Hole 11 is killing me, mentally. (help me off the tee)

[Cole]

I need some help.

I am a member of a club here in SC, an I play here often. I score pretty well here.
Hole number 11, is a par 4. Water along the fairway on the left, and woods down the right. Both sides have litte distance between the fairway and woods / water.
Hole is perfectly straight. Plays 430 yards.

Now, off the tee, I have a problem with hitting the ball Straight into the woods on right. I mean dead pull. No hook. (Im a lefty)

I must admit. I do think about pulling the drive as I approach this tee, everytime. Guess what... If Im not in the woods, I am up against the stakes. Im not sure if I have ever been on the fairway! Maybe a few times.

Anyhow, I need help in getting past this mental road block. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Cole

[Kcas77]

hit 3 or 5 wood of the tee you may not get there in 2 but it should give you a more accurate tee shot.

[JimmyDoesGolf]

My advice for getting rid of your mental block is to do something different. Hit a completely different club, something that you know will hit the fairway.

I would guess that when you go up to the tee, you are subconsciously thinking, don't hit it into the water, which makes you pull out of the swing and hit a pull. Just focus on the fairway and forget all your past tee-shots.

[starchuk]

If its only the 11th hole.. or some hole around the middle of your round, it wont be swing mechanics because it works on the front 9, right?

It might be your computer... try feeding it something healthy around the 7th hole. Avoid soda, alcohol, and anything with alot of sugar. You don't want a sugar rush because that's almost as bad as being tired or dehydrated. Even fruit juices and gatorade should be watered down.

[mad max]

Play it like a par 5, maybe even hit 3 seven irons to get to the green.

[Titleist Man]

Aim down the middle and dont think about it.

[flanagan]

Hard to give advice not seeing any of this, and not really qualified, but I'll toss this out there, anyway.

The course I play most has OB left the last 4 holes, 2 of which are pretty tight and on the right is either water or trees. If I'm having trouble pulling my driver and still am determined to hit it, I'll set up on the far left side of the box, be very sure about my alignment and aim for the right side of the fairway where I hope a straight shot will be safe and am "confident" a pull will probably still end up in the fairway or near the left side.

Are you setting up aiming more left than you think you are, possibly forcing a pull because of your initial setup (maybe trying to avoid the trees more than you know)?

[MI Rob]

I have had this problem also. I will usually hit a different club that I know I will hit it more accurate and down the middle of the fairway. I would say try to hit your 3 or 5 wood.

[mirv]

i'm not sure if you can get away with this on your course, but here's something i started doing to try to alleviate certain holes or shots that constantly gave me trouble. i'd go out there after work, getting there around 5:30 or 6 (this was over the summer when the sun was out until 8:30pm). i'd go ahead and play 9 holes or so, and by then, the course would be emptying out because there'd only be 30 minutes or so of daylight left. then i'd saunter on over to whatever spot i wanted to be working on and hit every golf ball i have at it. then i'll pick them up and come back to the box (or the fairway or rough or wherever i'm working from) and do it again. it's done wonders for a couple of trouble spots for me. i'd just experiment with clubs and different shot types until i found something that seemed to do the trick.

you might try something like that some evening on that particular hole. just wait until everyone's gone and go through your bag trying out different clubs and different shots until you find something that works. then when you walk up to the box, instead of thinking about that pull-hook, you can be thinking about the other evening when you hit a dozen balls right up the fairway.

[JonnyGolf]

At my home course, on the first hole we have OB left, trouble right. Nice hole to start a round, much less a tournament, right? So, I've had to work hard to overcome this exact situation. And, yes, I've pulled numerous shots OB over the years to start my round. So, I've had to work hard to overcome this issue. Here's my thoughts:

Generally, a dead pull is related to rushing the backswing due to tension. The club comes back a little fast, there isn't much of a body turn away from the target, and the transition is rushed from an over the top position. Result, dead pull left (for a right-handed golfer). My solution for this has a couple of steps:

1) Acknowledge the tension and what can happen in the swing because of the tension. It's something everybody faces, and it's not to feared, just recognized and accepted as part of the game. Say to yourself, "this is why I play golf" rather than just watch it on TV.

