Ever get "lucky" and play much better than usual?

[mpeck24]

I had a tee time today at noon.  Was excited to play because it was just my second time with my Cobra s3 max irons, and my first time with my new (but used) Cobra l4v driver.  Played my first round, and was inconsistant.  One good shot, then a bad one.  Especially my driver, seemed like i couldnt keep it straight.  Ended up with a 94 (+21) on the first round.  Went to the club house and asked if i could play a second round, the guy said there was no one on, so i got a free round!  Decided i would try to play nine, maybe even a full round.  I moved the ball to the middle of my stance on my drive to try and get more accuracy.  I really started hitting it better, and that allowed me to put my full power into it.  I gained about 30 yards on average on the second round, and was a lot straighter.  I started hitting my irons quite a bit better too, especially 4-6.  Anyways, just seemed like almost all my shots were going where i wanted them.  I ended the front nine at 40 (+4), and started getting nervous because i was thinking about my score.  Got to 18 at +8.  hit a nice drive off the tee, but my second shot was about 40 yards from a water hazard.  I always do terrible here because i try and get distance with my 4 iron and usually smash it straight in the water.  Anyways i hit my four, and it was a low liner.  Im thinking "here we go again" when the ball goes right for the bridge, hits the railing, and bounces about 40 yards over the other side of the water hazard.  I just thought "man, today is my day."  From there i hit a 4 iron onto the green and made a two putt for par.

Sorry for giving the long version of the story, I'm just pretty excited for shooting 12 strokes under my previous best!  Anyways, Have you guys ever had that one round where everything seems to go your way and you shoot a great score??  I'd love to hear some stories if you guys have any.

[shockingslicer]

Not really but yesterday i had the opposite , the worse round i`ve  ever had on the par three course , was absolutely hellish and i felt like  a fish out of water ,  ended up twenty shots over what i normally shoot . The damage was caused on the first three holes and i never recovered . Just when you think you might be getting somewhere you have a round thats severely tests your attitude and mental resolve . Anyhow as i was playing with a friend i had to finish the round and try to make the best of it , even he didnt enjoy winning , no one likes to see a grown man near to tears as his swing dissapears off into the rough and hides for the rest of the day (its painfull) , still i shall be back out on Friday no doubt  to hopefully put the demons behind me , Its nice when you cant miss though agreed , all you have to do is get out of your own way

[ajst22]

Hasn't really happened to me yet. I have had a very consistent year so far, though last year I had rounds that were much worse than normal ;) lol. All kidding aside, I am a pretty consistent player, but wouldn't be surprised if my round comes soon

[lumpuckeroo]

I don't know about lucky, but I did have one of those rounds last year, just seemed like every ball I hit when pretty straight, hit a bunch of fairways, greens and made a putt or two.  Didn't even realize until the round was over that I had shot even par on the front nine  Was only 4 over going into 18 and got nervous and made a double bogey after hitting the fairway and leaving my second shot right in front of the green and 5 yards short!

[phillyk]

I played yesterday, and I wouldn't call my game entirely lucky.  But what WAS lucky is when I slightly tweaked my driver grip, because I had been slicing everything no matter what I tried.  I looked at my grip, and said huh, I wonder if I try this. BAM goes dead straight for the whole round.  Hopefully I can keep it going.  From there, the rest of my game fell into place, apart from 4 holes (8-11) where I had 3 bogeys and a double.  Another thing that clicked today are my approach shots within 115yds.  Before, I would use only my 52° wedge for everything, but I said hell with it recently and started using my 56° and 60° wedges for their proper distances, and i was getting consistently closer to the pin.  I guess one could say it was my putting that hurt me, even though I like to consider myself a good putter.  Anyhow, I pulled out a 74 (par 72), and what a round it was for being on my golden b-day; made the rest of the day a lot better.

[MEfree]

For many years, my dad was usually between an 8 to 12 handicap, playing most of his rounds at the same home course for the past 40+ years.  He shot in the high 70s a lot over the years, but during that time I recall two break out rounds- the first was when he went around and carded a -3 (33) on the front 9 and he finished with a 73.

The second was years later when he was 73 and his handicap had started to drift up - it had been a while since he had even come close to breaking 80 and he had a magical day where he carded a 73 to shoot his age.  I don`t think he has broken 80 since.

[ForeRight]

Yup! It happened to me 2 months ago. I'd been playing about 10 month and my average score for early 2012 was about 92. I went out and hit an 81. It was the worse thing that could have happened. I've completely lost it since that round. I've gone from shooting low 90's to hovering around 100. My progression was all going well until that day. I'm tempted to give up and just frame the scorecard... :(

[uttexas]

Every 2-3 years, I'll have a round where my putting is really lights out, where everything is going in or just a tap in second putt.

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by MEfree

For many years, my dad was usually between an 8 to 12 handicap, playing most of his rounds at the same home course for the past 40+ years.  He shot in the high 70s a lot over the years, but during that time I recall two break out rounds- the first was when he went around and carded a -3 (33) on the front 9 and he finished with a 73.

The second was years later when he was 73 and his handicap had started to drift up - it had been a while since he had even come close to breaking 80 and he had a magical day where he carded a 73 to shoot his age.  I don`t think he has broken 80 since.

