Your worst Van de Velde performance ever

[bunkerputt]

In listening to the Open coverage via internet radio, I was reminded of good 'ol Jean Van de Velde's triple on the 18th resulting in a playoff loss. I can't believe what he was thinking by taking out driver, except perhaps "Now's my chance to show the world how awesome I truly am. Muwah ha ha!"

In honor of The Open, I wanted to start a thread highlighting some incredibly poor performances in the mental department in particular. I'll start:

Mine happened a few years ago. It was a dogleg left par 5 playing around ~540. I was trying to go for it in two with a big sweeping draw around the bend, but instead ended up hitting a pull-hook into a creek. Rather than walk up, take a drop, and lay-up, I tried to go for it again. Same thing, straight into the creek. Now, rather than walk up, take a drop, and lay-up, I tried to go for it AGAIN. Same thing. This time, I walked up to take the drop, had to lay up, but ended up laying it a little too far back requiring that I shape a shot right to left around a tree. I definitely shaped it right to left. Unfortunately it started with a big pull, hit a tree, bounced backwards, and rolled back into the creek. I took a drop, decided to leave it right of the green, pitched on, and two-putted for a 13.

[cougar978]

Senior year of high school, playing 17th hole at Ladera GC in ABQ - had just eagled 17 (540 yd par 5, downwind) to get back to +1 - within one shot of the lead, it turned out.

18 is about 435 with a big pond down the entire left hand side of the hole. I didn't want to tempt fate so I hit a 2-iron off the tee - swung too easy and came across it - splash. Had about 205 to the green across the water - figured I could get there with a hard 5-iron - chunked it - splash. Hitting five, finally reached the green and three-putted for an 8 and a 77. Although I got a qualifying leg for state, it ended up costing our team one, so I felt pretty bad about it.

[goblue107501]

Easy one for me.

13 years ago at the yearly intramural tournament when I was in college. The other years I played in it, 76 always seemed to win. I had gotten close a couple of times but really wanted this one. Shot 42 on the front and knew I would have to get low on the back to get to 76. Made birdie on 17 to get to 2 under for the back. Tell myself on 18 tee that a birdie will win and par will tie. Hit a drive in the rough, short side myself when I hit the approach, chip over the green and end up with double. 42-36 for a 78. Finished 2 back for 4th.

[saltman]

college golf team open tryouts sophomore year, 1996.

Brutal brutal fall day, winds gusting up to 30 MPH. I was battling like crazy and we had heard from years past that only players that shot 80 or better are invted to continue playing.

I am 7 over through 17 and need to make par on the 400 yard par 4 18th which is playing straight into the wind. I rip a drive on the exact line I want and it clips a tiny overhanging limb on the left side of the fairway and kicks straight left and down a slope into a grove of trees. I try to punch out and nail a tree, the ball kicks left and sits up against the OB fence, unplayable, and still in jail. The exact same thing happens again and from there I can't remember how the rest of the hole went, but I took an 11 to shoot 86.

I didn't play another round of golf for 5 years afterwards and until last year had played just 10 rounds in 10 years.

[uttexas]

Dog leg left par five, playing from the back tees. Swung hard to hit a high fade over the trees on the left, but hit a low screamer, hit the ball washer pole (20 yards away at the forward tees), ball comes straight back and almost hits my playing partner. We laughed a long time over that one.

[iWALK18]

4 years ago, I came to the 480 yard par 5 18th needing 6 to break 90 for the first time. On this hole, you drive out of a shoot and down a HUGE open fairway (i mean 100 yards wide, you cannot miss it) all downhill. Thinking there was no way I would miss it, I pull driver and decide to rip it down there like I had been doing all day. Somehow, I hit the ball offline, and it hit the last tree framing the opening of the chute some 30 yards away, a big diseased pine tree with only half its bark left. The ball hits the bare wood of this tree's trunk and comes rocketing back, stopping about 5 feet in front of me on the next tee box up. I manage to recover from there, hitting a couple long irons to get myself within about 60 yards of the green (downhill remember...) There is a small lake just in front of the green, maybe 25 yards of which you must carry. I was laying 3, so all i needed was to hit the green and 2 putt for my 89. I took a good 2 minutes getting ready to hit that wedge, and as soon as I got to the top of my 3/4 swing, I suddenly thought "Make sure you don't thin it"... so I made sure, flipped my hands at it, and hit 2 inches behind the ball... splash. A drop, a pitch and 2 putts later I have a 91.

