Home course MENTAL block!

[mdbuschsr]

Do you have a hole on your home course where you have an inexplicable mental block? I DO!!!

516-yard par 5 dogleg right. It's not a severe dogleg, just enough to entice me to cut the corner. There was a time when I was very successful at this. I could hit my 5W up over the trees on the corner with a nice fade (OK maybe it was a slice), carry the rough, and give myself a comfortable 3W into the green.

Anymore, it doesn't matter what club I hit, I'm in the woods on the right. Last weekend I played a 5i targeting a tree in the left center of the fairway, and push sliced it so far right even I was AMAZED! I just laughed at myself. My only other choice was to get pissed.

Today I hit 6i, aiming at the same tree, and for ONCE I pulled off the shot. I was so excited to have a playable ball IN THE FAIRWAY, that I duffed the first 3W. I managed to settle myself down and hit a drop dead gorgeous 3W. GW onto the green, 2-putt bogey.

My home course is a 9-hole operation... 2nd time through, I shot an ELEVEN!

AIN'T this game fun?

[ks8829]

Next time you play this hole mention to yourself that this is my favorite hole on the golf course and it will be.

[gogolfing]

3rd hole at my home course; OB left, trouble right and fairway bunkers in the landing area. Usually plays into the wind and it plays 400-430 yards depending on the tees. I rarely hit a good drive on it and double it more often than not. I know I am just intimidated by the tee shot and have to mentally get over it. I'm thinking of going out on a quiet day in the fall and just hit a bunch of balls of the tee to practice and get in the right frame of mind to get over it.

Here is a link to the hole information:

http://www.memberstatements.com/tour...m?tourid=57511

[drglew]

Same deal for me. 11th hole, long 175-ish yd par 3, forced carry over water and water to the right of the green, bunker on the left. I guess it's not an easy hole certainly, but for whatever reason my natural iron draw turns into a giant pull-hook into the water hazard on this hole, or else i get double-crossed and fly a major slice way beyond the bunker and into the trees 25 yards to the left (even though i can barely fade or slice an iron on any other hole).

My current solution is to try different clubs, i.e instead of my 6-iron which is my "correct" distance going with a punch hybrid etc. Hasn't worked so far unfortunately. I'm thinking i should try a wedge to the drop area and then another wedge in perhaps!

[Varsity_Golf]

Most definatly. It's not a difficult hole, just a straight out 350 yard par 4....with OB 20 yards left of the fairway, heavy rough, two large humps, and a lake with a small cove that comes out almost to the fairway and makesa bottleneck 20 yards from the green, and woods to the left of the green. Easy little thang right? hehe its my least favorite. I can par the handicap 1 hole on the course (an uphill 470 par 4 with a sloping green) but Im lucky to be on this green in two. Sucks...

Varsity

[Colinb913]

4th hole par 3. Yeah. I said it. Its over a pretty sizeable creek. The water on this hole and this hole only freaks me out. I always club up and hit over the green.

[DaSportsGuy]

14th hole. 577 Par 5. Tee shot is up a hill and you really have to poke it to get it to the top. If you don't then your second doesn't go anywhere because your hitting uphill and it goes too high to get much distance. Most of the time I'm left with a 250 bomb to get on in regulation so their is very little chance to make par. Most of the time I end up doubling it. One bad shot and it's a guaranteed double. I've only par'd it twice in the many many times I've played it.

[don28]

Hole #17 on my home course. Par 5, 487 yards. Dogleg right, with a creek cutting across the fairway 266 yards out. The right side is guarded by a tree line, and so is the left side. The left side has a creek behind the tree line, so going left is no option. After the dogleg right, then hole turns back to the left a little. There is also a bunker protecting the left half of the front of the green. Unless you are an elite shot shaping specialist, it's not a par 5 that you reach in 2. I have found my best success on this hole playing 3-iron off the tee, 3-iron for second shot, and short iron or wedge into the green.

I have given this hole my own nickname, which has seemed to amuse those who I get paired with when playing a round: Satan's Hole.

[soloredd]

I have 2 holes like this. On one of the courses, it was #17 par 3 158 yards over a small lake. My first round of golf was on this course some years ago and I was hitting 3 woods. When I started playing again 2 years ago I was hitting hybrids off the tee. Always going in the lake or way over the green. I finally got fed up with it and decided to OWN that hole. During my range sessions I found a target of similar distance and would envision playing that hole for 15 minutes. I can confidently say as of this day, that hole is mine. No more mental blocks when on the tee or looking over my shoulder on the 16th green. This last round I hit 8 iron pin high, smooth draw, birdie. It's become my favorite hole on the course.