Need to edit this after speaking to my dad- he was 72 and shot 36-36 making a birdie at 16 (one of the toughest holes on the course) and then parring the final 2 to shoot his age.

[rustyredcab]

Shot 75 at Mount Woodson outside San Diego when I was a 20 handicap there (short track and par 70. Used a 5-iron off every tee and never knew how low I was going. I'd broker 90 once so I thought it felt like a good round -- maybe even 85. Guy I was riding with had leg issues and it was cart path only so I was running to his ball to check yardages, get him clubs... basically dragged him around the course. A lot of my focus was on helping him so I never got to excited about my own game.

On the 13th or 14th hole, I decide to tee off with my driver and cut the ball around the dog-leg and down the hill. My playing buddies think this is crazy and that I should just hit the 5-iron like I've been doing. I hit the driver, dead pull and long. The ball is 100 yards off the fairway and still going when it hits a boulder the size of a small house and bounces back and lands right in the middle of our fairway. That was the golf gods giving me one more chance to leave the driver in the bag.

Played the same course that afternoon and shot 95. Didn't break 90 again for a year.

That was one lucky day.

[mpeck24]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

Shot 75 at Mount Woodson outside San Diego when I was a 20 handicap there (short track and par 70. Used a 5-iron off every tee and never knew how low I was going. I'd broker 90 once so I thought it felt like a good round -- maybe even 85. Guy I was riding with had leg issues and it was cart path only so I was running to his ball to check yardages, get him clubs... basically dragged him around the course. A lot of my focus was on helping him so I never got to excited about my own game.

On the 13th or 14th hole, I decide to tee off with my driver and cut the ball around the dog-leg and down the hill. My playing buddies think this is crazy and that I should just hit the 5-iron like I've been doing. I hit the driver, dead pull and long. The ball is 100 yards off the fairway and still going when it hits a boulder the size of a small house and bounces back and lands right in the middle of our fairway. That was the golf gods giving me one more chance to leave the driver in the bag.

Played the same course that afternoon and shot 95. Didn't break 90 again for a year.

That was one lucky day.

This will be me lol

[x129]

Ever think that maybe you should try another shot? Obviously I don't know the hole or your game but if you usually smash it into the water, it seems like a different course strategy is in order. Of course I routinely try to drive a green on a par 4 despite knowing that the odds of the ball stopping on that green are about zero. You either hit the trap in front or the ball goes over the green into the water. I just can't resist the temptation of having a shot at eagle.

Originally Posted by mpeck24

I always do terrible here because i try and get distance with my 4 iron and usually smash it straight in the water.

[Double Bogey]

Funny how golf works... I have been shooting a 98 for over a month.  No matter what I did, one part of my game was off.  If I was striking it well, my putter sucked.  If I putted well my Driver was crap... you know what I mean.

So a couple of weeks ago during a round I just started playing "one shot at a time" NO REALLY, not just trying to, but actually doing it.  Letting the "bad" shots go and staying focused on the next shot.  BAM an 89, I looked back and thought about at least 6 shots that I left out there as the putter was weak.  Next round was a 90, then a 93, so I am at least trending the right way.  What I have learned is that if you keep on grinding eventually you will have a break though and it feels pretty damn good.

[zipazoid]

I'm just consistent as hell. 90% of my scores are 78-82. And the ones outside that are 83s & 77s. Never shoot lights out but never blow up either.

[bluecollar01]

I don't think I'd call it luck but more of a trend I've noticed about my game or lack there of.  I consistently shoot 5-10 strokes better on the back nine of a course than on the front.  At first I thought, maybe it was the courses I was playing but it seems to happen at almost every course.  I boil it down to nerves.  I'm always nervous to play, even with my usual golf buddies.  I think the front nine allows me to get the jitters out and the pause at the turn lets me refocus.

Really, waiting to have one of those breakout games like others have talked about where everything comes together.  Like several other posters, I typically have one area that's not working during the round - tee shots, chipping or putting.

[mpeck24]

Originally Posted by x129

Ever think that maybe you should try another shot? Obviously I don't know the hole or your game but if you usually smash it into the water, it seems like a different course strategy is in order. Of course I routinely try to drive a green on a par 4 despite knowing that the odds of the ball stopping on that green are about zero. You either hit the trap in front or the ball goes over the green into the water. I just can't resist the temptation of having a shot at eagle.

Yes i have thought about that, i just always seem to try the "home-run" shot lol  on this hole i should really just hit a club im more comfortable swinging to get it over the hazard, and just leave myself a longer third shot.

[jamo]

I had one nine-hole round where I birdied the first four holes and then made par on the last five, and another round where I made 7 birdies in one 18-hole round, but most of the time I shoot right around +1 to +3. Occasionally I mix in a blow-up round, but I rarely go much lower than par. It would be pretty crazy if I went out tomorrow and shot 12 better than my best round. A 55 would be impressive. :-P

[mpeck24]

Originally Posted by jamo

I had one nine-hole round where I birdied the first four holes and then made par on the last five, and another round where I made 7 birdies in one 18-hole round, but most of the time I shoot right around +1 to +3. Occasionally I mix in a blow-up round, but I rarely go much lower than par. It would be pretty crazy if I went out tomorrow and shot 12 better than my best round. A 55 would be impressive.

Haha yes mighty impressive.  Guess with my handi there is much room for improvement lol