How Do You Break a Streak of Bad Luck?

[ControlJunkie]

Looking for some ideas here. Played this morning, and was cruising right along on the front 9 which I finished at like 6 or 7 over. Starting the back 9, I hit a nice drive that bounced twice in the fairway and ended up trickling into some water. It all kinda went downhill from there. I went as far as taking an iron off of a couple of tees to intentionally avoid water that would have been easily reachable with my driver or 3W. I drill one of them straight down the left side (because the water was down the right side), and both my partner and I see if hit an overhanging limb, which falls. We both expect to see the ball right in that area, but no luck. It should have been in the fairway right around that area but it ended up being another lost one, and another lost stroke. The entire back 9 ended up like that - bad kicks, couple of ill-timed wind gusts, etc. After a few like that, I know I really start to lose my cool a bit. So do you guys have any routine for getting your head back on straight and getting over a bit of bad luck? Or should I just refer to that thread about weed on the golf course?

[Stretch]

Something needs to be sacrificed to the spirits of the links. Lots of people like the club-over-knee-or-into-pond routine, but I usually just take an extra big slug of beer and toss a worn-out glove onto the coals while I'm firing up the BBQ. Cheaper and equally effective.

[Shorty]

It is not bad luck when you drive into water and hit trees.  Those were not good shots. You may have made good contact, but that's only part of the game.

As for wind gusts ---you're clutching at straws a bit there.  Time to take some responsibility for where your ball ends up. You say that one that hit a tree "should" be in the fairway.

Over time you will find that you get as many good breaks as bad breaks.

But you can help yourself too.  Good drives do not end up in water or hit trees.  You need to avois hazards and obstacles.

BTW, the one that hit the tree and was lost would have been 2 shots lost, because it's stroke and distance.

You should have been back to the tee playing your third.

[ControlJunkie]

Originally Posted by Shorty

It is not bad luck when you drive into water and hit trees.  Those were not good shots. You may have made good contact, but that's only part of the game.

As for wind gusts ---you're clutching at straws a bit there.  Time to take some responsibility for where your ball ends up.

Over time you will find that you get as many good breaks as bad breaks.

But you can help yourself too.  Good drives do not end up in water or hit trees.  You need to avois hazards and obstacles.

BTW, the one that hit the tree and was lost would have been 2 shots lost, because it's stroke and distance.

You should have been back to the tee playing your third.

I didnt drive it straight into the water, it bounced a couple of times and kicked right off of something and into the water. As far as the iron shot goes, I didnt exactly hit into a tree, it was a few branches overhanging into the fairway, but regardless, I had no problem with doing that because it was the lesser of two evils with the other being water on the right, further down the fairway. Where I hit the branch was only 150 from the green. Had it dropped right there like we both thought that it did, I would have been perfectly happy, as, like I said, I would have been in the fairway, and only 150 out.

As for the wind gusts, no, I'm not clutching for anything it's what happened, plain and simple. Had it been mishit, I'm the first to admit that, as I am with any other mistakes.

I think you've missed the entire point of the post and what I was asking though. Maybe you should go back and re-read it. I'm asking people what they do to get their heads back on straight after a few bad breaks.

[GaijinGolfer]

I break a streak by putting it out of my mind and I just keep grinding it out.  Sooner or later the bounces are going to go your way and you just need to hang in there until then.  Golf is not a game for the impatient, weak-minded or feint of heart.

[saevel25]

First, most unlucky bounces can be called poor game management.

You say unlucky wind gust, should you take into consideration that the wind is out of a certain direction and that it might gust. So why not play your shot so that if you get a wind guys you wont be hurt. You might be further away from the hole on a putt, but your not going to end up somewere bad.

Also, hitting a tree limb is golf, it happens, but if a tree is overhanging the fairway, why try to cut close to it.

If you play golf long enough, you know that you will get some bad kicks. Honestly its part of the game, so why bother with it. The only thing you can control is your shot, not what the ball will do after it leaves the clubface. But if your putting your ball into risky areas, that is under your control.

