34-49 Then Nearly 2 Months Later 35-57, Ever See a Rounds Like These?

[TapOut64]

First let me say that my handicap is 12.7 so shooting -2 on the front 9 and then two months later shooting -1 on the front 9 again (different golf courses) is a first and second in my golfing career for under par.  Totally fell apart on the back 9 on both days.  Losing golf balls, losing focus and 3 putting to add to my collapse.  Trying to look at it as glass half full and that I have the potential to score well on the back 9 but need to work on my mental toughness as well.  Thoughts?  

[TourSpoon]

Well, shooting 83 at a 12.7 is a decent round no matter how you did it. With each time you near par, you are showing yourself that you do have the ability to play good golf. My question to you is how did you feel at the turn? A 57 is a serious meltdown. 

[Double Mocha Man]

Perhaps your approach to the back 9 needs a new "offensive coordinator".  I'm betting that consciously or unconsciously you're playing a bit defensively to start the back 9 to preserve your score... and get into the 70's.

Go after it on the back side, try to beat your front 9 score.  What have you got to lose? 

[TapOut64]

1 hour ago, TourSpoon said:

Well, shooting 83 at a 12.7 is a decent round no matter how you did it. With each time you near par, you are showing yourself that you do have the ability to play good golf. My question to you is how did you feel at the turn? A 57 is a serious meltdown. 

I felt good at the turn but was annoyed that a slow moving foursome would not let my and my step son play through as we stood on the back tee area and watched all 4 of them tee off.  I actually had a par on 10 but on 11 (par 5) blocked my drive into the trees, managed to get to a green side bunker in 3 but was 35 yards or so to a tough pin location and flew it by the pin onto the first cut and then my 8 yard chip shot went too far (didn't notice how downhill it was after the hole) and I then 3 putted for triple and the first wheel came off my bus.

[Darkfrog]

I've had a few rounds like that. Sometimes it's good scoring on the front 9, and poor on the back 9, other times it's vice versa.

I think mental toughness has very little to do with this. For mid-handicap players, I think there are just swing issues that sometimes manifest themselves more noticeably at times.

I will say that occasionally I succumb to self-inflicted mental mistakes, but not enough to make a ~10 stroke difference between nines. For example, the other day, I hit my drive on the 17th hole well right into some trees. I was about 140 yards from the green. I could have pitched out and advanced the ball maybe 50-60 yards back into the fairway, but I had a window to the green, and attempted a punch 4-iron, which hit a branch and bounced backwards, and ultimately ended with a double bogey, when a more sane recovery shot may have resulted in bogey or par.

[boogielicious]

Just now, TapOut64 said:

I felt good at the turn but was annoyed that a slow moving foursome would not let my and my step son play through as we stood on the back tee area and watched all 4 of them tee off.  I actually had a par on 10 but on 11 (par 5) blocked my drive into the trees, managed to get to a green side bunker in 3 but was 35 yards or so to a tough pin location and flew it by the pin onto the first cut and then my 8 yard chip shot went too far (didn't notice how downhill it was after the hole) and I then 3 putted for triple and the first wheel came off my bus.

Did you feel fatigued at all? Also, when you have a chance, pick an avatar. 

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, TapOut64 said:

I felt good at the turn but was annoyed that a slow moving foursome would not let my and my step son play through as we stood on the back tee area and watched all 4 of them tee off. 

Personally, I hate a larger, slow moving group in front of me, not allowing me to play through, when there are open holes ahead.  But, to use another football analogy, it's like an away game in front of a hostile crowd... you just have to ignore it and play your best golf despite the circumstances.

5 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Did you feel fatigued at all?

Don't get the polish dog at the turn. 😃 That, riding heavy in your gut, is worth at least 11 additional strokes.

[boogielicious]

39 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Don't get the polish dog at the turn. 😃 That, riding heavy in your gut, is worth at least 11 additional strokes.

😜 How about a Wendy’s Triple Baconator?

Fatigue or tightness can cause issues too. Some rounds I can tighten up in my lower back and really have to push through the back nine.

[Double Mocha Man]

8 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

😜 How about a Wendy’s Triple Baconator?

Fatigue or tightness can cause issues too. Some rounds I can tighten up in my lower back and really have to push through the back nine.

So true.  That's where the Italian Sports Drink comes in for me... for lubrication of the swing parts...

12 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

😜 How about a Wendy’s Triple Baconator?

That there is worth 13 extra strokes on the back 9.  Will they deliver to the 10th tee box?

[darthweasel]

weirdly I tend to play better on the back. But the most exaggerated came the day after 7 holes I was 13 or 14 over (inclduing having birdied hole #2) and finished the day...13 or 14 over. One birdie, one bogey over the last 11 holes. 

Been plenty of rounds like you described though were the front score was better than expected only to make up all the extra strokes over the rest of the holes...gotta get your moneys worth

[imsys0042]

One of my most lopsided rounds was the first day of a two day tourney.   Something like 50-38, no birdies.   I basically vaulted myself and my partner into 3rd place.   One of the best 9 holes I've had since I moved here 4 years ago.   Basically I just gave up and ended up playing lights out (the two bogies were due to missed putts.

[TapOut64]

Fatigue is definitely not a problem.  Just ran 4 miles today which I do regularly.  Played the next day a little 2 man best ball round and was bombing driver with my best at 282 yards according to Arccos, which isn't too bad for a 57 year old.

[boogielicious]

12 hours ago, TapOut64 said:

Fatigue is definitely not a problem.  Just ran 4 miles today which I do regularly.  Played the next day a little 2 man best ball round and was bombing driver with my best at 282 yards according to Arccos, which isn't too bad for a 57 year old.

Then I would just say that you had a bad back nine and shake it off.

[bkuehn1952]

Were the two nines similarly rated?  There is a course in my area that is distinctly two nines.  The first is short and open.  The second has tree lined fairways, severe doglegs, forced carries.  If one plays the back better or the same as the front, it is quite a feat.

There is an expression, "reverting to the mean."  A player of your and my ability can often play like a scratch golfer for a few holes, even a full nine.  Unfortunately, over the course of 18 holes we often give back all the shots we saved on the first nine and end up with an "average" round.

[Troy Ocker]

I had a very similar day at a local 9-hole course back in August. It's a par 34 course and I did 3 x 9 holes that day: 35 - 47 - 35. 

I really don't know what happened on the 2nd round. My tee-shots were all over the place and my putting was suddenly gone. Without any mental or practical change before I teed up for the last round my game just fell back into place. The strangest feeling. 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Troy Ocker

[pganapathy]

I know people have spoken about losing focus, getting tired and trying to preserve your score.  I just wonder if the same thing would have happened if you weren't aware of the score.  Try this the next time you play, ask somebody else to keep your score and try not to make a mental scorecard.  I also know how difficult it is to play when your rhythm is interrupted by a slow moving group in front.  My body goes cold and the swing goes for a toss.

[TapOut64]

On 12/1/2021 at 7:42 PM, bkuehn1952 said:

 

There is an expression, "reverting to the mean."  A player of your and my ability can often play like a scratch golfer for a few holes, even a full nine.  Unfortunately, over the course of 18 holes we often give back all the shots we saved on the first nine and end up with an "average" round.

This makes sense.