Bad day of golf?

[el shanko]

Originally Posted by SCfanatic35

During the round I also tried my best to think about things non-golf related. My kids, life, just relaxing and having fun, that kind of stuff.

amen brother amen

[hacker101]

Hey SC great job and congratulations on Sunday, that had to make you feel good!

[MS256]

Originally Posted by SCfanatic35

I played in my tournament yesterday at Oak Creek in Irvine, CA. Hit the ball better than I expected. I finished tied for second and shot a 97, which is good for me considering how I have been playing and I've never been there before. I would have scored much better if it weren't for 2 issues. Each time I hit into a bunker it would take me 2 shots to get out (I hit into 4 of them). Also, I lost 2 balls in long grass just off the fairway, I wish we had spotters. Overall I was pleased with my round. I just need to figure out my tee shots and how to stop hooking them. I'm not far from getting this figured out. During the round I also tried my best to think about things non-golf related. My kids, life, just relaxing and having fun, that kind of stuff.

Congrats on the tie for second.

At least you peaked at the right time. Ha ha! I usually do just the opposite and play lights out all week leading up to a tournament and then forget how to play the day before.

[hendog]

Originally Posted by MS256

I do the same thing and have no need for a handicap. The only serious game I play in doesn't use handicaps.

My choices for practice are my back yard and on the golf course.

You did say "Always play the first ball for score." Maybe that means something different than it sounds like it means.

I do this. I'll go play nine holes for practice. I'll tee off and if I don't catch it right or want to try again I will. I may play both balls but I will definitely play the first one. I'll do the same thing until its holed. The score for the first ball is what I note for the hole. Then when I am done I can look and see what I shot. I don't use it for handicap or brag about it but it at least gives me something to evaluate my progress. I know that the score is influenced by the fact that I took extra swings but its at least a data point and shows me what I am capable of.

[dak4n6]

OP, if you're talking about how do you cope with bad playing during the round, I always try to go back to basics, which for me is simply weight forward, still head, and swing within myself. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

As far as after a bad round, I am so use to the ups and downs of this silly game it doesn't really faze me anymore. Just sigh, have a few glasses of adult beverage, and head out again tomorrow (I never put the clubs to rest..I can't).

[antnee94]

It's like learning to ride a bike. Just get back out there and do it all over again.

The only thing a bad round makes me want to do is play again and hit more balls.

I will never forget last year. I played an absolutely awful round one Saturday morning. I shot 97 and could not hit the ball straight. I had a hook and slice going (no clue which way I was going to miss). It was one of those rounds I could not wait to be over. On my way home I called my teaching pro who had an early AM slot open the next day (Sunday). I explained what happened and he just told me to forget it. It was a bad day. I hit the ball fine in front of him.

I was off from work Monday morning and had plans to get an early AM round in. Needless to say I shot a 79. Two rounds back to back couldn't be any different. Same golfer, same swing, two completely different results.

That's my story and why I just want to keep playing after a bad round. Good rounds satisfy me until the next time I can get on the course. A bad round leaves me wanting to play more.

[MS256]

Originally Posted by Jason M Henley

I do this. I'll go play nine holes for practice. I'll tee off and if I don't catch it right or want to try again I will. I may play both balls but I will definitely play the first one. I'll do the same thing until its holed. The score for the first ball is what I note for the hole. Then when I am done I can look and see what I shot. I don't use it for handicap or brag about it but it at least gives me something to evaluate my progress. I know that the score is influenced by the fact that I took extra swings but its at least a data point and shows me what I am capable of.

That's about the same thing I do. I never even write down a score (or even take a scorecard) but I know what I shot after the round by how many birdies and bogies I made, but of course it's unofficial because of the extra shots (which can make a huge difference).

For the last year or two it's been easy to keep track of my scores in my head because I don't make very many birdies or bogeys. Before that I needed a math major to keep up with the great holes and the John Daly blow up holes. I remember one round in a club championship tournament where I shot a 76 and only made two pars the whole round. It was boom or bust all day.

I've had some serious rounds where I just couldn't get it going where I knew all it would take to get my feel back would be to hit a few iron shots. In fact I had one of those rounds Saturday. I was just a little off all day but was actually keeping score and couldn't hit any practice shots.

