Commenting on a good round

[randall]

Let me state I'm not a very good golfer. If I break 90 on a tough course I'm generally happy. I have been playing now approx 5 years (I am 33).

This year I have golfed more than I ever have before. As a result I am definitely improving. I still have issues with blowup holes, chunking pitches, horrible sand play, 3 putts, etc. You know, the typical weekend hack type stuff. This year I really have it in my mind to break 80. I've sniffed it a few times, 82, 83, etc but haven't broken that barrier.

Anyhow last night I was playing really well. I knew I was playing well but kept my mind on the game. I did not know my score, I did not want to know my score. I just knew I was playing well and wanted to keep it going. Then we get to the 15th hole. Someone yells out 'HEY YOU ARE 3 over par right now!!!". Then the other guy starts chiming in. Well, sure as hell I go bogey, double, double, double the last 3 holes and hit an 81. I had parred 11 holes and bogeyed 3 through 14 and then just fell apart.

It is not the end of the world. Obviously I am not a mentally strong player having fallen apart after something like that. Just wondering if during a good round you should call it out to everyone in the group? Sort of like a pitcher in baseball during a no hitter.

If it's no big deal I'll just chalk it up to another choke job and try to bust that 80 number next time I am out there!

[NotAStick]

Take encouragement from it. You KNOW that you're more tha capable of it. If you can put together 14 holes at 3 over, you can put together 18 and 7 over. Easy.

Just let it go and keep enjoying yourself.

Good round.

[ks8829]

we all have experienced what you just went through, even pros at one time or another.

playing more golf will help you overcome the bad holes along with improving your basic golf with pre-shot routines and having a go too shot or golf swing.

shooting your lowest round is just around the corner for you.

[kfowler]

This is not really related to falling apart, but I find that when I've shot a really good round I tend to look at the shots I left on the course. The 3 putts, penalty strokes, etc. I forget to take into account the long birdie putt I made or getting lucky where the ball bounced off a tree into the fairway.

[shades9323]

The easiest way to break 80 is to go out by yourself!

[hkmp5]

Evertime I start to have a good round my golf buddy just cant stand it and makes the same comments , the wheels fall off the bus and I end up in the toilet.

I have to agree if you want to score low, you need to be by yourself maybe not as fun with a few buddies but you will truly know what you did and that's all that matters .

[ioaz81]

Its kinda what I saw on the golf channel the other night. The guy was talking about people shooting -4 or -5 under and they panic and try to change what they are doing. He goes... just keep doing what you are. Who cares if you shoot -9 or -10 under. At the end of the day its just another number and you go and change shoes and go home. :)

[wrx_junki]

Similar thing happened to me but was right before the 18th tee and of course I hit my drive way out of bounds. Hope it makes you feel better!

I've been playing fairly often lately and I am still quite inconsistent. Some days my ball striking is there and other days my short game is there. It never all comes together. I think it mostly comes from the fact that I only play and not practice.

[leo3]

The thing I try to remember is to NOT start playing defensively, if you start trying to protect a score, it will turn to crap. Keep playing with a freewheeling swing, and let the chips fall where they may, a 79 will happen before you know it. Best of luck.

[opie]

Yup. I have the same problem. My playing partner, whom I didn't know so I couldn't chastize him in good fun afterwards, told me "Hey.. par here and you fire a 38 on the back nine!!!". I hadn't thought about my round all day, only focused on the shot at hand and let what happened happen. Well.. as you can imagine I started thinking about par instead of the tee ball. Walked off the par 4 with a NINE and fired a 43. Wasn't his fault, was mine. Gotta focus on shot and target and nothing else and let the results happen

[kleinrider]

keep that guy out of the dugout when someone is pitching a no hitter...

[ks8829]

if you track the following during the great round you had it might to help spot a weakness in your game so that you can help overcome next time you are out and continue your great round of play:

1) number of putts per hole and round
2) up and down attempts and success, when ever you get up and down with a one putt
3) green on regulation
4) fairways hit

most of your scoring is within 50 yards in with putting and up and down.

usually its the putting and short game that will derail a great round.

[CarlSpackler]

I know I keep plugging the book Zen Golf, but it has some great things to help with this. It helped me shoot my best 9 at 40 a few weeks ago. Granted I seem to be having problems breaking 45 again (chalking it off to a stiff back from hitting the gym really hard the last few weeks). I knew that I was shooting good at 3 over from an early double and a bogey. I bogeyed the 7th due to an over agressive downhill chip, and this is normally where the wheels would come off, but I kept my emotions under control and pared 8 and 9.