5 Handicap Mental Troubles

[flnative75]

Morning! well Ive been lurking on the outside for some time but after the last few months of grinding out a new swing I thought it was time to reach out and get some feed back that could help with some in round thoughts that have been troubling me. 

Just a quick back story picked up the game late im 45 and started playing when i was in my late 20s. didnt start getting serious about the game till about 5-6 years ago . When i started getting serious about the game my swing was still pretty bad my take away was too far inside and had to compensate in other area of my swing creating a hook but still played off of a 10 Handicap ( cant call it a draw because it just moved too much and my miss was way left lol). About 9 months ago  I decided to change everything swingpath, grip and my score dropped bringing me to a 5 handicap . My home course I play, I dont play the tips im not long enough but I play one up from the tips at 6700 yds. The issue I have been experiencing and it never fails I'll start my rounds steady and start to score very well by 9th im normally at even or at times 2 under. 

Then comes the thoughts of finishing strong shooting lights out and going low . Instead I start to make dumb mistakes. It never fails right at 11-12th hole im back to mid 70s or just under 80. What are some things you guys are doing to keep that focus on the task . It's like im losing focus ? or is it a consistency thing that needs to be done on the range? 

Edited June 18, 2021 by flnative75

[klineka]

First, welcome to The Sand Trap! There are tons of different sections here with a lot of great advice.

26 minutes ago, flnative75 said:

The issue I have been experiencing and it never fails I'll start my rounds steady and start to score very well by 9th im normally at even or at times 2 under. 

Then comes the thoughts of finishing strong shooting lights out and going low . Instead I start to make dumb mistakes. It never fails right at 11-12th hole im back to mid 70s or just under 80. What are some things you guys are doing to keep that focus on the task . It's like im losing focus ? or is it a consistency thing that needs to be done on the range? 

When you say you start to make dumb mistakes, what do you mean by that? Course management mistakes, mistakes in your swing, etc. 

If it is course management mistakes, I highly recommend reading the book called "Lowest Score Wins" which was co-authored by the owner of this site, it goes in-depth into course management and might be helpful if that is an area where you are costing yourself strokes.

If it is a swing issue, it sounds like you went through a pretty big swing overhaul, so it's possible that your new swing just isn't 100% ingrained yet and at times you might start drifting back to old habits.

One piece of advice I have is try to develop a pre-shot routine, something that takes you out of the relaxed mindset of in between shots and one that gets you focused on the shot at hand. Once your pre-shot routine starts, the only thing that should matter is how are you going to execute the specific shot that is right in front of you. Not your overall score, not if you are winning or losing in a match, not what you are eating for lunch afterwards, etc. Then once you hit the shot, then you can relax a little, but for those 20-30 seconds or whatever, 100% of your focus needs to be on that shot you are about to hit.

Another thing that could possibly help too is to either not add up your score until the very end of the round, or if you start adding the score up mentally when you look at the scorecard, have someone else in your group, preferably someone in the other cart keep your score so that you can't even be tempted to look at the scorecard mid round

[TourSpoon]

32 minutes ago, flnative75 said:

Then comes the thoughts of finishing strong shooting lights out and going low . Instead I start to make dumb mistakes. It never fails right at 11-12th hole im back to mid 70s or just under 80. What are some things you guys are doing to keep that focus on the task . It's like im losing focus ? or is it a consistency thing that needs to be done on the range? 

What you are describing is mental. You are losing focus when you start counting your score and placing an expectation on your round. Play one shot at a time and don't add your score.  For me, I know when I am even or one over, but for some reason if I add it to the expectation of the unplayed holes it puts a level of stress that I do not need. Staying with one shot at a time focus provides me the best results and keeps me in the present. Easier said than done, but once you really stop putting a premium on the outcome, you mind frees your body to make the best swings.  

[iacas]

How’s your fitness? How’s your food and water intake on the course? Do you warm up beforehand? Do you ever play the 5700 yard tees to get comfortable shooting a low score?

[flnative75]

6 minutes ago, iacas said:

How’s your fitness? How’s your food and water intake on the course? Do you warm up beforehand? Do you ever play the 5700 yard tees to get comfortable shooting a low score?

usually before a round I spend about 45 minutes or so on the range . Food intake , I dont eat much on the course never feel hungry its hot in Florida at 4 pm so I make sure and stay hydrated. at times I will play the forward tees but its never to work on shooting low . I will play up if Im wanting to work my irons off the tee and work on shot placement with my wedges on second shots but I have not kept score for those  the rounds. Never thought to do it since Im literally hitting lw , sw ,gw, on most holes for second shots. 

45 minutes ago, klineka said:

First, welcome to The Sand Trap! There are tons of different sections here with a lot of great advice.

