I blew it/the golf gods hate me

[iWALK18]

Allow me to vent lightheartedly:

I got my first crack at getting under a 10 today. I am currently exactly 10.0, and I was losing a "24.5" throwaway score. All I needed was a +12 83 to get to a 9.9. Big stuff (not really but kinda fun).

So anyways, I went out in +3 38. I was playing so well, it could have been a lot better. On the last 4 holes I lipped out a chip, and left 3 very make able putts short and dead in the heart. So I'm a bit frustrated with my putting but I figure I'm in great shape to put up a nice score.

Then it starts raining... harder and harder. And I catch up with a very slow foursome. Soon the greens have little rivers flowing across them. Every club seems to be flying 20 yards shorter than normal. Bunkers turn from sand to hard heavy clay. Needless to say, my game goes downhill. I card a double, a bogey and a triple on 10, 11, 12. The rest of the way I manage to hold it somewhat together and end up + 10 46 on the back... bringing me to... 84. Still sitting at a 10, missed singles by one shot.

Stat of the day was 2/11 on up and downs inside 30 yards... ouch.

So I blew it. In the next 3 rounds, I will replace 2 of my top 3 scores. Getting to singles this year was one of my goals, but it looks like "maybe next year". The again, I don't want to just squeak under the wire for a couple rounds...

[glebert]

Sounds like you should have quit when it started raining, it seems like your incomplete score would have gotten you there.

[brgolf]

You are just going to have to face it, you are never going to get a single digit handicap!

[CG031]

Don't let this discourage you. I have a similar story that happened to me about two weeks, and I haven't played a round of golf since, because it really got me down.

I was completely rolling on the front nine, I shot a 38, and I knew I needed to shoot a 40 on my back to achieve my best score this season. We are are playing a tough golf course in wet conditions. 6800 yds, 72.5 rating. It hadn't been raining all day. I par 10, I DOUBLE 11, Par 12, Birdie 13, Bogey 14. Then, the rains came, and my foursome started to play EXTREMELY slow. I had to look for my playing partners balls for like 10 minutes on the next hole, and it completely took me out of the rhythm I was in...I know it sounds like an excuse, but when your playing one of your best rounds, any little thing can throw you off. I double bogey the 15th, which included a shank 7 iron that went into the fescue. Luckily I recovered with a double, but with the pouring rains, the shanked shot, and the real slow foursome I'm in, it made me want to quit!!!

I ended up shooting an 81, which was still a good score for me, I played to like a 7 handicap, but the fact that I blew it had me down for a few days...

[right handed phil mickelson]

You are focusing too much on your handicap. That's not important at your level of golf. What's important is trying to play better. Focus on what you need to work on (I'm guessing up and downs?). Work on just those things for a while. Once those come up to an acceptable/excellent level, then go out and see what else needs to be worked on. There's always something to be improved.

One week, I'll need to work on driving (did horrible today and shot a 43 on 9 holes for the last day of qualifying for the high school match. I think I had 2 fairways lol. I qualified though. First 2 days scores were 38,40.) Anyway, I had a horrible day with my driving, and my putting. Two of the worst things you can have go wrong in a round. So that means tomorrow is gonna be a pretty mean day of working on driving and putting.

Take a good look at your game. Find out what you aren't so good in, and work out. Try and team up with a local pro and he'll help you practice the right way.

Hope you do better man. Good luck.

~RHPM

[right handed phil mickelson]

I also see this happen a lot (CG031 reminded me. It happens to me a lot too): A person will have a good round going for example. Say they are even through 7. They think to themself, "Oo. All I need is 2 pars and I'll have a 36!". Bogey/double to end the round with a 39.

Every golfer is 2 shots away from going insane.

So, when your having a good round, don't think ahead to what you have to do to accomplish something. Think about the shot in front of you. What club are you going to hit? Whats the wind doing? Uphill or downhill? Keep your mind in the present, and not in the future, and you'll do just fine.

[kris]

I also see this happen a lot (CG031 reminded me. It happens to me a lot too): A person will have a good round going for example. Say they are even through 7. They think to themself, "Oo. All I need is 2 pars and I'll have a 36!". Bogey/double to end the round with a 39.

Yes. This happened to me last round. i was +5 through 7 with 3 pars (great for me). I look at the card think damn I have a chance at my best nine ever. Finish double-quadruple and completely ruin my round. It's very hard to remain stable but it's a must if you want to avoid these sort of meltdowns.

[David in FL]

You are focusing too much on your handicap.

I couldn't agree more. I wouldn't even know what my actual index was if they didn't send me an email twice a month when it updates. For someone to be calculating what score is about to fall off, and what one they need to replace it with in order to drop 4/10ths off of their index is nuts (and I mean that in the nicest possible way ). Practice. Play. Enjoy. It'll come.

[Drifterland]

You should try my putting drill that will make you a deadly putter in 8 and in range. you can turn any 85 into a 79-78