Playing a few holes

Keano

Was able to play a few holes today but I played terrible! After the first hole I felt I was out just for the sake of it. What do others do when out for a few holes, any tips or drills you use to keep focused?

TheRoomWrecker

I try to play 2balls, and try better the first ball, like a match play against yourself, obviously when out on a quiet evening/morning

For Paws

On the odd occasion when I can't get someone to suffer my company, I'll go with 3 clubs (usually 5 wood, 7 iron & PW but not everytime) & the oul putter. Playing your home course can be repetitive and changing it up keeps the interest going.

Rikand

Couple of things I do.

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Play better ball - This is playing scotch foursomes with yourself. You take your best shot from the two tee shots and hit both balls from that spot. rinse lather repeat until you complete the hole and subsequently any number of holes you are playing. It's good for confidence boosting to show you what kind of score you can achieve

Alternatively

play worst ball - same idea as above except you play the worst one. Helps identify weaknesses in your game and shows you where you need to work on your shots the most in practice.

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par 2 golf for 9 holes - When you complete a hole and there's nobody behind you. take a ball to an area off the green where you would normally struggle to get up and down and see if you can do it. Do this then for each hole you play, take 1 ball, try to get up and down. Or if you are playing less than 9 holes, do it for whatever amount of holes you are playing, but always try to do it at least 9 times.

For example, I play 3 holes a lot in the evening in Athlone as the first 3 are all near the clubhouse. Once I have completed the first hole, I throw 3 balls to different parts off the fringe/rough surrounding the green and attempt to get up and down from each one of them, keeping my score as I do so. I then do the same for the 2nd and the 3rd hole. It's good practice that gives you a variety of shots that you may encounter during the round and having practiced them in your few holes of play, you'll know better how to play the shot the next time.

at the moment I play to around 2 or 3 over par for 9 "holes" on this, but its a big improvement from when I started during the winter when i was around +6 or +7.


Hope they help

Golfgraffix

Was in the office today and it looked positively tropical out so decided to down tools and head out for 9 holes.

When I play on my own I always play VPar, for me it simulates as close as possible a match against another person. I play full handicap for the nine holes and one ball. Today I won 1 up on the 9th with a 20 foot putt for par with a shot.

It was colder than it looked but great to get out.

matt-dublin

Always play two balls, then pick a green, I like to pick the hardest one and practice pitching to it and chippin (remember to fix your pitch marks) and practice putting on it from all angles.

Or pick a green, pitch 5-10 balls in from 50 yards and then play all the putts. Always remembering those pitch marks.

Always play off the competition sticks. No point and playing off the general play ones. Always practice the tougher course, that way when the easier one comes you should hammer it!!

GreeBo

matt-dublin wrote: »

Always play two balls, then pick a green, I like to pick the hardest one and practice pitching to it and chippin (remember to fix your pitch marks) and practice putting on it from all angles.

Or pick a green, pitch 5-10 balls in from 50 yards and then play all the putts. Always remembering those pitch marks.

Always play off the competition sticks. No point and playing off the general play ones. Always practice the tougher course, that way when the easier one comes you should hammer it!!

you'd be run out of my club for all of that!
I play two balls and try different tactics, a conservative ball versus a green light ball.
typically I only have a half set, makes it more interesting.

another thing is that it's vital to keep score when you are doing this on your own, it's too easy to just whack the ball and ignore naff shots, maybe even dropping another to try again, this can give you a false sense of security I believe...

sodbuster77

Played my first game of par18 this evening. Scored 25. Only got up and down with 3 out of the nine. Great to be out in the evenings again even if it is like Siberia.

stockdam

I generally play matchplay with two balls.

I concentrate on alignment and posture. I try to keep my swing simple with few movements.

Russman

Depending on how busy it is, I'd play 6 holes with maybe 3 balls and spend 10 or 15 mins around each green chipping and putting and a few bunker shots. Great for getting back that all important "feel" IMO. If I start off playing particularly bad I'll do more chipping and hit less full shots, sometimes its just better to leave it !

harpsman

Try and get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.
Sounds trite but I find it best way to focus when im not really in the mood/playin crap.
Also i find when youre playin 2 balls you start to get sloppy quickly.
Try and imagine on each hole that you just need a bogey/whatever on that hole to win a match or something similar-helps one focus when youre bit tired/not in mood.

Beaulieu

Some great ideas there but I hope ye are all repairing pitch marks on the greens if practising. Our Club (rightly) has banned singles practising as some idiots were chipping onto the greens with a number of golf balls and yet not bothered their barney repairing their pitchmarks.

matt-dublin

Beaulieu wrote: »

Some great ideas there but I hope ye are all repairing pitch marks on the greens if practising. Our Club (rightly) has banned singles practising as some idiots were chipping onto the greens with a number of golf balls and yet not bothered their barney repairing their pitchmarks.

The members in DH are fairly good about pitch marks, we're pedantic about our greens and having them in good nick! We love the speed of them!

We get nailed badly though by societies not repairing marks and destroying the greens. We get quite a lot of society players at the weekends

Freemount09

harpsman wrote: »

Try and get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.

Isn't that what you try to do every time you go playing golf ?

Beaulieu wrote: »

Our Club (rightly) has banned singles practising as some idiots were chipping onto the greens with a number of golf balls and yet not bothered their barney repairing their pitchmarks.

Does that mean that your not allowed to head off out on your own ?

I like the Vpar idea to keep your focus and to 'compete'. I don't think people out on their own should be hitting more than 2 balls.

Deffo no pitching 5 - 10 balls from 50+ yds out thats what ranges and practice area's are for imo.

ShriekingSheet

Beaulieu wrote: »

Some great ideas there but I hope ye are all repairing pitch marks on the greens if practising. Our Club (rightly) has banned singles practising as some idiots were chipping onto the greens with a number of golf balls and yet not bothered their barney repairing their pitchmarks.

This gets my goat.

Not just because the damage the guys do, but because it ruins it for the rest of us who can actually practice on the course without leaving damage.

It's the divots that are the bigger problem than the pitch marks, in my experience. In the main season greens are harder, and guys usually just practice from 20 yards and in, so unlikely to make a dent. However, from 20 yards right up to the fringe, their wedge still cuts up the ground.

Three simple bits of cop on is all that's required. Firstly, use very few balls. I find 2 or 3 is good. Secondly, move to a different spot when you've hit them. Thirdly, when you've hit a few shots at one green, go to the next hole - even play the drive and the iron if you like.

This means your damage is not focused in any one area, and can easily be repaired. Hitting 10 chips from one spot with any kind of divot will leave a patch of muck that no amount of repair will hide. Leaving aside the fury you'd feel if your ball ended up on the patch in competition, it looks awful for the golf course.