There are No Bad Shots

[pganapathy]

9 hours ago, krupa said:

But you also said you can't enjoy golf regardless of the score.  I can. When I keep score, I still enjoy the round regardless of the outcome.  

I can't do that.  I can enjoy the round (company, nature etc), but I can't enjoy the bad golf score.  Maybe that is how I am wired, but so be it.

8 hours ago, iacas said:

You asked him "If you are not keeping score then why are you playing golf at all" and he gave you a valid response.

Hell, some people just enjoy going to the range to hit balls. They find that act enjoyable. You can have fun on the course without having to keep score.

Like I said above, the score matters to me.  It gives an idea of how I am playing golf.  At the end of the day, the golf part of it is all about the score.  The other parts of it are personal enjoyment (i.e nature, friendship things like that), but for me the golf is about my game and what I score.  If I am not keeping score, then I consider it a practice round only.

7 hours ago, saevel25 said:

Next time that happens, just think, "Is this feeling of being upset beneficial to my game."

All bad shots are with in the realm of a players ability. People get way too tied up on the good shots. PGA Tour players shank a ball from time to time. Juts laugh it off and move on. There is no great worldly significance when the ball doesn't clear a bunker just short of the green.

Meh, I disagree.

What if they are not practicing?

 

Yes, being upset is actually beneficial to my game.  It forces me to focus on what I am doing.  Many times I hit a bad shot because I am tired or dehydrated and hence not really focusing on my game.

Yes there is a significance when a ball doesn't clear a bunker.  Either you planned badly or executed badly.  Very simple.

I understand that not everybody thinks the way I do and for many, keeping score isn't as important as enjoying their round.  Like I said, my enjoyment is two-fold.  One part comes from the company, being out in nature, the view etc.  The other comes from playing well.

[iacas]

22 minutes ago, pganapathy said:

I can enjoy the round (company, nature etc), but I can't enjoy the bad golf score.

Nobody is saying “enjoy a bad score.”  That wouldn’t make sense. It’s about having a good perspective.

[Buckeyebowman]

11 hours ago, pganapathy said:

Those are two different things.  I can keep score on every round and still enjoy the other parts of the game like nature, the company etc.  The whacking of golf balls in a meaningless round is really a practice round

What are they practicing? Just whacking balls around? I feel that a practice round, in serious competition, should be played about as seriously as the real thing. Yes, you can drop balls, and hit additional shots. but this is done in the service of learning. It's not just whapping things about willy nilly!

[DrvFrShow]

Seriously... are you practicing 4 days a week hitting 1000 balls every day? Playing the other 3 days? If not, you're going to hit **** shots. There's no reason to get mad. My golf journey has taught me to learn to adapt. I've had to learn to make the best of the situation my last shot left me. There's always a way out. There's always a way to avoid the big number. But sometimes I do everything right as far as strategy goes and still get the big number because I don't practice enough. That's on me. It's not the club's fault, not the tree's fault, and it's not the ball's fault. And then people start thinking that they deserved the big number because they didn't practice enough or made the wrong decision on the course. A pro told me "no, you didn't deserve it. No one deserves it. What did you take away from that?"

All this said, I don't play well in "practice rounds." I prefer playing with someone of equal or better ability. It keeps me relaxed and keeps me focused. I tend to make better shots for some reason. 

Edited August 30, 2019 by DrvFrShow

[mcanadiens]

17 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

It's not the club's fault

That's where you are wrong.

It's always the driver's fault. Even when I putt.

Worst ... club ... ever.

[pganapathy]

18 hours ago, iacas said:

Nobody is saying “enjoy a bad score.”  That wouldn’t make sense. It’s about having a good perspective.

Like I said earlier, that is easier said than done.  I can't be zen about a bad score.  It matters to me that I played badly.  Why shouldn't it.  In fact, when people can turn around and say that the bad score doesn't affect them, I have to wonder how much they care about their score.  I accept I will be trolled for this opinion, but me personally I can't have a good perspective about a bad score.  At most, I can use it as a learning experience to hopefully do better next time.

[Patch]

I have this opinion that quite a few amateur golfers tend to be too hard on themselves. They hit what they percieve to be a poor shot, when compared to other amateurs, that poor shot they think they hit is actually pretty average.

Usually if the amature thinks about it, that poor shot is more good than bad.....as long as it leaves them a decent next shot to their intended target.

It's not a terrible thing to miss the fairway by a few yards off the tee. It's not a bad thing to miss the green from 150 yards by several feet. Amateurs hit these two shots all the time. 

I think the poor shot discription is due to the fact that quite a few amateurs try to compare their game to what they see the pga players do on tv.  

 

[Double Mocha Man]

50 minutes ago, pganapathy said:

Like I said earlier, that is easier said than done.  I can't be zen about a bad score.  It matters to me that I played badly.  Why shouldn't it.  In fact, when people can turn around and say that the bad score doesn't affect them, I have to wonder how much they care about their score.  I accept I will be trolled for this opinion, but me personally I can't have a good perspective about a bad score.  At most, I can use it as a learning experience to hopefully do better next time.

