Skulling A Pitch Shot

[MS256]

You are also a pro and a scratch or better golfer.  The OP is a 17 handicap.  If he is getting depressed every time a good break results from a mishit, then he must be a joy to play with.  I know that I wouldn't enjoy playing with someone who was that down on himself.  I play for fun, but I also play for score, otherwise I don't see much point.  I'll take a good result from a bad shot with a lot more acceptance than I will a bad result from a what seemed to be a good shot - either way, I'm there for personal enjoyment and social interaction, and what happens is what happens, good or bad.

In my defense, I did say "nearly perfect", and the scenario of a good shot nicking a branch overhanging the green is not uncommon on some courses (Harbor Town comes to mind, as does the 18th at Pebble).  Maybe I should have used the Tiger example of a great shot hitting the flagstick and ending up in the water.   I've done similar, only deflected into a bunker, and I'd rather have hit a crappy skulled shot and landed 6" away.

I guess I must not be a joy to play with either. Just last Saturday I hit an absolutely terribly thin hooking shot on a par 3 that miraculously found the green. I said "Crap" as soon as I hit it. Everybody else in the group hit respectable shots but none found the green.

When we got to the green and my ball was a few feet from the hole one of the guys said "Great shot" to which I had to reply that it was actually a horrible shot that got lucky. I'll take the birdie I made but I'm not happy at all with the crappy shot I hit to get there.

I would have actually felt much more confident going into the next hole (and for the rest of the round) if I had hit a good solid shot that barely missed the green.

[Ernest Jones]

I would have actually felt much more confident going into the next hole (and for the rest of the round) if I had hit a good solid shot that barely missed the green.

Definitely something there, hitting a series of horrible shots that yield great results doesn't do much for your confidence.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

You are also a pro and a scratch or better golfer.  The OP is a 17 handicap.  If he is getting depressed every time a good break results from a mishit, then he must be a joy to play with.  I know that I wouldn't enjoy playing with someone who was that down on himself.  I play for fun, but I also play for score, otherwise I don't see much point.  I'll take a good result from a bad shot with a lot more acceptance than I will a bad result from a what seemed to be a good shot - either way, I'm there for personal enjoyment and social interaction, and what happens is what happens, good or bad.

In my defense, I did say "nearly perfect", and the scenario of a good shot nicking a branch overhanging the green is not uncommon on some courses (Harbor Town comes to mind, as does the 18th at Pebble).  Maybe I should have used the Tiger example of a great shot hitting the flagstick and ending up in the water.   I've done similar, only deflected into a bunker, and I'd rather have hit a crappy skulled shot and landed 6" away.

I guess I must not be a joy to play with either. Just last Saturday I hit an absolutely terribly thin hooking shot on a par 3 that miraculously found the green. I said "Crap" as soon as I hit it. Everybody else in the group hit respectable shots but none found the green.

When we got to the green and my ball was a few feet from the hole one of the guys said "Great shot" to which I had to reply that it was actually a horrible shot that got lucky. I'll take the birdie I made but I'm not happy at all with the crappy shot I hit to get there.

I would have actually felt much more confident going into the next hole (and for the rest of the round) if I had hit a good solid shot that barely missed the green.

There is a difference between us then.  I never take the bad shot with me to the next stroke.  Regardless of the result, it's just another shot.  I can accept that I'm going to hit some clinkers, and not let it bother me past that shot.

I certainly don't have a confidence breakdown due to a bad shot, or even a series of 2 or 3 of them.  I approach each shot with the mindset that it's going to work exactly as I plan it, despite the fact that past history should say otherwise.  If I couldn't do that, I'd have to quit the game.  I feel that optimism is a necessary trait in a golfer, even if that optimism is often misplaced.  As far as golf is concerned, I'm an optimistic realist.

[wils5150]

I take the good with the bad. I hit a 7 iron into a very hard par 4 that hit the stick about a foot up from the cup. the ball deflected to the right and went into a hazard lol

[MS256]

There is a difference between us then.  I never take the bad shot with me to the next stroke.  Regardless of the result, it's just another shot.  I can accept that I'm going to hit some clinkers, and not let it bother me past that shot.

I certainly don't have a confidence breakdown due to a bad shot, or even a series of 2 or 3 of them.  I approach each shot with the mindset that it's going to work exactly as I plan it, despite the fact that past history should say otherwise.  If I couldn't do that, I'd have to quit the game.  I feel that optimism is a necessary trait in a golfer, even if that optimism is often misplaced.  As far as golf is concerned, I'm an optimistic realist.

Ha ha! Probably one of the many reasons why I'm not a very good golfer. Hitting just a few really solid shots can get me on a roll, even if they are slightly off line.