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Why?!!!


CarlSpackler

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This post is dedicated to those shots that you desperately want back. Last Sunday, I crushed a drive to just short of the green. This is usually where I have a problem, but I hit a great pitch that rolled past the pin and left me with a 5-6’ birdie putt. It was downhill and I knew as soon as I pulled the putter back that it was too much and rolled it 5’ past. I lipped out the par putt and left myself with a tap in bogey. Why?!!! I didn’t care so much about making the birdie, but to take 4 strokes from 20 yards is completely inexcusable.

There seem to be at least 1 or 2 of these events in every round that are completely senseless mistakes that cost a stroke or 2. I don’t chalk it off to carelessness because I went through my routine. It’s almost like there is a momentary disconnect between my mind a body. So am I the only one that has the moments of cranial diversion? How can these situations be avoided?

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It’s almost like there is a momentary disconnect between my mind a body. So am I the only one that has the moments of cranial diversion? How can these situations be avoided?

Those Devilish little Demons will never go away. The only hope is to contain them so they don't bother you while golfing. 
Duct tape works well, I wrap them all up together and stick them to the side of my bag or wrap them around a flagstick to annoy the players behind me....  :-P

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I feel your pain. I've shot ever par once, and twice I 3 putted for par in that round! :pound:

The way I've minimized this stuff in my game is by more focus. For me, that means taking an extra 5 seconds to think about the shot. Don't try to automatically tap in that 3 footer. Etc.

I don't think there's a way to get rid of it, though. Just think Ernie Els at the Masters last year. Or Kevin Na making a 15 on a hole.

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48 minutes ago, JonMA1 said:

This happens every single time I have a legitimate chance for eagle.... so it's happened like... twice.

As opposed to an illegitimate chance for eagle? :-P

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" So am I the only one that has the moments of cranial diversion? How can these situations be avoided? "

No and no.  Everyone fumbles away great opportunities now and then, it is just the nature of sports in general.  These type of failures just make the inevitable successes all the more sweet.

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In my last round, I was licking my chops at a short Par 5. I was swinging well, and it's only 465yds, but some trouble if too wayward. I was in one of those mid-round grooves, and my swing just felt effortless and smooth. I hit a great drive, and had 200yds left (with the wind). From there, I knew short was better than long, so I used a nice and easy 5-iron that came off the club incredibly. To my amazement, it ended up rolling just to the back fringe!

I rarely, if ever, reach a par 5 in two, so I'm pretty damn impressed at this point. So no problem, a chip and a putt for birdie, right? Sure is better than my typical bogey I get on this hole.

THIS TIME, I've got you, nemesis hole.

In short, I failed to make even a GIR (the front pin location dips pretty good and I watched my fringe putt roll down into a swail), and I had to hit a 6ft breaking putt to save par. :pound:

In this case, it was overconfidence and over-exuberance. Couldn't see anything but a birdie, and totally lost focus.

Edited by RandallT
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It happens to me all the time.  Especially putting.   So often, when I'm putting, in the middle of my back swing, I change my mind, and goose it a little, or do the opposite, and hit it so much softer than I had planned.  The other day, I had a 6 foot birdie putt, and putted it 4 feet.   It's just a brain fart.  It's not being totally prepared and committed.   It's doubt creeping into your mind at the worst possible time.  

You ask, how can this be avoided?  I hope someone will post the answer, because I sure don't know. 

 

Edited by Marty2019
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