My new home course as a similar hole. #7 par 3 170 yards with a creek right in front of the green. The issue for me, I immediately mind-f*&k; myself on the tee because there is a tree line bordering the right side length of the hole. I know, according to GPS, front green is 155 yards, I could reach with my 7 iron but I always end up going 6 because of the damn water. I either chunk the hell out of my tee shot, fat one into the creek, or hit too far into the backside bunkers. This last round I pulled 7 iron and hit a decent shot but pushed right so had to chip up, flubbed 2 putts and took a double. I hate this hole. It has become my new mission.

[MJP]

Mine also happens to be a 450 slight dog leg right par 4. Not very hard but its long. For some reason I slice more balls OB toward the houses there than anywhere else.

the mental block must be the large driving range size fence protecting the houses and knowing i can still clear it

who knows but ive been known to make 9 or 10 there even. I've done it twice off the tee in a row.

[mdbuschsr]

I plan to go out to the course one evening this week and hit every ball I own from that tee. I'll do it until I can hit a comfortable shot into the fairway. Fortunately, I have a good relationship with the GM and Assistant GM. Told them both that I wanted to do just that, and they each said I could as long as the course was slow.

[mdbuschsr]

I finally got back out to my course today. Returned the wedge from the other thread, but I digress... I thought I was going to play a nice solo round at an easy pace. But when I got there, there were four foursomes waiting to tee off. Some kind of mini skins game I assume knowing the groups.

So, instead of dicking around on the practice green/range, I decided to go out to my nemesis tee and KICK IT'S A$$. After verifying with the GM that the rest of the course was basically empty I went to #9 tee and hit ball after ball until I was able to place 5 in a row in the fairway with my driver. I was getting my swing so grooved for 'that' shot that I had 3 of the five grouped in about a 5' circle. The fourth was a little short and the fifth was longer by 5-10 yards each.

Of course after all that practice I played 9 practice holes, but I was so whooped from banging the driver that I stunk up the joint, until I returned to #9. Best drive of the day... Not distance but the shape, trajectory, and direction were EXACTLY what I wanted. So, the final tally for today was course 8, me 1. One very important shot! HA! I WIN!!!

[drglew]

Same deal for me. 11th hole, long 175-ish yd par 3, forced carry over water and water to the right of the green, bunker on the left. I guess it's not an easy hole certainly, but for whatever reason my natural iron draw turns into a giant pull-hook into the water hazard on this hole, or else i get double-crossed and fly a major slice way beyond the bunker and into the trees 25 yards to the left (even though i can barely fade or slice an iron on any other hole).

Birdied my nemesis today! Pin was actually back a tad to 180+, so my 5-hybrid was the "correct" club for me. However, i decided through all my travails that i was babying my swings too much out of fear, so i decided to stick with the 6-iron and swing with extra aggression. Stiffed it to 3 feet, & sank the putt. I'm not sure if this is the best advice...but for a "mental block" hole, i think knowing i really had to rip the shot helped me commit to the swing (as opposed to decelerating on some sort of 3/4 punch)!

[Dragonsrock]

The sixth hole at my course has me carrying so much mental baggage that I have had to renumber it as 5a, I just can't face it, yes we now go, 4,5,5a,7,8,9... it s short par 4 with water pretty much everywhere except the fairway, I had 21 rounds in a row where I found water offf the tee, I have literally tried every club in my bag (except the putter), I still make 5 most days, but the tee shot has got me, I am at the stage where I want to curl up in the featal position on the tee. I felt a lil better the other day, I played with 3 pro's (my coach and two of his mates) and 2 of them went in the water also.

Its really only 9 iron, 7 iron for me, but I manage to put the 7 iron in the water also, so better taking driver hitting it in the water, hitting a 60 deg wedge into the green and two putting for a 5...sad I know :)

[soloredd]

My new home course as a similar hole. #7 par 3 170 yards with a creek right in front of the green. The issue for me, I immediately mind-f*&k; myself on the tee because there is a tree line bordering the right side length of the hole. I know, according to GPS, front green is 155 yards, I could reach with my 7 iron but I always end up going 6 because of the damn water. I either chunk the hell out of my tee shot, fat one into the creek, or hit too far into the backside bunkers. This last round I pulled 7 iron and hit a decent shot but pushed right so had to chip up, flubbed 2 putts and took a double. I hate this hole. It has become my new mission.

Played yesterday and conquered it (well, for that round anyway). Hit 7 iron and pured it, ball landed pin high then stopped about 8 feet above the hole. Proceeded to 3 putt the green (severe back to front slope) but I felt great getting my GIR. I'll go back to this hole again and replay the same shot - no more block for me!

[Dragonsrock]

Attachment 2452

The mighty 5a

[mdbuschsr]

Attachment 2452

That's a pretty intimidating hole. I could see a lot of my tee shots going in the drink there.