When you say you start to make dumb mistakes, what do you mean by that? Course management mistakes, mistakes in your swing, etc. 

If it is course management mistakes, I highly recommend reading the book called "Lowest Score Wins" which was co-authored by the owner of this site, it goes in-depth into course management and might be helpful if that is an area where you are costing yourself strokes.

If it is a swing issue, it sounds like you went through a pretty big swing overhaul, so it's possible that your new swing just isn't 100% ingrained yet and at times you might start drifting back to old habits.

One piece of advice I have is try to develop a pre-shot routine, something that takes you out of the relaxed mindset of in between shots and one that gets you focused on the shot at hand. Once your pre-shot routine starts, the only thing that should matter is how are you going to execute the specific shot that is right in front of you. Not your overall score, not if you are winning or losing in a match, not what you are eating for lunch afterwards, etc. Then once you hit the shot, then you can relax a little, but for those 20-30 seconds or whatever, 100% of your focus needs to be on that shot you are about to hit.

Another thing that could possibly help too is to either not add up your score until the very end of the round, or if you start adding the score up mentally when you look at the scorecard, have someone else in your group, preferably someone in the other cart keep your score so that you can't even be tempted to look at the scorecard mid round

mistakes , as in swing mistakes followed up by a bad scramble because maybe im putting pressure on myself , then its the Ive gotta make this thought that kicks in. 

[saevel25]

1 hour ago, flnative75 said:

I decided to change everything swingpath, grip and my score dropped bringing me to a 5 handicap . My home course I play, I dont play the tips im not long enough but I play one up from the tips at 6700 yds. The issue I have been experiencing and it never fails I'll start my rounds steady and start to score very well by 9th im normally at even or at times 2 under. 

Then comes the thoughts of finishing strong shooting lights out and going low . Instead I start to make dumb mistakes. It never fails right at 11-12th hole im back to mid 70s or just under 80. What are some things you guys are doing to keep that focus on the task . It's like im losing focus ? or is it a consistency thing that needs to be done on the range? 

It is tough to maintain sub par quality of play for 18 holes when your handicap is a 5. 

Also, where are you losing those strokes at? Which part of the game?

47 minutes ago, klineka said:

One piece of advice I have is try to develop a pre-shot routine, something that takes you out of the relaxed mindset of in between shots and one that gets you focused on the shot at hand. Once your pre-shot routine starts, the only thing that should matter is how are you going to execute the specific shot that is right in front of you. Not your overall score, not if you are winning or losing in a match, not what you are eating for lunch afterwards, etc. Then once you hit the shot, then you can relax a little, but for those 20-30 seconds or whatever, 100% of your focus needs to be on that shot you are about to hit.

This is good advice. Pre shot routine is a good way to stay focused. I need to get mine back into shape. I have been pretty lazy lately. Like not taking any practice swings, just lining up and go 😛 

9 minutes ago, flnative75 said:

usually before a round I spend about 45 minutes or so on the range . Food intake , I dont eat much on the course never feel hungry its hot in Florida at 4 pm so I make sure and stay hydrated. at times I will play the forward tees but its never to work on shooting low . I will play up if Im wanting to work my irons off the tee and work on shot placement with my wedges on second shots but I have not kept score for those  the rounds. Never thought to do it since Im literally hitting lw , sw ,gw, on most holes for second shots. 

45 minutes is way to long. I usually show up to the course 45 minutes before hand. I spend 20 minutes on the range, and the rest at the putting green till the group is called. Also, the issue with range work is, if you just hit shot after shot, you can get into a rhythm of good shots. You don't get that luxury on the course. 

Do you walk the course or ride? 

 

[flnative75]

2 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

It is tough to maintain sub par quality of play for 18 holes when your handicap is a 5. 

Also, where are you losing those strokes at? Which part of the game?

This is good advice. Pre shot routine is a good way to stay focused. I need to get mine back into shape. I have been pretty lazy lately. Like not taking any practice swings, just lining up and go 😛 

45 minutes is way to long. I usually show up to the course 45 minutes before hand. I spend 20 minutes on the range, and the rest at the putting green till the group is called. Also, the issue with range work is, if you just hit shot after shot, you can get into a rhythm of good shots. You don't get that luxury on the course. 

Do you walk the course or ride? 

 

My course the range is tied into the short game area and putting green so Im using the range as a general term. I'll start by hitting a wedge and not really worry about htting distance and just small pitches till im warm then ill move thru a few irons. Ill play the first three holes in my mind by grabbing the clubs I would hit on each shot hole 1,2,3 .. move to short game area for a few minutes then putt for about 15-20 minutes. sometimes ill walk but lately its been 95 with high humidty so walking and carrying my bag would be a grind . Its doable but my girlfriend usually joins and shes not about to walk and carry a bag lmao 

losing strokes scrambling for sure. 