The way that felt, I'm sure I too would have had no chance in a playoff

[Meddle]

college golf team open tryouts sophomore year, 1996.

Wow that's terrible, I'm so sorry. I was going to post a story, but after reading that I got nothing.

[saltman]

Wow that's terrible, I'm so sorry. I was going to post a story, but after reading that I got nothing.

bahh....I enjoyed the hell out my college years. Golf was but a distant memory....no need to feel bad for me. I just figure the game will eventually give me some back. I had a few other similar moments, but that one easily takes the cake. I think the only thing that bothered me was the coach didn't even look at my card. I had also beaten at least half the scholarship players on the team in summer tournaments, but thems the breaks.

[eahollis4]

I hadn't played a competeive tournament for three years. I was playing a qualifier a week ago and one over 73 advanced. I started out 4 over after 2 holes then i settled down and brought it back to 1 under with only one hole left. All i had to do was double bogey and i was in. Eighteen is a par 4 420 yards with water right and short of the green. I nut a 3 wood off the tee to about 165. I look up at the green and there's about 40 people watching so i wanted to stick that ball right next to a flag that was maybe 5 paces past the water. I hit a 7 iron and laid the sod right over the ball... splash did'nt have a chance. Then i drop from 80 yards. I hit it fat again and and dunked another one. The next one i hit 30 ft past and 3 jacked it for a smooth 9. I had to get drunk as shit that night.

[Awsi Dooger]

Easy call for me. Junior year in high school we had an excellent team, winning 14 matches in a row at one point, which at the time was the school record streak for any sport. We played an arch rival team on our course. They had two of the best players in the state and were the clear favorite. But they were concerned enough to juggle their lineup. placing the typical #2 guy against me at #4. I was maybe the 2nd best player on our team, about a 2.5 handicap that year, but the coach liked to play me at #4 due to chemistry with our #3 guy. We joked around and played loose and great. I won virtually every match at #4 so the coach of the top team wasn't going to allow a free point.

Anyway, matched up against the top player I played somewhat over my head, two birdies to square the match at even par with two holes left. My first gag was missing a 5 foot birdie putt on the next to last hole, after a superb 8 iron over a front trap.

I still had honors on the last hole, one I'd played hundreds of times, as a member plus it was our home course. The kid from the other school used gamesmanship on the tee, out of nowhere, asking me just before my swing if I inhaled or exhaled on my backswing. It was so desperate and low class and absurd it turned me to jello. I backed away briefly and laughed.

Then I hit a duck hook that ended up behind a bush. For some reason I didn't take my time and regroup. I couldn't believe it. I didn't even tell the kid off or finesse insult him, which would be more along my normal tendencies. Frankly, I was somewhat intimidated by him, leading to my silence.

That hole always set up perfectly for me, high shot over some fairway trees 200 yards away. It was a split fairway but I had the height and length to ignore the trees. I couldn't remember a worse tee shot in years. I was stymied and the kid and his caddie loved it. They laughed when they checked out my predicament, imploring me to go over the water on my second shot, "Oh yeah, no problem." After I chipped out I still had a chance since the kid missed the green long. Somehow I was overly relaxed and my 60 yard half wedge only went 50 yards, dumping in the fronting canal. I was astonished. It felt great. Then I looked up halfway and it was doomed to plummet. From there I practically shoved my fifth over the water, then I think it took three more to get down. The other guy won the hole and the match easily, with a bogey. Our match decided the team outcome. My teammate slammed his hand on the bridge as we walked across. He was a senior and wanted so badly to beat that nemesis team.

My coach complained when he heard the details. We received a written apology from the opposing principal but I didn't give a darn about that. There was no way I should have collapsed like that. After the match I played 9 holes with my friends who were alternates on the team and I was knocking down the flag on every shot. It was one of my best ball striking days ever, other than the one hole.

***

Actually, I consider the Van de Velde situation to be supreme bad luck (second shot ricocheting back) much more than strategic gaffe or choke, but I understood what you were looking for.

[microcrayfish]

I was playing off the back tees for the first time at my course and was 87 through 17 which is really good for me. The normal tee box for the 18th has a hedge behind it but when you're playing from the blues it's about 20 metres in front of you. I hit my first right into it, my third right into it, my fifth just clipped the edge and ended up on the normal tee box from where I proceeded to take a 12 for the hole and a 99 for the round .