There's a course I often play that is 20 minutes from my home.  I usually shoot well there and have a happy ride home, replaying the good shots in my head (talk about distracted driving!).  When I shoot poorly my drive home is somewhat troubled.  In either case I arrive home then head out to one of my favorite watering holes for a gin & tonic... where everything gets put into a more optimistic perspective, thanks to friends, good conversation, civility and rare discussion of my golf travails.  Then I look forward to the range the next morning where I will surely correct each of the mistakes in my golf swing.  And all will be right with the world again.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Double Mocha Man

[Vinsk]

On 8/30/2019 at 3:30 PM, pganapathy said:

I can't have a good perspective about a bad score.  At most, I can use it as a learning experience to hopefully do better next time.

Sure you can. And you just suggested a good one. As Erik said it’s not saying enjoy a bad shot. It’s about not letting a poor shot or a poor round consume you with negativity. Accept that poor play will happen. Learn something and make that better shot/round even more rewarding. It’s not a super philosophy where it’s saying rainbows should shoot out your ass regardless of how you play because a game of golf doesn’t really matter. It’s just a reminder to have a healthy/positive perspective.

[Patch]

Take away the the good shots, and take away the not so good shots. What's that leave you with? Nothing but a score, and that score is nothing more than just a number.

Par is just a number, birdy is just a number,  just the same as bogey (what ever) is just a number. If a golf number bothers a person, then maybe that person needs to find another outlet besides golf for competitive value, exercise, and/or fun.

Numbers, except for informational values, are harmless. 

[boogielicious]

6 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Sure you can. And you just suggested a good one. As Erik said it’s not saying enjoy a bad shot. It’s about not letting a poor shot or a poor round consume you with negativity. Accept that poor play will happen. Learn something and make that better shot/round even more rewarding. It’s not a super philosophy where it’s saying rainbows should shoot out your ass regardless of how you play because a game of golf doesn’t really matter. It’s just a reminder to have a healthy/positive perspective.

 

[70sSanO]

My main issue with Erik Anders’ video was that his “favorite” hole “ever” was when he shot an 11.  This is not putting a bad round or hole out of your mind, or focusing on the good.  This is a conscious effort to recall shooting an 11 as his favorite as some badge of courage for persevering.  Maybe Erik A never got a participation trophy when he was a kid.

It had been a while since I shot double digits on a hole until Friday when I shot a 10.  It really sucked.  It is funny that I thought of this thread and I could never imagine anything favorite about that hole.

On Saturday, I got a birdie on a 210 yard Par 3, ended up 18” from the cup.  I also birdied another hole with a chip in from 40 feet.  I will recall those moments.

I agree that people should have a good perspective when things don’t go well or as planned; whether it is golf or anything else.  But it is not no bad shots, no bad investments, no bad news from the doctor, etc.  if there is no bad, there is no rising above it.

John

[DrvFrShow]

I recall a round recently where I was even par through 4. Then I had a quad on 5. A quad! I just couldn't do anything right on the hole. I followed it with a triple. Then a double. Then a bogey. Then a par on 9. I had a good drive on 7, but put my 2nd shot in a bunker and barely got out leaving a 60 foot putt which ended up as a 3 putt.

The 9th hole used to be my nemesis. I never got less than a triple. Now I get pars and an occasional birdie there. I learned how to play the hole. 5 has become the nemesis. But I am learning how to play 5. It's a learning experience in course management. It's the #4 handicap hole. 9 is #1. Eventually I will birdie this hole. 

[RussUK]

As per usual i'm a little late to this party, but I totally agree with what most of you guys are saying. Golf is a game, a hobby, an escape from daily life for a bit, nothing more (unless it's your job of course).

It's supposed to be fun. I used to get really hot under the collar at bad shots and it's taken me getting pretty ill and having to manage a condition for the rest of my life to realise that it's a waste of energy to get pissed at bad shots. I'm now happy to be able to just play (got some new irons out of it as well so win win!!)

[Buckeyebowman]

17 hours ago, RussUK said:

As per usual i'm a little late to this party, but I totally agree with what most of you guys are saying. Golf is a game, a hobby, an escape from daily life for a bit, nothing more (unless it's your job of course).

It's supposed to be fun. I used to get really hot under the collar at bad shots and it's taken me getting pretty ill and having to manage a condition for the rest of my life to realise that it's a waste of energy to get pissed at bad shots. I'm now happy to be able to just play (got some new irons out of it as well so win win!!)

Good for you! We don't make our livings by playing golf! It's supposed to be recreation. Heck, I hae to pay to play!  A thought just occurred to me. It's really the only physical recreation left to me. I used to play every game (sport) under the sun. At least those I was exposed to. Golf is the only one left.