Bad score... but good round, must be a golf thing?

[McGolf-Doggie]

I guess it must be a golf thing?

Do you sometimes have those rounds when you make some of the great shots you've been working on, yet blow up on a couple of holes on more easily fixable problems.

Result: you end up with a score that's far from your best, but with memories of some shots you're ecstatic about. For once, I wasn't that miffed at a bad score, more happy about the good shots I've been working on. Happen much to you guys and gals?

[Bo the Golfer]

Sounds like my whole year! I've tried to change more things than at any other point in my golf career so it's been tough. I keep telling myself that the quality of the good shots I've it have been much better in previous seasons (even if I follow that shot up with crap ). I just keep thinking that it has to get better. Right?

[PiKapp23]

I've had a lot of rounds over the years that fit into that category as well as the oppsite (good score, but played bad). If I feel like I hit the ball well and just missed putts or got bad lies or just felt like I got some bad bounces then the score is irrelevant However, on those days where I played badly but got lucky breaks (ball hitting tree and ending up on green type things), made lots of long putts or holed chips then I just don't feel like the score indicative of my round.

Yesterday I didn't feel like I played particularly well, but shot a 79 (par 71, 68.1/121). I had 4 double bogeys, 2 bogeys, 2 birides and 8 pars with only 29 putts. Actually, when I was adding up the score I had shot much better than I had thought (I had expected to be close to 90), but wasn't really happy because I had those 4 doubles (all were result of bad tee shots) and bogied 2 that should have been birdie chances (both inside 80 yards off tee in fairway).

Sometimes, it's all relative...

[lumpuckeroo]

I think this is the case more often then not, especially with most of us higher handicaps. We can actually hit some really good shots but just don't convert them into a good scores. IMHO, I think that has a lot to do with being able to concentrate, it is so easy to lose focus, and then drop shots that would make the score better.

I think as average golfers we tend to leave a lot of shots on the course. I played on Friday, shot a 37 on the back 9, 2 over par, don't get me wrong I was very happy, best 9 holes of my life, but I rolled the sod over on a chip, then chip up to inches and turn a par into a bogey. I ran a 20 ft putt, 10 feet past the hole and don't make the comebacker, things like that.

[kfowler]

This typically revolves around chipping and putting for me. I can have a great day striking the ball and feed really good about it. However I may miss a lot of puts and struggle around the green. When I look back I see a lot of missed opportunities.

Played 9 last Friday morning. Overall struck the ball really well. I think I had 4-5 GIR. Chipped and putted like crap. Even had a 4 putt. YUCK! Shot a 44 which is not too bad for me but I could have done so much better.

[Saint]

I understand, I was never happier in my life to shoot an 88 yesterday, when usually I would be disgusted with that. I've had the shanks lately, and only ahanked one yesterday, and it was because I said don't shank right before I hit it. My driving and iron striking was solid. The reason I shot an 88 was I had 39 putts. Never figured out the speed of the greens. I missed an eagle ppourtunity when I was on the fringe on a 560 yard par 5. I had 2 doubles, and the rest were bogeys and pars. Have my self a shot at birdie 6 or 7 times, but never converted, but all in all, I'm still happy.

[anthony]

This typically revolves around chipping and putting for me. I can have a great day striking the ball and feed really good about it. However I may miss a lot of puts and struggle around the green. When I look back I see a lot of missed opportunities.

That's my game 100%. I'll hit a good drive, strike a decent iron and just miss the green. Then I'll hit the chip 2 feet (when I need to go 20) and then 3 putt. Actually, my putting is turning around, but I have no confidence when chipping. My pitching isn't bad, but those short chips are killing me.

At least I know what I need to work on.

[sonicblue]

I shot a 91 and an 80 this past week on the same course, a course I know well. Both rounds actually felt very similar, similarly frustrating, frought with good and horrible shots. It's a landmark in a golfer's life when he realizes that score is often an uncontrollabe and independent product of one's game.

[kris]

I think this is the case more often then not, especially with most of us higher handicaps. We can actually hit some really good shots but just don't convert them into a good scores. IMHO, I think that has a lot to do with being able to concentrate, it is so easy to lose focus, and then drop shots that would make the score better.

I think this pretty much sums my game up right there. I think I get too carried away when I hit good shots sometimes that I almost blow of the next one and it ends up to be crap. not always but I need to learn to be a bit more even keel.

[RCF]

I have lucky days where I'm playing poor but scoring nicely. Topped a 6i but it hit the pin and dropped a few inches from the hole.

For me, good ball striking is more important than scoring good.

[schapman]

Playing on saturday I felt like I was going along pretty well with a bogey average. then a couple holes got me. Had a 50 on the front 9. I was determined to make up for it and just play a consistent game for the second 9 and shot a 44 on the back.

94 is my lowest score since starting this year and my first time breaking 100 :)

Can't wait to get out there and best that.

[slide13]

Yep, happened to me yesterday. I played a quick 9 with some friends and lately I've been playing terrible. Yesterday started no different, going 7, 8, 10 for the first three holes (a few lost balls and really bad chipping are to blame here) but then it all turned around. Went par, birdie, par, bogie, double, par for the final 6 holes which is probably the best stretch of playing I've been able to link together in months. 2 over for 6 holes made me happy as could be even though my score sucked overall because of a really rocky start.

[LaPuzza]

That happened to me on Sunday. I started the day by hitting it to 4 feet from the rough at 160, and my iron play stayed that way. I straightened out my drives and was really playing quite well. My putting was a little worse than average, but I was OK with that.

I turned 3 Par 5s into a total of 26 strokes (you read that right) and still scored a 100. That is a good score for me from the blues, but it was a fantastic round except for those holes.

[McGolf-Doggie]

I've had a lot of rounds over the years that fit into that category as well as the oppsite (good score, but played bad). If I feel like I hit the ball well and just missed putts or got bad lies or just felt like I got some bad bounces then the score is irrelevant However, on those days where I played badly but got lucky breaks (ball hitting tree and ending up on green type things), made lots of long putts or holed chips then I just don't feel like the score indicative of my round.

OK, reassured (I'm not alone in the experience) to see this is a fairly common phenomenon, and that just the opposite can also be true.

Had that experience, too: great score but round didn't seem that good since the tee shots/approaches were poor, but saved by close chipping and putting and maybe the occasional fair bounce off a tree!

[jmontgo3]

Absolutely! Most of my rounds lately have been me struggling off the tee and not striking the ball well but playing great around the greens and putting much, much better. I've gone from avg'ing 3-4 3 putts per 18 to one if I'm unlucky, and actually making some putts outside of 2 feet. My scores have been pretty consistent because of it so I go home happy!