[RC]

When leading a fairly important tournament, with some big time players in it, through 27 holes, I proceeded to make a 13 on the par 4 tenth hole... It was one of those "Tim Cup" type things. I thought I could carry the dogleg over those OB stakes with a high draw and make another birdie, but it hooked a little too much. Oh well, I can do it with my third shot and maybe still make a five -- oops, well I have to clear it now with my 5th shot off the tee. Well, no, still on the tee box and hitting number 7... Oh no, pushed it right this time, into the forrest and can't find it... back to the tee, hitting 9. So the 13 was pretty good after the circus to begin the hole. Not the way to win when you have a lead. Pretty stupid actually. Valuable lesson learned that day.

[bunkerputt]

Actually, I consider the Van de Velde situation to be supreme bad luck (second shot ricocheting back) much more than strategic gaffe or choke, but I understood what you were looking for.

Your story sounds tough. I'm glad I didn't get into competitive golf in high school. The guys in my school were pretty immature, as I'm sure most high schoolers are. All except the very best guy, that is. He had a serious mental game and a lot of grace and respect for others. It's especially tough when the best guy is a mouthy jerk. For him, he is his own reward

I know our stories are a little different than the Van de Velde thing. I was mostly thinking along the lines of having a chance to play smart, playing overly aggressively and paying the price for it. I remember hearing about Van de Velde before I actually watched it. It wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. I'm not sure what I was expecting, though, as any pro's worst moments would probably be like my average. I think sinking that putt at the end was pretty impressive with everything that was riding on it combined with the embarrassment that must have followed that performance.

[opie]

There are too many to narrow it down to 1. I'm a headcase on the golf course plain and simple

[case31]

I was playing in an amatuer match play qualifier a few years back at an area golf course that has a reputation for being one of the toughest in the state. I played competitively in high school, and have played in some big money matches since, but this was my first sanctioned amatuer tournament.
Anyway, despite being REALLY nervous, I come out of the gates quickly going -2 through 6. I had a birdie putt lip out on 7, and to this day I don't know how it stayed out. 8th hole is a long, tight par 4 with a huge dropoff about 220 out. I was resigned to the fact that this hole was essentially a par 5 for me. I take a out a 3 iron and make what I thought was a smooth swing and I push the ball dead right into a bunch of trees. I try to punch out to the edge of the drop off...catch the ball clean, ball skips off a sprinkler head, into the hazard. I take my drop right where I had intended my 2nd shot to be. With about 220 yards to the green, I hit a 5-wood what I thought was on the screws but it lands short. Hit my 5th shot on the green to about 4 feet, miss the putt, tap in for a triple.
That hole rattled me severely, as I played the next 3 holes +4.
12th hole, short dogleg left par 4 with an uphill semi-blind second shot to the green. I hit 3-wood just through the fairway at the dogleg. My dad, who was caddying for me, suggested that I go for the fat part of the green and be safe. I said, "Dad, my round is already screwed, I'm going for it!" I hit a wedge that was dead on the flag the whole way. Got up to the green, saw nothing, and it wasn't until one of my playing partners said, "Did you check the hole," that I thought to look there. Sure enough, it was. Eagle.
14th hole is a short downhill par 3 with a green surrounded by water, a bunker, and DEEP gnarly rough. I take too much off my 50 degree wedge...splash. Go to the drop zone wanting to make sure I get over the water, hit too much...blam, over the green. I hack out with a wedge, only to catch the ball flush out of the deep stuff...splash. Take a drop, hit 6 on, two putt for a snowman.
I played the last four holes at +2 for the weirdest 81 in my life. A 76 would have gotten me into a playoff for the match play tournament.

[DavidFehertysBike]

About a month an half ago i was standing on the 15th tee at -1. I ended up shooting 78. 76 ESC though,

[atrapasuenos]

Mine was not so longo ago, the front nine I shoot a +5 then I played the back nine and when I was on the tee of the 16th hole I was -2 for the back nine. I was like "wow, three pars and I will post my course record a 75.

The 16th hole is a 177 par 3 and you have to go over the water, so I took my 7 iron, hit it fat.. water. Drop zone, fat again... water... ended with a 6. Well +1 is not that bad, let's try to recover. 17th double bogey, 18 par for a +3 and total +8. Dammit!

Cheers!

[Lloyd Braun]

In listening to the Open coverage via internet radio, I was reminded of good 'ol Jean Van de Velde's triple on the 18th resulting in a playoff loss. I can't believe what he was thinking by taking out driver, except perhaps "Now's my chance to show the world how awesome I truly am. Muwah ha ha!"

This sounds more like a Tin Cup moment.