Putting Together a Full Round

[Dunit507]

I’m putting this here.... move it if needed. Fairly early in the season. Played maybe 7-8 full rounds so far. I’m close. I shot 41 on Tuesday on the front of a course I had not played since 2016. It’s a 128/70.8. A bad double blow up hole and 2 3 putt bogeys but not disappointed when with the 3 putts I still got by with 15 putts on the front. However I blew up and shot 45 on the back. Still for a course I’ve only played maybe 3 times it’s not awful. Then my college buddy comes down Wed. We play competitive to the point of defending home turf. I kicked the shit out of him last time he came down. He drilled me 2x at his course. I go out and make 2 putt pars at 1-2 and drill a 30 foot bender at 3 to get to -1 while he is respectable +3. Anyhow take double at 4 and 8. Bird 9 and end up +3 for the side 39. Home course I can shoot anywhere from 72-78 on a mid season round. I’m happy I’m under 40 with a pair of ugly dubs. But I for 2nd straight day just fall apart on the back. Ball striking gone. My putter is the only reason I break 90 after a solid front. I guess my question is there anyone else who can’t string 18 together? Am I over thinking it this early in season? Losing focus after a solid front? 

 

[Patch]

My guess @Dunit507 is you got tired on the second nine. You are not in 18 hole golf shape yet. 

You may not have felt tired, but maybe your motor memory for your muscles might have been fatigued. 

Hang in there. Get some more play, and practice under your belt. You will be in 18 hole shape mentally, and physically before you know it. 

I am fortunate to play year around, multiple times a week. I practice something in my game everyday. Most of my rounds are consistent through all 18 holes. Physically, I am in great shape for my own golf game. However, because I do practice/play so much, I can get mentally fatigued, which causes a negative effect on my all around game. 

[Dunit507]

Yea it is early and I’m already breaking my rule I set at the end of last year.... not lifting on golf days. I didn’t lift before Tuesday’s round or last Saturday’s round and the 2nd 9 wasn’t anything like the Wed meltdown on the back when I did lift prior to playing. Took a vacation week from work for mental sanity and golf and I swore I wasn’t playing yesterday or today. Wanted to step back after the collapse Wed and rest. I get a call 10 min after i get to gym that my buddy’s 4 man for a scramble cancelled. Tee off in 40 min. So I do the mad rush to the tee. 2 scoops of pre workout in me and it takes 6 holes before I settle in. No warm up jittery on caffeine.... never got comfortable today at all. And some guys want to play tomorrow morning weather permitting. I half want to go and half want to step back. Thanks for the encouragement!

[Dunit507]

Oh and to add I went and added a G400 to the bag this year. Swing too hard for the old reg flex Nike Sasquatch I was spraying all over the yard. I keep it in play. Bout 50% fairways so far and fewer penalty balls off the tee but struggling to square it up last couple days too. Outing today being the biggest hitter and going last didn’t help. Tried to kill the ball all day. Only real good one i hit was the one i turned right to left around a corner which i had to slow down a little to shape. So I’m feeling like a range day would be more beneficial than pushing another round. Again just babbling on and getting thoughts out in hopes of getting myself back to the form I was in last year when I got the handicap down to a 5.

Edited April 20, 2019 by Dunit507

[Piz]

Wind it down.  A round of golf says nothing about your worth as a human being.  Pay attention to what you are doing...and how that effects your brain.  The chance is pretty good that you've tied your head in a knot.  That is not unusual.  And that's the hard part.  Golf gets into your head...whether you know it or not.

[Zippo]

Another suggestion might be not to total your first nine until you've completed the second. Might lower the pressure on you to try and beat the first nine with your second...

[dennyjones]

Grab a copy of "Lowest Score Wins".   In it, Erik and Dave talk compartmentalizing a round. 

[Dunit507]

I think I need some range time too. I have yet to go to the range minus hitting 5 or so warm up balls prior to playing. New driver should be reason enough to go hammer a bucket but the repetition with all the clubs prob do me good. Better than figuring it out on the course. What I’m going to do is closet the bag till at least Friday afternoon which is the next chance I have to play. I took this past week off and played 3 full rounds and an outing. May be best to step away for a few days. 

[DrvFrShow]

You mention falling apart on the back 9. Take this for what it is from a 19 HCer. But that sounds like a typical round for me. Reason: fatigue. If you guys walk it, get in better shape. If you guys ride it, get in better shape. You may be practicing a lot. I don't know. But it's on a flat lie. Golf courses are different. Plus on the course you're playing a "defending home turf" competitive game and that's requiring you maintain mental focus that you don't need to during practice. And maintaining mental focus for 18 holes is hard.

 

[miggusrises]

I have been struggling with this too I like the idea of getting in shape for a round of golf, but not in the physical sense. When you care about your score, the ups and downs of a round can be mentally fatiguing, and often towards the end of a round I find myself not lining up putts, or trying overly risky shots, and generally taking less care. 

Maybe by playing more rounds, you get mentally conditioned to the emotional swings and can make better decisions and better swings more often. 

[Dunit507]

3 hours ago, DrvFrShow said:

You mention falling apart on the back 9. Take this for what it is from a 19 HCer. But that sounds like a typical round for me. Reason: fatigue. If you guys walk it, get in better shape. If you guys ride it, get in better shape. You may be practicing a lot. I don't know. But it's on a flat lie. Golf courses are different. Plus on the course you're playing a "defending home turf" competitive game and that's requiring you maintain mental focus that you don't need to during practice. And maintaining mental focus for 18 holes is hard.

 

You know come to think of it I was up huge at the turn. Certainly took the foot off the gas at the turn and it turned into more of a friendly round. I still wanted to score but there is no question the feel of the day changed after he went OB on 5 and took a snowman. I kept it together and made the birdie at 9 to get under 40 for the side but I won the front by double digits. So yea there is a good chance I lost my focus mentally and it wasn’t as much physical.