Do you go on "tilt" while playing bad/playing a bad hole

**kafka01** · September 2, 2007

Hey,

i would like to know, if you go on tilt while playing bad or having a bad hole with the effect that your performance drops even more.

I do this a lot, sometimes it even starts on the driving range when warming up and hitting the ball bad or having some nasty tendencies in the swing.

This all sends my mood dwindling down and its really hard for me to "get back into the game" then and play solidly.

Another think i noticed when analyzing my scorecards is when i had a bad hole, the probability is high that the next or even overnext hole will be bad too. Same is true for well played holes which leads to better than normal holes over the next or couple next holes.

I know what some of you will say - take it easy, dont be too ambitious, just forget bad shots/bad holes. Problem is, i´m very ambitious - i just have this tendencies and i just cant seem to get over them and i feel like this is a big problem for me to finally get single digit.

I play now for one year, i practice hard, almost daily for a couple of hours - i dont really have big leaks in my game, but i think my "mental game" is a big no no quite frequently and costs me lot of shots every round when i go on tilt (and therefor lose tempo and rythm and motivation) and i just cant seem to stop it.

Any advice/tips would be really great since its just so depressing and frustrating sometimes that i just think of quitting.

**Arsenal Forever** · September 2, 2007

I can understand your problem. I am not sure of the fix for it, but If I have a terrible hole or make a few consecutive bad shots, I keep going on with at best mediocre shots until I finally break out of the slump by hitting a decent shot, perhaps by luck.

It's a habit I really need to break as well.

**King Cobra II** · September 2, 2007

Eh, it really depends. If I'm playing like some kind up match with a friend, where I really want to win, then yeah I'll get pissed off, even if it's for a stupid reason. If I'm just playing to have a good time and work on shots, I tend to stay alot calmer,and usually post better scores.

**putterboy** · September 2, 2007

what you are describing is the difference between the low handicappers and the high ones. Like you, I will have a blow up hole and it affects me for the next couple because my head is all screwed.

I think the ability to overcome a bad hole is 'golf' maturity....not in terms of absolute age but in terms of golf experience and having the confidence to recover, not only after a bad hole, but not even allowing a hole to get there in the first place...ie. if you go into the woods or pond, you say oh well and you take the penalty and finish up the hole with a bogey or double bogey....instead of a snowman.

Keep practicing is really all you can do and I think (and hope - for my own sake too) the confidence will eventually about will come that no matter what, you can recover and still salvage the hole.

**Golf4life** · September 2, 2007

sounds like you've practice alot the physical aspect of the game. Remember the game is 90% being mentally focus.

*pre-rep routines :both at the range and course
*maximize your wherewithal of your game in order to capitalize on the positive and damage control the negative.
*read books. Learn from the legendary players

These are just a few things to do, that will help you.

**ericm** · September 2, 2007

kafka,

Try "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" by Bob Rotella.

pete6 · September 3, 2007

Sometimes I have a bad hole and the wheels just fall off. Not so much because I get angry, I just overthink what I am doing wrong, and make it worse. Usually one good shot gets me back on track.

stevestrike · September 3, 2007

I do this all the time. I can't stand a bad tee shot. Not just a miss, but a "you're totally f*&^ed" kind of tee shot. Like 1 OB and then 1 into the water. Mentally, I quit. This wasn't a problem for me when I took mulligan's. But now that everything counts, it's a lot tougher.

My golf instructor also recommended the "Golf is not a game of perfect" for me. We'll see if that helps.

For me, the biggest frustration comes from not know WHY I'm hitting the bad shots so that I can try to fix them on the next hole. Taking lessons has helped with this a lot, and I'm able to self-diagnose some swing faults in mid-round.

**JKilgore44** · September 3, 2007

I have experienced the same problem in my game many times. It seems like once you make that double bogey (or triple, or quad, it happens) you just can't remember how to make a solid par. For me, I start hooking the piss out of the ball. It'll start on the tee box, and I will put a big hook on a ball and I can't shake the thought of it. I'm standing over my next shot, trying to focus but the hook comes back again. I struggle through the hole and it seems like it never goes away...

The best solution I can offer you is to find a shot that you are most comfortable with and always fall back on it. For me, it's a 3/4 two-iron of the box with a slight fade. Go to a shot that you know won't get you in trouble. If you're hooking, make yourself hit a fade. It you're slicing, make yourself do the opposite. Just stay in control of your ball and don't let your brain get in the way.

