Help with back nine swoon...

[teamgs]

Greetings,
Just got back from another frustrating round. I have been working on my swing a lot, and am striking the ball very much better now. I have also been spending much more time on chipping and putting; probably 70% of my practice time now.

My frustration stems from my inability to keep a good (or even mediocre) round going though the full round. Today I start out with a birdie on the first par 4, sinking a 35 foot putt. Continue with good ball striking the entire front nine, nothing more than a bogie, and finish with a 39. Eliminating the two 3 putts would have really helped. (First time at this course, and the greens were very fast)

We didn't stop at the turn, and I procede to fall apart on the back nine. Two trips, and two doubles, and lots of sprayed shots later, I end up with a 49 on the back! Some of the errors were mental, muffed chips in the rough, and going for tough pin placements, but most of the errors were due to suddenly inconsistent ball striking. My straight shots on the front turned into pull hooks or slices, with only one GIR on the back. While I had a few good holes and shots, the complete inconsistency has really got me stumped. While not always a 10 stroke swing, the theme is generally the same: I hit much more consistantly on the front nine.

I am not sure, but it feels like possibly as I loosen up, I may be swinging harder and getting quicker at the top...I am in good shape, so I am fairly certain that I am not getting tired on the back nine, but I guess it is possible. Maybe it is just totally mental...

I know that this is a very general question, so I was just wondering if others have had similar issues, and what their remedies were.

Regards,

Gary

[drglew]

wow, i am your long lost twin. Wish i had the answer though. My playing partners have commented that my tempo/transition sometimes gets quicker and quicker as the round goes on, so you may be onto something with the "swinging harder" analysis, and really trying to work on keeping a consistent tempo (that's what i'm at least trying to do).

Also if it makes you feel better, a lot of courses are set up so the back 9 is harder than the front, i.e. to help "ease" you into the round, especially before the "scenic" (= lots of hazards everywhere) closing holes.

[The Road Dog]

"Also if it makes you feel better, a lot of courses are set up so the back 9 is harder than the front, i.e. to help "ease" you into the round, especially before the "scenic" (= lots of hazards everywhere) closing holes."

If the above is true then playing the back nine first should give the same dismal result only before the front. Have you tested this theory?

[teamgs]

My father in law said that it looked like my hips weren't movingthrough on the back nine, and that it seemed as if I was arm swinging more. Could be a result of tempo changes and starting to swing harder, but only with the arms... I told him that I would bring a video camera next time, and have him take some short vids on each nine.

Golf... I love it and hate it at the same time...

Gary

[seanturner88]

One word...Fatigue. When you are physically fatigued is when bad habits start, whether its hips, tempo, etc. Stop at the turn take a quick break, grab a bite to eat or bring a banana or get a light sandwich in the clubhouse and a drink. This helps keep you energized for the second nine and helps you relax. The other thing that I have found is that on the back nine players tend to get into their own head and try to figure out what they could shoot for the round on hole 12. Take it one hole at a time to stay strong mentally, and a snack or two to stay strong physically. I do this and my back nines are generally lower than my front nines.

[drglew]

as for back 9 vs front 9 effects due to course difficulty, although i've not done a thorough study, i'd say in general the few times i get started on the Back 9 (at my courses) i still don't play that 9 well; unfortunately, my physical/mental "fatigue" sets in the 2nd nine (easier front 9) and i don't necessarily shoot any better; needless to say, i hate teeing off from the 10th as for me it's been a recipe for a really high number.

Your home courses might be different so sorry if i generalized too much!

[teamgs]

I generally bring a power bar or the like to eat at the turn, and did so yesterday. However, whatever I am doing is definitely not working, so next time I will bring a few more calories and liquid, and snack throughout the round...

Gary

[Teklabz]

I was going to mention fatgiue asa factor as well, but you already said you're in great shape and doubt it is that. So then my next thought is as you said, the mental part of the game, do you get mentally tired, or hurried, or less focused, bored even? Are your pre-shot routines exactly the same from shot to shot, and from hole to hole, or do you tend to maybe expect to not need to practice a swing as much before addressing the ball etc? Try stretching not only before the round, but between rounds a little as well, as I tend to loosen up, then tighten up, especially in my left wrist I had surgery on years ago.

[teamgs]

Good thoughts...I have a terribly inconsistent pre-shot routine, and have been working on it. It definitely went away as the back nine started falling apart. Stretching is also a great idea. I stretch religiously before the round, hit balls on the range, then play, but I don't stretch mid-round. I will give that a shot.

Gary

[Teklabz]

Good thoughts...I have a terribly inconsistent pre-shot routine, and have been working on it. It definitely went away as the back nine started falling apart. Stretching is also a great idea. I stretch religiously before the round, hit balls on the range, then play, but I don't stretch mid-round. I will give that a shot.

Yeah I hope that does help. You may find yourself tightening up quite a bit from swigning at less than 80-100% for a pitch shot then putting, then waiting for the group ahead before finally teeing off again. Might even take up to 20 minutes or so between full swings!