Ever Choked?

Par72

Ever been having the round of your life only to throw it away on the last few holes? or been like 3 or 4 up in a match only to lose in the end?

I had my first ever choking experience last week (after playing golf for 16 years) and it has given me some cause for concern...

I was playing in my home club in perfect conditions (mild, very slight breeze) and was hitting the ball great. I was also having some good fortune (holed a couple of long putts). First 12 holes went like this:

1.Birdie
2.Bogey
3.Birdie
4.Bogey
5.Par
6.Par
7.Eagle
8.Birdie
9.Par
10.Par
11.Par
12.Birdie

So I'm 4 under after 12 holes. Course record on my track is 2 under (which I have shot three times) and I'm thinking "Oh my God, I'm playing so well, I'm four under with 6 to play, 3 of which are birdie holes, I'm going to smash that course record"

What did I do? Bogeyed each of the last 6 holes!!! Gutted!! Three putted on 13, 14, 15, 17 & 18, knocked it into the trees on 16. Ended up shooting 2 over.

I know in hindsight that I shouldn't have been thinking about my score & the course record and that I obviously let it get into my head too much. Strange how it only really affected my putting, I was still striking the ball well on the last 6 and hit all greens in regulation except for 16.

Anyway, anyone else got experience of spectacular chokeage to make me feel better? And if so what did you do to help yourself get over it and not let it happen again?

RuggieBear

I choke every round i play....:o

Swinging Looney

RuggieBear wrote: »

I choke every round i play....:o

Phew! At least I know I'm not the only one! :rolleyes:

I am getting better now though. I usually don't lose it till the 3rd tee now

I am perfectly capable of ignoring every score on preceding holes and am quite good at remaining reasonably well focused even after a dozen terrible holes. But any time I am doing well I suddenly come to the realisation that this could be the best round of my life and then that's pretty much it. Might as well pack up and go home.

Recently I managed Par, Par, Par, Par, Birdie (which for a 16 handicap is pretty spectacular!!!) then standing on the sixth tee it dawned on me that I was -1. Took a 9 there and finished the front nine in 40. Doh!

madds

I'd look on the positive side Par72. The first 12 holes you played superb golf. Even over the closing holes you said that tee to green you were still hitting the ball well, so sounds like you were relatively tension free. Those 5 3-putts were costly, but put it down to one of those things. Anyway, you've matched the course record 3 times on your home course...it definitely sounds as if you'll own it on your own soon enough.

My own experience - was on for shooting a 67 nett off 10 in monthly medal in Lucan recently. Had a 9 on the par-5 last for a 71 nett. No prize and I still got cut .4!!

steelbar

I've done it loads of times, it happens when u start thinking and holding back. You try to play safe and not the shots you usually would. For example hit an easy 7 iron instead of a full 8. Which you end up pulling and missing the green on the left.

Then there is the total opposite. A few times i have gone out and started really badly only to get it back. Last yr when i was playing off 13,I was 7 over thru 5 holes,and hitting it sideways. Something changed and i ended up 3 putting the 18th for bogey and signing for a gross 79, 7 over. My best round to date.

I think its just golf, you just never know.

goodburger

I remember playing my first handicap card in delvin castle. going fantastic. my previous handicap was 17 from forrest little in swords, but i hadnt played in a few years but had ranged a lot. so, i think i was on 13, at the time i was on about 8 over, went into the water and ended up with an 8 on par 4. got things back together for 14 and 15, then double, double and i finished with the most beautiful 8 on a really really simple par 4, i was so so disgusted, the two women i was playing with thought i had a great round, i was furious. still ended up with 17 handicap.

ShriekingSheet

I think it's pretty impressive that your swing held up to hit 5 out of 6 greens in regulation on the way in. That shows nerve.

Putting is a funny thing. At the standard your playing I assume you've read "Golf is not a Game of Perfect". But have you read "Putting Out of Your Mind"? The introduction by Brad Faxon mentions how amateurs try to tightly concentrate on puts and care deeply if they go in or not. He says it's hard for them to understand that the top guys must work to stay loose and 'not care' if a put goes in or not.

You might have read it before and just refresh your memory, or I can knock up a few relevent points from it here if you like.

Either way, it seems to me like a very fixable "choke".

Adiaga 2

Happens to me any time I'm in with a chance of breaking 80. It's weird because I never feel that nervous - it's just a few loose shots in the final holes but it's definitely choking. It's very difficult not to think about score when playing really well, I find. Last year I had a chance to break par on the back nine(after a poor front nine) and missed 2 footers for par on 17 and 18 to finish +1 for the back nine.

That's some run you had going there Par72.

Par72

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

I think it's pretty impressive that your swing held up to hit 5 out of 6 greens in regulation on the way in. That shows nerve.

Putting is a funny thing. At the standard your playing I assume you've read "Golf is not a Game of Perfect". But have you read "Putting Out of Your Mind"? The introduction by Brad Faxon mentions how amateurs try to tightly concentrate on puts and care deeply if they go in or not. He says it's hard for them to understand that the top guys must work to stay loose and 'not care' if a put goes in or not.

You might have read it before and just refresh your memory, or I can knock up a few relevent points from it here if you like.

Either way, it seems to me like a very fixable "choke".

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes ShreikingSheet I have read all the Rotella books along with pretty much every other golf psychology book available (ironically I have a degree in psychology) but I think I would do well to get "Putting Out of Your Mind" out for a re-read.

ShriekingSheet

Par72 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes ShreikingSheet I have read all the Rotella books along with pretty much every other golf psychology book available (ironically I have a degree in psychology) but I think I would do well to get "Putting Out of Your Mind" out for a re-read.

Yeah I mean, you know yourself, it's not one of those things where you can say "right, now to fix this problem I have...", it's just a matter of getting out and doing your stuff next Saturday.

F*ck it.