2) Work hard in your preshot routine on making a smooth backswing and full turn. Determine where your turn and backswing should go to. Think about making a 65 - 75% speed swing. Not too slow that your hands lag (always good for a fade/slice), but just ultra smooth with a positive motion forward.

3) If you can shape your shot, hit a shot that starts away from trouble, but works back towards it. In your case with trouble on both sides, I would tee it start a shot out towards the water and let it work away from the water. If it goes in the water, it's only one shot which is better than losing it in the woods. But, choose whatever shape that is easiest for you to work.

4) Finally, have fun!

JG

[Cole]

I really appreciate the help guys.

btw... I played this morning, and my drive ended up about 18 inches from the white markers along the woods on the right side. I was under a bush, and had to punch out.

98 yards out by then. Two putted for bogey.

And the saga continues .....

[Dub]

Play it like a par 5, maybe even hit 3 seven irons to get to the green.

Sometimes this is the hardest solution for us to allow ourselves to consider....but yet it's effective as heck.

I agree. Play it like a par 5....make bogey and move on. Good luck. I have a three hole stretch on my home course that kicks me in the shin more often than not.

[cocky_watchman]

i \snap hooked OB on the first today-mannaged to accumulate a 9 ouch with a few duffs round the green added in. Rest of the round was 13 over, just one double and 3 three putts. So decent golf for my 14 handicap off near back tees, with very poor help on yardgages on a course I had never played before. BUT THAT START RUINED IT. my problem is starting rounds, I only get swinging fluently and relaxed after 4 holes-maybe I should start warming up before a round? I sem to chop and hit at the ball until Im warmed up and my mind is just full of negative thoughts,

[jambalaya]

I don't know, try to hit it into the water on the other side.

[Jay-Bird]

lefty, water left and woods right - you're too worried about the water so you pull it o.b. to the right - ok...

Try to eliminate the fear of the water. You could try setting up on the far left side of the box, and aim for the RIGHT side of the fairway and play an easy cut. Just take your club back a little higher at the top and let the fade happen naturally. You'll be in the fairway very often once you can controll that fade off the tee.

[Shindig]

I really appreciate the help guys.

A 5 on this hole sounds fantastic. Maybe next time, instead of hitting driver, pick two shots that lead you to your favorite wedge for the third shot. Then you've got a shot at par and take just about everything over 5 out of the picture.

[uttexas]

Since you are a member, see if you can request to start on 10 sometime. See if playing this hole second helps. Basically, I'm recommending to vary your experience of the hole by playing it second instead of 11th.

Other options. Try playing it from a different set of tees, either forward or back (might give you a different perspective)

What I usually do on holes like this. Hit your money shot with the driver (if you hit your driver well on all the other holes. My money driver shot is a power fade. I would aim for the edge of the water and hit a power fade (there is a par 5 like this on one of the courses I play). Since you are lefty, and if you can hit a fade, aim for the edge of the trees and hit a fade.

Last resort. next time you play the course. Take 10 used, old balls with you. Keep hitting regular drives with them aiming for the middle of the fairway until you land one in the fairway. Use your regular preshot routine, but really live in the moment, think only about the middle of the fairway. With a 9 index you should hit atleast one in the middle of the fairway. Once you hit one in the middle, stop hitting balls off the tee. Remember that moment. Repeat the swing that hit the ball in the fairway. Remember that moment. Play the rest of your round.

[Ferrins]

G'day from left field.
When you play the hole next time in practice play what would be your second shot if you got your drive away into the middle of the fairway and then tee up and hit driver to the green. Play two balls.Don't think too hard into my theory just try it a couple of times.
Good luck southpaw.