Inconsistent golf. How do you combat it???

Rodrigo

I know we are all guilty to varying degrees but I really struggle with inconsistency. I play on a well known championship course, handicap 20 and everyone says I play well below that mark. In the main I drive it very well, hit irons well and have a good short game but I'm also almost certain to throw in anything up to 5 or 6 or really poor holes and destroy the card. Yesterday in a 15 hole v par comp I was 7 up after 9 holes and finished 2 up in the end. I have imploded more time than you'd believe. I have tried the usual advise of taking one shot at a time etc but still......getting really pissed of with myself at this stage.

PRAF

I'd suggest you try to find out what is costing you the most shots. Try to keep track of things like:
- Putts per round
- Scrambling %
- Fairways hit per round
- Greens hit in regulation

Spend time working on the areas that are costing you the most shots. If you are blowing a good score because you start 3-putting too often, have trouble getting your chips up and down, or start hitting your drives out of bounds then you might work on those areas.

Keano

Rodrigo wrote: »

I know we are all guilty to varying degrees but I really struggle with inconsistency. I play on a well known championship course, handicap 20 and everyone says I play well below that mark. In the main I drive it very well, hit irons well and have a good short game but I'm also almost certain to throw in anything up to 5 or 6 or really poor holes and destroy the card. Yesterday in a 15 hole v par comp I was 7 up after 9 holes and finished 2 up in the end. I have imploded more time than you'd believe. I have tried the usual advise of taking one shot at a time etc but still......getting really pissed of with myself at this stage.

I could have wrote this post after my round today. I'm playing consistently since Feb/March and played today with my brother who hasn't played in a year! I looked like the one who doesn't play very often

My problem is my putting. I have no confidence at all so once I get close to the green I start to dread it. I think that's starting to trickle down into my overall play thus leading to poor second and third shots.

anticonno16

Crack one off before you tee off.

The release of endorphins is good for you.

BoardsMember

anticonno16 wrote: »

Crack one off before you tee off.

The release of endorphins is good for you.

Couldn't agree less - even if I have a paddle the night before I am fooked! I'm all thumbs, no timing.

Regarding the OP question - I'm much the same, as I expect are most people. It's all about focus and concentration. Over every single shot you need to:

• be 100% ready to play the shot
• have a positive mental image of what is going to happen
• approach every shot with consistent routine

I dont think it is as much about identifying the shots that are responsible, if you are like me it might be drive on one hole, a wedge on another, a chip on another. For me, often it is what has gone before - whether it be a brilliant shot, and good joke with the lads etc. If you are 100% focussed on every shot it will mean making less costly mistakes.

Whyner

Rodrigo wrote: »

handicap 20 and everyone says I play well below that mark.

Don't be fooled, most golfers are polite, including myself. Judge your level by your results

Rodrigo wrote: »

I drive it very well, hit irons well and have a good short game

Be honest with yourself, if that was all true where do the 5/6 bad holes appear from?

Rodrigo wrote: »

Yesterday in a 15 hole v par comp I was 7 up after 9 holes and finished 2 up in the end. I have imploded more time than you'd believe. I have tried the usual advise of taking one shot at a time etc but still

No secret tip here, just keep putting yourself in these positions and eventually you’ll tip the balance in your favour, then just keep her lit

Rodrigo wrote: »

getting really pissed of with myself at this stage.

Don't let the demons win

Webbs

Rodrigo wrote: »

I know we are all guilty to varying degrees but I really struggle with inconsistency. I play on a well known championship course, handicap 20 and everyone says I play well below that mark. In the main I drive it very well, hit irons well and have a good short game but I'm also almost certain to throw in anything up to 5 or 6 or really poor holes and destroy the card. Yesterday in a 15 hole v par comp I was 7 up after 9 holes and finished 2 up in the end. I have imploded more time than you'd believe. I have tried the usual advise of taking one shot at a time etc but still......getting really pissed of with myself at this stage.

When you put yourself in trouble say in pretty deep rough do you - A. Get annoyed take out a hybrid and give it a blast or B. Take a wedge knock it back into play and use your shots wisely to walk off the hole with a score?

downthemiddle

anticonno16 wrote: »

Crack one off before you tee off.

The release of endorphins is good for you.

Are you suggesting a longer shaft will help him with his difficulties?

curly from cork

I went to a talk delivered by Karl Morris in Killarney GC last year and found his tip of thinking in 3 s very useful . Forget your score just play the course as 6 groups of 3 holes. It focuses you on the 3 on hand and you tend to be less fixated on a good score especially on the finishing holes.

Rodrigo

Some interesting replies there, theres some truth in a lot of what been said here but I personally feel that my biggest flaw is probably pulling the trigger before I'm fully ready, in other words I lack the ability to focus on every shot for 4 hours plus. I just seem drift in and out of during a round. As for Whyner and people been "nice" to me about my golfing ability, I think I know when people are been genuine and when there pulling my leg, the reality is I can lay up and or out drive most 8 to 14 handicappers, hit irons as good or better, chip and putt as well as any of them unfortunatly I can also make pigs arse of all types of shot and often DO. I'll try and focus more on the tee 'cos thats where you really bleed shots, you can salvage something from a duffed shot but not much to salvage from a lost ball 400 odd metres from the hole.

Halfprice

Think you answered it yourself there. Been fully ready or committed to a shot. Have same problem at times as we all do i'd say. mostly going up and taping in the small putts and miss the odd one is my prob.. Need to be sure what you want to do and be totally committed.. Might take 4 hrs to get about a course but it takes 10-20 seconds to commit and focus to each shot..

stockdam

Try the following. Before you hit any shot try to pick the one that has most chance of hitting the fairway/staying in play; not the one that looks coolest if you pull it off. That may mean laying up to the throat of the green instead of going for the flag and rolling into a bunker.

Now pick your target.......a specific target and then carefully align at it. Forget the pin or a general area........pick a specific target and focus on hitting it. Do this for every shot. When I'm playing badly I aim at one side of the fairway but my head wants to hit the ball at a different target and then at the last second I try to manipulate the club.......that happens because I have not convinced myself where my target is.

Swing within yourself and keep it smooth - say 80% power.

After that practice your short game.