New Toys & Teaching on Nine

[Travtex]

It'd been a while between work, rain, and various other obligations... but I finally managed to sneak in nine holes the other day. It was only my third or fourth time playing in... well, ever. First time in a couple of months.

Since my last time out, I'd had my first lesson. However, I'd also gotten new sticks, so I was expecting to about break even with my last performance at best. In the end, I was about right -- Better in stretches, but blow-ups obliterated the score back to 'What the Hell' range.

Some Features:

* I haven't practiced putting nearly as much as I should, trying to build a swing. However, my putting had marked improvement. I two-putted almost every green. I had one three putt, but I forgive myself that one as I started about 40 feet from the cup.

* Surprised myself hitting a 5 iron right into the middle of the green on a 192 yard Par 3. Sadly, it rolled to the back of the green and became my 40-foot 3 putt.

* I have like 5 200-yard clubs in my bag. Definitely need to work on... something. My 5i, 4 hybrid, 3 hybrid, 3 wood, and driver... ALL of them hover around 190-210 yards.

* I totally Tin Cupped, twice. The first time just obliterated my focus and confidence for the rest of the round. It was on the fifth hole, before which I had been +1, +2, +1, +2. I topped my second into a ditch. Then chunked my 3rd, 4th, and 5th into the same @$#%ing ditch. After that, I pretty much gave up mentally.

* Second time... Instead of topping into the hazard from twenty feet... I BLASTED about 180-200 yards into one. Again, I did it four times in a row. With two different clubs. It was surreal. Drove about 210 down the middle of the fairway. Next shot, 3 wood soared majestically... right into the duck pond. Instead of taking a drop, I decided to just try the shot again. Same exact shot... wasn't even OVER the stupid duck pond, mind you. I was pushing it off left (Which I'd never done, coincidentally enough). Third time, I was just determined to get a shot off -- Didn't care about the score. Another 3 wood into the duck pond. Muttering profanity and ignoring the ducks' anguished cries that I just take the f'ing drop already, I grabbed my 5 iron. I hit a lovely arcing... AUGH! Duck Pond!!!

At that point, I gave up, picked up my toys, and went home. Needs work.

[squaddie]

Yeah, sounds like my typical round :) Just have to be patient at our skill level. Take your drops next time, as that will help prevent a lot of frustration. I knocked two balls into the water last time out (both were duffed swings), but I took my drops and carried on...

That's great you are confident in your putting, since that's an important skill to work on. Now you just have to make your other club swings playable and you'll start having some decent rounds.

[Travtex]

Haha. Yeah, normally I'd just take the drop but at that point it was practice time. Just didn't realize I'd end up practicing the exact same shot into the same stupid pond four times.

It had to be a mental thing. There's no possible way it was just chance that I repeatedly topped the ball twenty feet into Water Hazard A and then repeatedly blasted the ball 180 into Water Hazard B without my brain doing it deliberately to piss me off. *laugh*

[ks8829]

We have all gone throught that, what am I talking about I still have rounds with double boogies. My improvement in the short game has help eliminate the bad holes and double boogies.

Putting, chipping and pitch shot from 100 yards and in are the key to lower score and consistent play. If you are going to play and have not played for a while, what I would practice the day or week before I play is the following:

30% putting
25% chipping
25% pitch shots within 100 yards
20% mid iron to fairway and driver

putt 30 minutes minimun just before go out to play.

[Bogey ball]

i would settle down, forget about it and hit the range soon. :]

[Lefty22]

The only thing I'd say is try and finish it up next time. These things just happen some days and it helps with mental "toughness" if you don't allow yourself to completely give up and pack it in on a round. I understand giving up on keeping score but still I try and make myself calm down and focus on the next shot and grind it out...

[Travtex]

The only thing I'd say is try and finish it up next time. These things just happen some days and it helps with mental "toughness" if you don't allow yourself to completely give up and pack it in on a round. I understand giving up on keeping score

I do, more often than not. When not it's most often a combination of people behind me and getting dark. I don't like to pick up, but I like making people wait less.

[SQ Bimmer]

Hey I was just there not too long ago, finally someone I can offer some insight to. At the beginning, I had the same issue with the "200 yard clubs." I though to myself, why hit a 3 wood and risk a horrible outcome when I can hit a 5 or 6 iron and move the ball safely down the fairway?

Needless to say, I would play a lot of par 5s advancing the ball with my 7 iron only... As my ball striking improved I started getting gaps with the longer clubs. Now my 3w is my 230+ club. 5w is my "bit over 200, not quite 3w range, depends how tight the green is or how high/low it is" club. 3h is 205 down to my 4iron range, etc.

And like someone mentioned, short game will shave strokes fast. Even hitting my 7iron down the fairway on a 500 yard par 5, I could get in the hole in 6-7 strokes, depending how bad my putting was and assuming only 1 or 2 duffed shots. I used to be very happy with a 6 on a par 5, although double par happened quite a few times, depending how many shots I duffed or sliced, etc. Now I expect to be on a par 5 in regulation, or be close enough to get up and down in par (1 putt). A bogey is expected due to my handicap, and usually comes from either a duffed shot, or a missed putt... Just be patient and worry about your short sticks right now and the long sticks will come around in due time.