Horrible Finish to a Round...How To Keep Your Cool?

**underparnv** · July 27, 2008

So I must admit that my head came off my shoulders for one hole today. Of course it had to come when I could have posted my best round ever...

First off, here is the scorecard:

None

**CG031** · July 27, 2008

I had a chance to break 80 the other day (which I've only done two other times...) and all I had to do was par the last hole, which is a 400 yard, downhill par 4, nothing difficult...I hit my drive into the right rough, behind trees, I go to punch out, totally lose my concentration, and POUND the punch shot O.B...I ended up with triple for an 82...

I was really upset. I wasn't even talking to my dad after the round on the car ride home...I can't wait to hear some suggestions myself, lol.

**King Cobra II** · July 27, 2008

I played pretty average golf today, yet still had a chance to put up a decent round. I was playing with my dead, and going into the 9th hole par 5 I was shooting a 38. Nothing special but not bad. I could bogey the hole and shoot a 44, which is an okay score for a day where I didn't hit my tee shots well. Long story short I 9 the last hole for an ugly 47 :( but as the OP said, at least I got to play golf.

**polodinks** · July 27, 2008

eagle first hole?....... how in the world is that a bad round?

**underparnv** · July 27, 2008

eagle first hole?....... how in the world is that a bad round?

I never said it was a bad round. I said I had a horrible

FINISH to the round!

It should have been a better round. Had I finished stronger, it would have been a record round. Instead, it's just an average round for me.

So...any tips?

**rubbery** · July 27, 2008

I've been known to lose my cool as well, and the easiest fix that I've found is to take a few extra seconds and just think how easy it is to stick that little white ball next to the cup and how many times you've done it in your life, then clear you mind completely and address the ball calmly.

**Undr Par** · July 27, 2008

I never said it was a bad round. I said I had a horrible

a 74 and your complaining? my tip would be sell your clubs and take up fishing or something, you're being to hard on yourself

**Stacey_E** · July 27, 2008

Many golfers, including the pros and myself, fall victim to counting their scores on the 18th tee. We all want to finish in style. But the 18th is no more magical than the 10th or 1st. I often overthink that last hole, which is what you might have done when you pulled the 2 iron instead of the driver you said you had hit well all day. I usually take a few extra breaths on every shot on the last hole, then I focus on my target and let the chips fall where they may. Focussing on a score can tense me up and blow my swing.

**Undr Par** · July 27, 2008

Many golfers, including the pros and myself, fall victim to counting their scores on the 18th tee.

I used to be like this, but the last 2 years I've made it a point to not know my score even after the turn......my normal playing partner used to love to add up the score after 9 and tell me (he still does he just doesn't tell me mine)....I don't know my score until after the entire round (wheather it's playing 9 holes or 18) and I've found it has helped me greatly, no pressure at all....... more people ought to try it, it helps

***iacas*** · July 27, 2008

a 74 and your complaining? my tip would be sell your clubs and take up fishing or something, you're being to hard on yourself

Guys, c'mon. I never understood this type of reaction and I think it's part of the reason low handicappers (including myself) rarely ask for advice on forums, which makes it difficult for them to want to stick around, which means they won't be around as much to give YOU advice when you ask for it. "Oooh, you're good, stop complaining" isn't advice and I think it's actually kind of rude.

Would it help you to pretend he shot 44 55 and is asking how he keeps a good round together in order to break a new personal best of 90? Would "Hey, you still broke 100, quit your whining?" be an appropriate response? The advice is still the same, and "breaking a personal best" is something every golfer like has experience doing. I've shot 33 on the front nine and 41 on the back, so I know the feeling. Sometimes it's about getting a bunch of good breaks on one side and them "evening up" on the back. You can't control that, and you can just be grateful for a good front side. Sometimes it's about thinking too far ahead. You've got to play one shot at a time and just add up your score at the end. I usually don't even add up my score after nine, though of course I probably know the number if I think about it. The very act of writing it down reinforces it. So I don't. One shot at a time. You also don't want to change your strategy: don't suddenly go conservative if you were playing aggressively, and don't suddenly go aggressively if you were playing conservatively and holing long putts for birdies or whatever.

