"But if I didn't double bogey...."

[chilly]

Ever notice that when guys are telling you their score, inevitably it goes something like "Five over on the front, shot an 84....but if I didn't double bogey 11 and 14 it would have been an 80"...or something along those lines.

I do it as well, but it's just makes me laugh because there is ALWAYS a "but" in there...it's the nature of the game. Even a scratch will say "shot a 72 BUT I lipped out at 4 and 10. "

I know it's just how we're wired, always thinking we're just one step away from that perfect day...thinking that the bad swing was just a fluke.

[acegolfer]

In my case it's "if I didn't triple 4, 10 and 13."

[injury]

"If only I hadn't put 3 in the water on my approach on 7" Stupid elivated peninsula greens

I feel better with being a couple of strokes out of the lead to know where they were vs the feeling of being so far down you woulda got stomped no matter what you did. Not unique to golf though, people serious about bowling do the same thing.

[MMouse]

Golf has the wrong name for the game....period.

It should we called Would've.

If I would've sunk that putt.....

If that drive would've went straight......

If I would've selected a new club.......

[case31]

I do it too! I think that's one of the many things that makes golf great. Perfection is impossible and we're always analyzing ways we could be better.

[Kieran123]

haha I say it too.

Hell, last night I shot 83 with 2 doubles and a triple...and 37 putts...now, if I had just made some of those putts.......

[sean_miller]

haha I say it too.

I have that scorecard in my glove compartment.

I could think about the missed birdie chances from my last round, but then I remember the chip in on 18 and the par saves from the trees on #1 and #9.

[Red Golfer]

For some reason my excuses always start with "If that beer cart girl hadn't showed up so many time I........"

[kafka01]

LOL - BUT we always seem to forget to mention the 30footers we holed for an up&down;, the ball that jumps over the bunker cuz we hit it fat and somehow ends up 3 feet at the pin, the lucky bounces out of trees or all the crazy stuff that happens during such a round, that we see for granted in these moments...

[DavidFehertysBike]

Its just the way golf is. I don't care if you shot 59, there is always going to be a "what if" lol.

[1par2win]

LOL - BUT we always seem to forget to mention the 30footers we holed for an up&down;, the ball that jumps over the bunker cuz we hit it fat and somehow ends up 3 feet at the pin, the lucky bounces out of trees or all the crazy stuff that happens during such a round, that we see for granted in these moments...

Bingo! The universe has a way of evening things out.

[Paradox]

you'll always hear that statement because as FehertysBike said, theres always that one swing, that one mis-hit, that one putt, that one whatever. No matter the score, theres always something you left out there

[chilly]

One of my favorites is an acquaintance that I've played golf with a few times who will hit you with "If that had gone straight, it would've been PERFECT!". He's dead serious when he says this too, like he was cheated when he faded it 10yds right of the green...if...if...if it just would have gone straight like he planned.

[Paradox]

One of my favorites is an acquaintance that I've played golf with a few times who will hit you with "If that had gone straight, it would've been PERFECT!". He's dead serious when he says this too, like he was cheated when he faded it 10yds right of the green...if...if...if it just would have gone straight like he planned.

haha, I kind of say that but it doesn't include an "it"....."If

I had hit that one straight, it would've been perfect" this is usually followed by me spending a couple seconds telling myself that I suck and then I forget about it.

[max power]

Nature of the game-also just human nature. I shot a 72 last year when I was about a 10 handicap, and all I could think about were the 3 strokes I threw away. Should've been a 69!

[James_Black]

Its just the way golf is. I don't care if you shot 59, there is always going to be a "what if" lol.

i'd be annoyed if I shot a 59! (if I was a pro anyway)

I'd constantly think "what if I sunk that putt on 18 to card a 58". I'm never happy with what I shoot, but that's what makes me (and other people) practice and try get better.

[zeg]

I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I say it a lot, but it's usually if only I hadn't had those two 8s or that 11. I've reached the point where I often get a good look at a par putt, and almost always have a good look at bogey, which is a big improvement. But I still fall apart on a hole or two every time. It's at the point where my next target is to shoot 45 for 9 holes (I've done 46 once and 47 once, though I had to bail after 7 holes and fill in par + strokes for the last two). It really is the one or two stupid holes, and it's usually something stupid like a couple duffed chips, two to get out of the sand over the green, etc. In other words, it's really a mental lapse rather than lack of physical ability.

Before anyone blasts this as denial, I am fully aware that it's not just bad luck, I know I'm responsible, and I know this is why I'm still working to get my handicap below 30. If anything, being aware that it was just that hole does two things: it helps me hold my head up knowing that I'm getting better even if my scores are still stubbornly lingering up (playing decent golf on 7 of 9 holes is something I'm proud of), and it reminds me that I don't need to try to do anything revolutionary to reach my next goal, I just need to work on doing what I already know how to do more consistently.

The other "if only" I've got is the "if only I'd taken my time on that 2-footer for par (or bogey) instead of rushing to tap in." That's another one that's an admonition for next time more than anything else.

[CG031]

Ah, there's always those one or two holes on each side that seem to get ya from shooting a good round.

The other day I double bogeyd the ninth hole to shoot 37. Now, the ninth at my home course is by far the toughest on the course, but still, if I could've scratched out a part it would've been nice!