Self Distruct

Dublin Spur

There I was today, having one of my best rounds this year.
Going great, 6 over par after 16 holes at The Island.
Very good shooting for an 11 handicapper.
Ended up 12 over after 18. Gutted, completely gutted.
Such a cruel game at times.
Really fcuked off at myself, never should have allowed it to happen. :mad:

Swinging Looney

It's a bloody annoying game at times that's for sure!

Try not keeping score for a change. Just record each hole score, but stop keeping a running total - if you can!! The only times I have ever really destroyed rounds is when I realised with a few holes to go that this was to be the best round of my life, etc, etc. Once the pressure is on like that, you'll suddenly start playing safe or at least trying to play the game differently to how you normally do. That will never work for you!!

Wait till the last putt on the 18th green and then work out how you've done. You'll surprise yourself!

Dublin Spur

I know, just feeling sorry for myself.
Havent been this gutted over a game of golf in ages.
I'll get over it.

JCDUB

That's gotta hurt alright, nearly as much as being a Spurs fan (assuming of course that you are!):D

Yeah we've all done that to a round of golf alright, suggestion above I would find very difficult though, I wouldn't be able to not add up my score and see how I'm going, it's just a natural thing I do.

Suppose all you can do is take heart in the fact that you were only 6 over for 16 in the Island, that's good shootin..

MisterAnarchy

Wow thats harsh man,the wheels really came off,6 over for last 2 ?
Dont worry though ,it happens to us all.
Fatigue,lack of concentration,nerves,anxiousness, all par for the course.
Dont know how many times I've been coming down the finishing straight and I've ruined my round by making sloppy mistakes,mostly due to lack of concentration.

Dublin Spur

JCDUB wrote: »

That's gotta hurt alright, nearly as much as being a Spurs fan (assuming of course that you are!)

I am and it does

irishtoffee

I know how you feel,threw away a tournament yesterday.By the way try being an Everton fan.:(

Matt Santos

Suck it up bo...
These are the days that make you strong. You get tempered from these situations and it never gets easy to deal with but with time it becomes easier to swallow.
Have been touring the country playing Junior Scratch Cups for two years now and have been close a few times but this year in Ennis took the biscuit.
Turned a cool one under par and was determined to not get ahead of myself. Playing the 15th I was one over and looking at a good birdie chance. Said to myself "if you get this its as good as done!" Slotted home the putt and back to level. Went up the hill to the long Par 3 16th and could not have been in a better place as far as attitude and position was concerned. 200 yd down hill. Pulled the shot left and found the only tree within 40 yds! Could not get it on the green in two so tried to just get it on the green. Put it in a bunker and did not get up and down. A 5.. Double bogey.. Head was now mush and carried it on to the next and proceeded to double bogey that! Now I am 4 over. Went for a big one on the Par 5 18th and tugged it left. Had to take a drop from an unplayable lie and took my third. Got a super up and down for Par but lost the thing because of my stupidity in not letting the double bogey go on 16 and by compounding it with the other on 17!
I am still Junior Scratch Cup less..

Draupnir

Sounds like you guys did pretty well physically and just did bad mentally. Work on the mental side of things lads, it really does gain you a huge number of shots.

stockdam

The good thing is you played well for the first 16 holes. I've been leading an open (err not the British or US open.....just an open week) and stood on the 16th tee and hooked two out of bounds.

You can either let that bug you or face up to it.

Why did you blow it........was it bad luck and if so then there's little you can do.

Did you make some bad decisions? If so then what would you do differently the next time?

Or did you suddenly realise that you were playing well and then tightened up?

I learnt from my experience..........I learnt to stay loose when under pressure and to grip softly and swing smoothly. Pick your best shot under pressure (if you normally fade the ball then let that happen). Stay well away from trouble........don't go near the bunkers or the water etc. What often happens when we get under pressure is that we tense up and get anxious. Stay tension free and trust your swing.

slingerz

Draupnir wrote: »

Sounds like you guys did pretty well physically and just did bad mentally. Work on the mental side of things lads, it really does gain you a huge number of shots.

This is great advice. After playing terrible this weekend I decided that attempting the impossible was not a wise move. Played smarter golf today and had a lot more control over where I was shooting and what I was aiming for. I have found that going for a par 5 in 2 shots is not really on unless you have a good drive and a good following wind. Accept that it will take you 3 shots to get to the green. On short par 4's realise that you do not have to drive the ball 300 yds and hit a 3 wood and put your second on the green with a 9 iron. The yardage in a lot of local clubs is not huge and by accepting that hitting a massive drive and a lob wedge on is the same has hitting a handy 3 wood and a good 8 on.

In simple terms make the game as easy as you can for yourself

Dublin Spur

Some great advise there fallas, really useful. I'm over it now and looking forward to my next game. Even cleaned my clubs tonight !!

I can really identify/empathise with the lads (mentioned above) who have suffered at the end of potential winning rounds.

Anyway, chin up, get out there and right the wrongs.
Such a wonderful Sport, but like all the great sports it can be a killer at times.

Draupnir

All you can do is play every shot as a game within the game and not think about scores at any point until the round is over. In my opinion, based on other peoples teaching I must say, this is the only way to truly score the best score you can on any given day.

Otherwise, I think it is guaranteed you will blow at least 3/4 shots in every round, simply by getting in your own way.

Obviously, you can tell from reading what I am saying who my influences are, if you have read on the subject of the mental approach to golf.

What I would say to you Dublin Spur is, that the score you "could" have achieved that day had you not blown up was a good score and you should take that on board. You should take it as a confidence boost that you know you can achieve those scores and see that level of play as your potential.

Mister Sifter

One of the most important things i took from the Dr Bob books is to stay in the present. It's really helped me recently. Obviously it gets harder as the round comes to the end, but you just have to keep hitting each shot as it times.

Never at any time think that the job is done or the round is gone. If you come off at the end knowing that you kept fighting til the last putt, you can't ask anymore, regardless of whether you shoot 68 or 108.

Swinging Looney

Graeme1982 wrote: »

One of the most important things i took from the Dr Bob books is to stay in the present. It's really helped me recently. Obviously it gets harder as the round comes to the end, but you just have to keep hitting each shot as it times.

Never at any time think that the job is done or the round is gone. If you come off at the end knowing that you kept fighting til the last putt, you can't ask anymore, regardless of whether you shoot 68 or 108.

Couldn't agree more! Bob's books are pretty good I must say.

I've recently had my chipping improve dramatically lately. Mostly due to a sudden realisation that I could get much more control by commiting to the shot more. Now, I really enjoy chipping. So, when I hit a poor approach shot and end up 30 feet from a bunker with the flag 15 feet beyond it, the first thing that pops into my head is - GREAT! Now I've another chance to show myself what I can do and see how good my chipping really is! If I mess up the chip, I can very quickly determine what went wrong - didn't hit it hard enough - flipped my wrists a little - forgot that I was never going to get much spin from that kind of lie - etc, etc - and then forget about it, knowing that the next time I'm in that situation I'll do better. If I end up in a similar situation later in the round, I'm really happy because I haev an even better chance of making the shot now.

Somewhere in Bob's books there was one particular sentence that really stuck with me. You have to enjoy making a great shot more than you hate making a bad one. That to me is the essence of a good mind. Standing on the 18th tee during the best round of your life, you can't wait to hit that super drive that's been with you all day. You can feel the elation you will get as you see it power it's way down the fairway. If you stand up on the tee and slice it out of bounds, then you may well be upset, but you still can't wait to tee up again and hit that super drive that's been with you all day.

It's take a long time to train your brain this way but it will make such a difference.