 

[saevel25]

1 minute ago, flnative75 said:

losing strokes scrambling for sure. 

So a common situation is that if you start missing some greens in a row, the short game issues pop up. 

Maybe start a My Swing thread, and post some video of your pitching?

[pganapathy]

A question that comes to mind is whether your scrambling skills are good.  In the front 9 are you scrambling on any of the holes to get a par or possibly even a birdie.  If so, it sounds very much a mental issue.  If not, maybe your scrambling skills aren't as good as you think.  Maybe it is just that you are physically exhausted and then your muscles aren't working as well as fresh ones.

[flnative75]

4 minutes ago, pganapathy said:

A question that comes to mind is whether your scrambling skills are good.  In the front 9 are you scrambling on any of the holes to get a par or possibly even a birdie.  If so, it sounds very much a mental issue.  If not, maybe your scrambling skills aren't as good as you think.  Maybe it is just that you are physically exhausted and then your muscles aren't working as well as fresh ones.

I think thats a great question . there are times im pitching or chipping and its up and down move on . and there are times i dont feel comfortable . sand traps ? theres not many lies I dont feel comfortable hitting , I here it all the time from my buddies I play with that are single digit guys and they always comment how they wish they had my sand game . as far as my chipping and pitching in and around the greens. I know it needs work since at times its my biggest issue . distance control or catching it thin. Ive even switch to chipping off the toe and raising the heel of the club some im not duffing the shot or catching it thin. 

Just drives me nuts at times Im throwing darts everything is working well and the next moment youre like what the hell just happened ? I guess I just need to keep working since being a single digit player has been a very short time. still have tons to learn 

thanks for everyones feed back 

 

[TourSpoon]

I am going to go back to the statement of shooting even par after 9 and when you start thinking lights out you go sideways. That's where I would start. Breaking through to the next level is going to take some mental discipline and you need to get out of your head.  

Now, if you think its something mechanical, I would ask you to look at your front nine to see if it wasn't a problem when you weren't playing the golf score game. If you don't keep stats, you should start. My point is that from what you are claiming, you are playing to a 5 from 6700 yards which means you have the ability to go even lower. 

[geb324]

Just Play Nine for awhile and call it a day!!

[flnative75]

8 minutes ago, TourSpoon said:

I am going to go back to the statement of shooting even par after 9 and when you start thinking lights out you go sideways. That's where I would start. Breaking through to the next level is going to take some mental discipline and you need to get out of your head.  

Now, if you think its something mechanical, I would ask you to look at your front nine to see if it wasn't a problem when you weren't playing the golf score game. If you don't keep stats, you should start. My point is that from what you are claiming, you are playing to a 5 from 6700 yards which means you have the ability to go even lower. 

I did the same thing last weekend at Orange County National . played Panther lake , Shotgun start on 15 from the orange tees. 9 holes 1 over. after #7th  11 holes same thing again .....

Edited June 18, 2021 by flnative75

[TourSpoon]

28 minutes ago, flnative75 said:

I did the same thing last weekend at Orange County National . played Panther lake , Shotgun start on 15 from the orange tees. 9 holes 1 over. after #7th  11 holes same thing again .....

So it sounds like you made it past #3 just fine. I can see #9 being an issue and #13. Where exactly did you break down and how did you finish? 

[flnative75]

5 minutes ago, TourSpoon said:

So it sounds like you made it past #3 just fine. I can see #9 being an issue and #13. Where exactly did you break down and how did you finish? 

9 actually scrambled for par this hole 13 I bogied missed the green right , I belive 14 was the dogleg right and I ended up on the top of the mounds by the cart parth . laid up to 85yds and bladed  it over the green . 

ended up with a 78 

[TourSpoon]

1 minute ago, flnative75 said:

9 actually scrambled for par this hole 13 I bogied missed the green right , I belive 14 was the dogleg right and I ended up on the top of the mounds by the cart parth . laid up to 85yds and bladed  it over the green . 

ended up with a 78 

So take away the blade into the hazard and you shot 76? I don't care if that's from the Orange or Green tees that differential is either 2.5 or 4 performance.  It sounds to me aside from the one bladed shot, it was a solid round!   

[flnative75]

26 minutes ago, TourSpoon said:

So take away the blade into the hazard and you shot 76? I don't care if that's from the Orange or Green tees that differential is either 2.5 or 4 performance.  It sounds to me aside from the one bladed shot, it was a solid round!   

maybe im looking at it all wrong . IDK , tomorrow ill be in Jacksonville playing Hidden Hills. just another chance to get it right lol 

 

[iacas]

3 hours ago, flnative75 said:

I will play the forward tees but its never to work on shooting low.

Play from the forward tees and keep score. It's easier to break par if you've done it before, even if it's from shorter tees.