how do you keep from choking on a good round?

[ajbirken]

I think that I am going to pay the 20.00 bucks and have my club keep an official USGA handicap rather than just the one I am keeping now on a free website.

And I am going to go ahead and enter a few tournaments just to see how I do.

Thanks for all of the tips/advice.

[Paddymaster]

if it makes you feel any better, I choked on a good round today

[HSip]

Interesting ideas (wide range of opinions).

If you're an 11 HCP after a little more than a year of playing then you're not choking on a good round - the game of golf is just messing with you a bit. Being an 11 after a year is pretty darn good. Cheers

[alcorn]

Interesting ideas (wide range of opinions).

First thing is make a pre-shot routine for every shot. Personally I stand behind the ball and take a practice swing while visualizing the shot. Then I line up and take another practice swing trying to do the exact swing I'll need to hit the shot. Then I'll give'er a go. A preshot routine helps you get focused on the shot at hand rather than the shot you just messed up. If something feels off or wrong then back off and start over.

Don't worry too much about the bad rounds where you just seem to be in snowball effect of bad shots. You can't go back and redo them all you can do is go on and try and learn from em. As far as golf being the hardest sport you've ever played. It is for me too and that's why I love it!!!

[Crafty]

When I'm playing well, i try to "intensify" my pre-shot routine. For example, I usually pick out a small target in the distance to aim at. When I'm playing well, I pick targets even smaller. This allows me to focus on that little target instead of just a green or fairway. It really frees up your swing. I also like to take an extra look at putts to make sure im commited to a line.

As for between shots, I try to carry on a conversation not related to the round with playing partners.

[Canuck]

Best way to stop from choking is something you should do from the moment you tee off. take one shot at a time and dont think about your score. Just play your shots one at a time and focus then when you sink that putt on 18 tally up the card and you will know how you are playing through the round anyways but by doing this it will help to keep yours hi's and low's to an even keel and will help keep the pressure down. hope it helps

[ajbirken]

Thanks for all of the tips and encouragement.

I have posted a few more sub-80 rounds (some sub-80 18s and some sub-40 nine-hole rounds) and basically didn't feel any pressure. I guess it was just first-time jitters.

I have had some end of round blow-ups that I've still managed to keep out of the 90s, but it is really just because the back nine on my home course is much more difficult.

Hopefully my next "choke" will be trying to beat even par!

[Lovgoel]

one good mental trick is to break the round down into 6 rounds of 3 holes a piece and have goals for those individual rounds (1 over, one under, etc) What this will do is take the pressure off the last holes and spread it to every 3rd hole. Also, this method allows you to continue the valuable stat keeping you should be doing while allowing you to focus on a goal. If this is too much work for you, consider 3 6 hole mini rounds, or 2 nine hole mini rounds, or what have you. I usually make it a goal to play each round of three in one over. (doesnt usually work out, but hey, it's a good goal) at the end of the day, i'd be at 78 if i accomplish that goal without even thinking about it.

[HSip]

one good mental trick is to break the round down into 6 rounds of 3 holes a piece and have goals for those individual rounds (1 over, one under, etc) What this will do is take the pressure off the last holes and spread it to every 3rd hole. Also, this method allows you to continue the valuable stat keeping you should be doing while allowing you to focus on a goal. If this is too much work for you, consider 3 6 hole mini rounds, or 2 nine hole mini rounds, or what have you. I usually make it a goal to play each round of three in one over. (doesnt usually work out, but hey, it's a good goal) at the end of the day, i'd be at 78 if i accomplish that goal without even thinking about it.

I've tried this with some success. It seems to allow you to "let go" of your previous holes. Of course we're supposed to let go of our last shot before we hit another. Cheers

[Cole_Schmitt]

what I do is if I'm having a good round, I don't think about it. I try and sing songs in my head to keep from thinking too much about my scores. I also try and keep the same tempo through the whole round. If I have some negative thoughts or am thinking about other things than the shot I'm on, I'll back off and start my routine over again. Just try and play comfortably. If you feel uncomfortable or tentative over a shot, step back, take a deep breath, and focus. Works every time ^_^

Exactly, I as well will sing songs in my head or think about what I want for dinner or something funny that happened at school (in your case, at work) and just try to keep from thinking about the scores. Also, if you play through someone, don't feel rushed. Take your time, if you are even after 13, you definitely aren't a slow golfer. Don't worry!