**soup** · September 4, 2007

I played Division I baseball in college and consider myself to be very competitive - however, when it comes to golf - I'm there for the five hour break from reality. I can't stand playing with some of my friends who continually piss and moan, throw clubs etc etc.

I played all weekend with my uncles, cousins and brother. We were all there to have a great time, break shoes and gain bragging rights for the next year. I played very well - 85 on Saturday, 83 on Sunday. On Sunday I had a string of four straight pars to open the back 9 when I pushed a lousy tee shot into the trees. I have half a dozen friends who would have went ballistic - I saw an opportunity to make a par from the trees. I slapped out a 5-iron from under the trees and had 160 left to the hole - I hit a nice 6-iron into the wind to 18 inches and made par.

No matter how bad you hit a shot, the next one can always be spectacular. Life is too short to get pissed off about hooking a tee shot or chunking a wedge.

**kafka01** · September 4, 2007

I played Division I baseball in college and consider myself to be very competitive - however, when it comes to golf - I'm there for the five hour break from reality. I can't stand playing with some of my friends who continually piss and moan, throw clubs etc etc.

So whats your goal for golf (HCP-wise)? I know this attitude from a lot of players in our club, and its okay, they will eventually get their mid-/high single digit HCPs but its just fun for them - like you said, a five hour break from reality.

And of course i understand, that it´s not okay to piss or moan around (or even throw clubs) so i just quite up during the round signaling the other to leave me alone, thus not trying to affect the other players, even its sometimes hard.... I did this in the very beginning - just hitting 3/4shots/punch shots when nothing worked that day - thats probably a good idea to pick up again.

For me, it's a 3/4 two-iron of the box with a slight fade. Go to a shot that you know won't get you in trouble. If you're hooking, make yourself hit a fade. It you're slicing, make yourself do the opposite. Just stay in control of your ball and don't let your brain get in the way.

Thanks also for the book advice, i will check it out...

**WhiteSoxFan** · September 4, 2007

Yeah, I suffer from this. I have a temper. I'm working on it though - just play one shot at a time.

**powerfade** · September 4, 2007

I have a friend who I've played dozens of nassau's with over the years. His index is 2-3 shots lower than mine and if I were to guess he's probably won 55%-60% of the time ($$).

Two years ago he told me he would always wait for my inevitable bad hole, watch me get really upset, then follow it up with 3-4 more bad ones. It was usually enough to for him to get a run on me.

This gave me an incentive to stop acting this way. I use it to calm myself whenever I destroy a hole or two. Why act this way and guarantee defeat?

Now, I can still butcher a hole here and there, but I don't get as angry and never carry the anger to the next shot. My game has improved with my index falling from the 11+ range two years ago down a current trend of 9.4 which is my lowest index. I've worked hard on my game, but I'm sure my improved demeanor has contributed. I'm also sure my friends appreciate my new outlook too. I simply don't get PO'd like I used to :)

If you don't have anyone to give you incentive to calm down, just ask yourself whether you'd act this way while playing in front of your boss...or maybe his boss.

**Diggitydog** · September 4, 2007

I'm reading the responses which are good, but lets hear from the scratch (or close to it) players. Those guys know how to handle this situation.

Sometimes I can let it go, others not so much.

What are some of the techniques that work for you guys that are shooting low 70's and better rounds?

**aidanmcg33** · September 4, 2007

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect by Bob Rotella. Read it! Golf is all about recovery- thats the attitude im taking and im starting to make some good improvements!

**azgreg** · September 5, 2007

I believe that controlling the blow-up has been the biggest improvment in my game. A bad shot or bad hole used to effect me for 2-3 holes. Now if I hit a bad shot I just approach my next shot just like every other. I've learned to follow a routine and it has cut my handicap by at least 6 strokes over the last 6 months.

**golfchief** · September 5, 2007

First golf is against the course and par, not your buddies. Most bad shots are from trying to hit the ball to hard (overswinging). If you do hit a bad shot ask yourself why it was bad and don't repeat it. Next get the ball back in the fairway and concede you will make a boogie and not a double boogie.
If you hit tthe next shot close and one putt you still may save par. You don't have to be the longest off the tee only in play. work on the short game and putting, that's where you beat or match par. when you practice leave the woods in the car or at home,take only the wedges,putter and short irons. Don't try to make a great shot from trouble, play safe,get back in play. You won't see better players take many long shot chances to save a stroke. ( maybe on the last hole to win the money if the match is tied)

**marto97** · September 7, 2007

If you struggle with the mental game of golf this article might help you out.

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Do you go on "tilt" while playing bad/playing a bad hole

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