**golf hungry** · July 27, 2008

I to have the problem. I think it is just a part of the game. Eventhough I don't add my scores up I always know where I am. I have tried all types of theories but to no avail. Now I just try the 1 shot at a time.
As my handicap has come down it is even more of a problem. It's alot easier to know you are 3 over after 11 than 11 over after 10.
Ed

**blue_crush** · July 27, 2008

I used to be like this, but the last 2 years I've made it a point to not know my score even after the turn......my normal playing partner used to love to add up the score after 9 and tell me (he still does he just doesn't tell me mine)....I don't know my score until after the entire round (wheather it's playing 9 holes or 18) and I've found it has helped me greatly, no pressure at all.......

this is what every good golfer and pro plays for, why...

you should not be wondering on the course what your score is and how your going to make up that bogey on the next couple of holes or that there's a par 5 coming up you might get a birdie on. once you learn to take each shot as it comes and not be thinking about the next hole or your last couple of shots you will start executing better shots. make each shot count, and the score at the end will be much better and less stressful. thats not to say when you mark down each hole you know, but that's it, you move on to the next shot at hand. some of my best days on the course I didn't even realize that I was doing that good and I was surprised to see it. but there has been times where I was all even till the last hole and knew all I had to do was finish this hole with no mistakes, and that hole haunted me all 440yds....lol

**GaijinGolfer** · July 27, 2008

I played really poorly today. I was pushing shots to the right, was coming up short with my iron shots, hitting my pitch shots over the green. All in all, the complete opposite of my round last week.
I probably should be upset with myself, but I just remember one simple fact: its just a game. We all have our good rounds and our bad rounds, so theres no need to get down on yourself if you have a bad day on the golf course.
The way I look at it, the worst day on the golf course still beats the best day doing anything else.

**TheGasman** · July 27, 2008

I would say work on your breathing to get you back into focus. My girlfriend has gotten me into these hippy yoga classes and they have helped immensely with golf, motocross and even when im doing paper work in the office.

**GaijinGolfer** · July 27, 2008

I would say work on your breathing to get you back into focus. My girlfriend has gotten me into these hippy yoga classes and they have helped immensely with golf, motocross and even when im doing paper work in the office.

I can see that. I notice that when Im calm and releaxed I play much better and I know that breathing exercises do a lot to calm a person down and release stress.

I know that I was kind of nervous during my round today and that it was a major reason why I played poorly. This evening I spent about 30 minutes hitting balls and I hit them pretty well. Fairly straight and very high. The difference? I was relaxed.

**underparnv** · July 28, 2008

Guys, c'mon. I never understood this type of reaction and I think it's part of the reason low handicappers (including myself) rarely ask for advice on forums, which makes it difficult for them to want to stick around, which means they won't be around as much to give YOU advice when you ask for it. "Oooh, you're good, stop complaining" isn't advice and I think it's actually kind of rude.

Thanks Erik. I guess sometimes it's better to ask from one single digit handicap to another... (hint, hint...

)

**golf_junkie27** · July 28, 2008

The way I keep my cool is by knowing that I did everything right that put me in a position to execute the shot. In other words, I chose the right club, my alignment was good, I felt confident, I went through my pre-shot routine. If I then fail to hit a good shot, I know it's my swing. It's just one thing.

I also then examine the situation. Do I still have a chance at birdie? If not, am I capable of saving par? Logically, what's my worst score? I'll then play to the best score, possible.

Best example I can give is what happened on Thursday. Par 5, I hit a really good drive that drew just a tad too much and wound up in the rough. I had about 210 to the flag but had to go around a tree. Instead of trying for a TV type shot, I took out my sand wedge and hit a shot to the 150 yard marker. It carried it and left me about 130 yards. PW to about five feet and easy birdie. Two months ago that would have been a +3 on the card.

**GaijinGolfer** · July 28, 2008

The way I keep my cool is by knowing that I did everything right that put me in a position to execute the shot. In other words, I chose the right club, my alignment was good, I felt confident, I went through my pre-shot routine. If I then fail to hit a good shot, I know it's my swing. It's just one thing.

I need to learn to do that more often. I always try to be a hero and pull out the 3-wood or the hybrid, take a swipe at it and hope for the best.

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Horrible Finish to a Round...How To Keep Your Cool?

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