How to be consistent on the back nine?

[ks8829]

I played yesterday and shot one over on the front nine an ended up with 5 over the back nine. What do you do to be consistent on the back nine? I am not sure if I lose focus, get tired? Do I need to build up my endurance? I am not exactly sure.

reviewing my score card below:

putts: 14 front nine and 17 on the back nine for 31 total putts
up and downs: 3 out of 5 attempts front nine and 2 out of 7 attempts on the back nine
greens hit: 5 and 1 sandtrap and 2 and 2 sandtraps on the back nine
fairways hit 2 fairways and 5 on the back nine
sand saves: 1 out of 3 attempts
37 front and 40 on back for a 77 on a par 70

I counted a three putt that I should have made, but I rushed the putt.

What I do know is that my weakness is the short game distance control or scrambling consistently on the back nine it showed with up and downs 2 out of 7 attempts and reflected on my putting with 17 putts on the back nine.

[WUTiger]

Last summer I showed up at a Golf Discount store on a rainy day. Just by chance some high school and slightly older small-college golfers were standing around talking about drivers, and control off the tee.

One small-college golfer said he often shot better on the first nine than the second nine. He said by the back nine he was feeling really loose and pumped up, and felt he tended to start overswinging, and trying to kill the ball. One of the high schoolers said his coach was constantly on him about not overswinging later in the round.

Just a thought.

[Randy4h]

2 things that stand out: On the back, you hit 5 fairways, but only 2 greens. Then, when you missed the green, you didn't get it close enough to one-putt. You've got it figured out that your short game & putting seem to be the culprits.

[ks8829]

I had opportunities to get up and down but choose to chip rather than putt from the fringe twice. I know that putting was the right shot but my ego lead me to practice the chip and let to boogies.

[chilly]

I don't count up my score on the front 9, I find it keeps me "loose" on the back nine. I imagine as low as you shoot, though, that you pretty much know the score at the turn. Otherwise, I try to make sure I eat something before the turn, and I'll do some stretching on the back nine as my back will get a little tight if I'm walking.

Mentally, I just make sure to go through my routine and try to make every shot count.

I'm not a good golfer, but I am pretty consistent, I typically shoot within 1-2 strokes between the front/back.

[sean_miller]

. . . my weakness is the short game distance control or scrambling consistently on the back nine . . .

"Irons: Mizuno Mp33 5 - PW R300 Wedges: Mizuno mp series 60.06, 56.11, 52.07 Putter: two ball blade putter" A greenside chip, using essentially a putting stroke, with whichever iron gets you on the putting surface as quick as possible, is never a bad choice*. There's an interesting blurb in this month's GOLF magazine about dropping your ball off the green (on the closest edge - regardless of what that lie would be) to get a feel for the best side to miss from. I think that would be a good way to practice your chip v. putt dilema as well. Having said that, if chipping with a Mizuno MP-33 is anything like using an MP-11, and I suspect it is, maybe they're a bit hot off the sweet spot on chips. It might play havoc with your full swing, but have you tried hitting chips more off the toe with the MP33s? Based only on my experience with my own sets, some irons are better for that chip/putt stroke than others. Partly because of the head/sole design, and partly because of the reaction of the ball off the face, I shy away from that shot when using my MP-11s (and probably with my "new" TA1s too - coincidentally). Distance control is sketchy at such slow swing speeds IMO. My old Titleist Tour Models or my Apex PCs (NOT my channelbacks!) however, have a different feel on short shots - more putterlike. * By the time I get to back nine I've got a better sense of what the turf is doing to my short shots - on that day.

[Randy4h]

How was your mental state after nine? Were you comfortable with such a good score on the front. I know that I have had occasions were I have shot a sub-par front nine, then either eased up a little, trying to protect my score, or just wasn't as loose and steered shots or didn't put good strokes on the green. Sort of like the football team with lead, playing a prevent defense but still giving up the long pass. We need to play the game that originally got us to par or better.

After one of those days, I talked with a friend, who played college golf and is around a +2 or 3. He asked me whether I was comfortable playing under par, and willing to go even lower. In all honesty, I wasn't comfortable. I'm working on that mental part of the game. Good luck!

[Par Fore]

Are you staying hydrated?
Are you eating enough during your round?
Both of these lead to fatigue.....and can hurt concentration...

Also, I have a tendency to get a bit lazy/tired late in the day.....I'm more apt to push the ball.....additionally, later in the day, wind can pick up, greens can dry out, and playing conditions can get more challenging....

Not sure if any of this helps.....but something to think about....

[ks8829]

One thing that I fogot to mention is that I use my cell phone on the 14th hole and I shot on the following closing holes:

10 double boogie - missed an easy tap in for a 3 putt double boogie
11 par - missed a six foot birdie putt
12 par - par 3 on the green and two putt for par
13 boogie - did not get up and down from around the green
14 par - par 5 on two just on the fringe with a down hill putt
15 boogie - sand trap, did not get up and down
16 boogie - did not get up and down from about 40 yards off the green
17 boogie - miss club and bunkered, did not get up and down to save par
18 boogie - just off the green on the fringe, did not get up and down

I feel its a lack of focus and concentration along with chipping off the green within 40 yards and in. looking back I could of converted at saved par on 18, 17 and maybe 13 and save a stroke on 11, so lets say 3 strokes with a stronger short game.

Opps, I shot 8 over with a boogie on the 9th hole.

[B Keller]

Interesting...I struggle going out and play better coming in. Today I went 55/48=101.

Of course I did take a 12 on #3....... Still even a triple bogey 8 is 51/48.

[joepro23]

Regarding the original post, you should try to think about the second nine as a brand new nine and forget about your score on the front (whether it was good/avg/bad). I often play in Nassau style matches and the back nine is a brand new bet. Make up a side-bet or game for the back nine to stay interested if you feel like you are losing focus. The back nine at my home course gives me a little harder time anyway, so I have to get re-focused to finish off the round. You mentioned fatigue as a possible factor...maybe get a cart if you have been walking previously.

[B Keller]

Regarding the original post, you should try to think about the second nine as a brand new nine and forget about your score on the front (whether it was good/avg/bad). I often play in Nassau style matches and the back nine is a brand new bet. Make up a side-bet or game for the back nine to stay interested if you feel like you are losing focus. The back nine at my home course gives me a little harder time anyway, so I have to get re-focused to finish off the round. You mentioned fatigue as a possible factor...maybe get a cart if you have been walking previously.

That's a good point. I used to tally up my stats at the turn but realized that it put more pressure on me as I got to 16 or so. Then I would press and implode missing all my goals. Now I don't do any math until I am in the car and ready to leave.

[Rexx]

Ehhh... it's probably just variance. Do you track every 18 you play and compare front and back nine scores? Is there a definite pattern of doing worse on the back nine over a large sample? And bring some tissues for those boogies... nobody wants to see that.