it is likely a long iron or a chip from a tight lie.  For low single caps, you bring in hanging/uneven lies and shots that require shaping.  

 

For professionals, the hardest shot in golf is the 10' +/- putt with substantial money or a win on the line.  That 6" between the ears is more challenging than any golf course condition.

[kwcsports]

50-60 yd bunker shot is the hardest.

[LeoLeo99]

1 hour ago, nitram said:

So what are you gonna say instead ? ? ?

 

Because that is a HARD one . . .

I have no problem with that shot.  Most of my bunker shots go 50 yards.  LOL

 

But seriously, the most difficult shot for me is a bunker shot with a downhill lie.  I can't get under the ball and line drive it over the green.  

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

The hardest shot in golf, is the next one....... 😄

[Superscroll]

17 hours ago, Shankyouverymuch said:

The playing through tee shot is the hardest 😄.

 

I was closing in on a foursome last night who had just waved a single ahead of me through.  Entire rest of the round i was like 'omg please don't wave me through!'.  I'm generally content to drop a second ball and get some more practice in if i'm not holding anyone else up.  

[596]

Chips from 3 feet off the green on the fringe.

 

I have the yips! 😊

 

Edited October 26, 2023 by 596

[MattyO1984]

Hardest Shot in Golf - 1st tee of The Old Course! 

[ReviellGolf]

For me sometimes the hardest shot is the one right after you hit a 320 yard dead straight drive down the middle of the fairway. There's nothing like knowing there's a 50% chance you could chunk a ball 10 yards after a bomb drive.

[Long_Left]

1 hour ago, MattyO1984 said:

Hardest Shot in Golf - 1st tee of The Old Course! 

A 4 foot putt on 18 is no treat there either, the crowd will let you know what they think!

[Mike_C]

50 yard pitch from light thin Bermuda rough, slightly down hill lie, hitting up hill over a bunker.

[Shilgy]

@PostandGhost I’m thinking the provisional and bogey putts for you are easiest because you will pick up if either are poor. So absolutely no pressure because you’re just taking a net double for handicap.

 

That provisional is a lot harder, especially on a tough driving hole, when playing tournament golf and the strokes can keep piling up.

 

Same thing with the putt for bogey.  Either make it or pick up.

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

...with as many people now as I've watched hit golf shots I've concluded it must be a high draw.