Of course when I got home the first thing I did was to hit some iron shots down into the pasture and figured out after just a few shots where I had been off all day (a little late to help).

[luggage]

I am getting back into the game following a medical layoff.  I have taken 5 lessons from the club pro; all inside hitting golf balls into a net.  No way to get feedback on how the shot went (hook, slice, shank, pull, push).  So one day I'm on the range and he comes over and simply says "turn your shoulder" and like magic I starting hitting shots like I am unconscious, the best I have ever hit.  So good it almost scares me.  Then the next day I have a tournament and I'm slapping, hitting fat, sky balls and slices.  I'm 72 years old could that be the problem???  I don't have unrealistic expectations in that I expect to hit it 250yrds and straight.  I would just like to replicate the previous day when He comes up to me and says "turn your shoulders".  Believe me I am trying to turn my shoulders.  I can't afford to have a coach on retainer like the pros.  Any ideas how I can replicate the success on the range two days in a row.

[14ledo81]

I am getting back into the game following a medical layoff.  I have taken 5 lessons from the club pro; all inside hitting golf balls into a net.  No way to get feedback on how the shot went (hook, slice, shank, pull, push).  So one day I'm on the range and he comes over and simply says "turn your shoulder" and like magic I starting hitting shots like I am unconscious, the best I have ever hit.  So good it almost scares me.  Then the next day I have a tournament and I'm slapping, hitting fat, sky balls and slices.  I'm 72 years old could that be the problem???  I don't have unrealistic expectations in that I expect to hit it 250yrds and straight.  I would just like to replicate the previous day when He comes up to me and says "turn your shoulders".  Believe me I am trying to turn my shoulders.  I can't afford to have a coach on retainer like the pros.  Any ideas how I can replicate the success on the range two days in a row.

These sorts of tips have helped me in the past, but only for short time periods.

Maybe now you are turning a little to much??

[WUTiger]

You are a 10 HDCP, so you have a decent swing in there somewhere.

When you're in the middle of a bad round, make sure  you don't have "beehive brain" that day. A case of BB involves thinking about all aspects of your swing after a few bad shots, to the point you can't seem to hit the ball at all.

When this happens, focus on getting aligned and swinging without delay.Invoke the philosophy of military Special Ops people: trust your training.

[vangator]

I find when I'm hitting the ball poorly it's because the ball creeps too far forward and I start hitting with my shoulders too open. I move the ball back in my stance slightly and keep my left shoulder from opening to early. Also, I make sure my left arm is straight. When I get lazy, I start leaving the ball to the right.

[luggage]

All good input and I appreciate it.  One of my biggest questions is, can an instructor teach and evaluate your swing by only watching you hit 10 to 12 ft. into a net inside?  Don't get me wrong I have immense respect for my instructor and he is a great golfer (I have watch him play), but looking at the various instructors on golf channel and books Hogan and Jack, they all seem to have a little different approach. So the questions remains, is it reasonable that an instructor with enormous skill anticipate distance and other outcomes by watching balls hit in a net? Thanks.

[Mac62]

All good input and I appreciate it.  One of my biggest questions is, can an instructor teach and evaluate your swing by only watching you hit 10 to 12 ft. into a net inside?  Don't get me wrong I have immense respect for my instructor and he is a great golfer (I have watch him play), but looking at the various instructors on golf channel and books Hogan and Jack, they all seem to have a little different approach.  So the questions remains, is it reasonable that an instructor with enormous skill anticipate distance and other outcomes by watching balls hit in a net?    Thanks.

There are a lot of things a good instructor can see/work on in such a situation without having to see your full ball flight; Grip, stance, alignment, posture, ball position, steady head, weight transfer, lower body motion/swing sequencing (i.e., clearing the hips), flat left wrist at impact, etc.  While they may not be able to exactly anticipate distance and/or ball flight, they can find and fix many things that are commonalities to a solid, consistent golf swing.

[iacas]

So the questions remains, is it reasonable that an instructor with enormous skill anticipate distance and other outcomes by watching balls hit in a net?    Thanks.

It can be, yeah. But… we use things like FlightScope, too, so we're not guessing on these kinds of things.

To be honest, though, with a 25 handicap, you're probably mostly concerned with ball contact.