People can only control what they can, knowing this you shouldn't get upset by anything else.

[WUTiger]

If I regularly have bad luck on course X, it's normally because of poor maintenance or goofy design. That's gets a course put on my no-play list.

Goofy design showed up a lot in some of the "homemade" courses down in Oklahoma. A guy would take his south quarter-section, put in tees and greens, and call it a golf course. Lots of strange results in the landing area, plus absurd funny bounces. One course had air-traffic control problems on it hilly back nine: It seemed that all the drives from three different holes came to rest in #14 fairway.

[jamo]

When I am having a bad streak of luck (which I would define as hitting the ball well but not getting good results), I try playing at different courses for a little while.

[ControlJunkie]

Originally Posted by WUTiger

If I regularly have bad luck on course X, it's normally because of poor maintenance or goofy design. That's gets a course put on my no-play list.

This one does suffer from that a bit, now that you mention it. That opens a whole other can of worms. There's actually a course directly across the street from me that I absolutely refuse to play because of poor maintenance. I've (and others playing with me) lost balls in the fairway there consistently. I'm not making this up at all. Drive will be dead straight, but you get up to where the ball should be and there are leaves, or grass that's higher than it should be, or wet areas, or a mix of all of the above. It really sucks, because obviously, it's by far the easiest place for me to get to. Seems like the place we played this morning might be headed that way. There were a couple of unmarked areas of "fresh" (read that as sarcasm - looked like crap) sod, a lot of places that leaves could have been cleaned up, etc.

You guys are probably right though, I'll find somewhere else to play for a little while and maybe try this place again later. Maybe I caught them at a bad time. I am always all about second chances, but after that, it's out the rotation.

[NEOHMark]

Originally Posted by ControlJunkie

I didnt drive it straight into the water, it bounced a couple of times and kicked right off of something and into the water. As far as the iron shot goes, I didnt exactly hit into a tree, it was a few branches overhanging into the fairway, but regardless, I had no problem with doing that because it was the lesser of two evils with the other being water on the right, further down the fairway. Where I hit the branch was only 150 from the green. Had it dropped right there like we both thought that it did, I would have been perfectly happy, as, like I said, I would have been in the fairway, and only 150 out.

As for the wind gusts, no, I'm not clutching for anything it's what happened, plain and simple. Had it been mishit, I'm the first to admit that, as I am with any other mistakes.

I think you've missed the entire point of the post and what I was asking though. Maybe you should go back and re-read it. I'm asking people what they do to get their heads back on straight after a few bad breaks.

Frankly, I think maybe it's you who should re-read Shorty's response.

It seems you're looking for an excuse, or magic bullet, to justify how your internal rage destroys your game.  No?

You are justifying a 'why me' mindset throughout, and then you bristle when Shorty points out the shortcomings of the shots that got you into trouble???  Maybe that's why you struggle to focus on the 'now' as opposed to living in the 'should've/could've/would've' world of ignoring your own contributions to your marginal shots.

Look - if the water is in play because you had a 'bad bounce' - then YOU obviously put it there close enough to allow a bounce to put it in the water.  I bet you've never complained when a shot appears to have well-missed the green and then miraculously bounces 90 degrees onto the green and snuggles 8 ft from the pin?  Same with the tree.  How can you NOT 'exactly hit into a tree', when the ball hit the tree on the fly???  It's pretty much an accepted norm - if you hit into a tree, all bets are off on where the ball bounces from there.  IF you can find it, you got away with one.  Maybe a club or two shorter/longer would've avoided the tree if the water on the opposing side was the worse penalty?

You ask of the folks on this forum, "what they do to get their heads back on straight after a few bad breaks?"  IMHO, taking some ownership of placing the shot so near jeopardy is a good start. It allows you to focus on what you can do differently rather than simply raging away at some faceless, mindless 'Golf Gods'.

Just my $0.02 - but don't ask for others advice if you're not willing to consider honest answers.  If you simply want to be placated, just say so upfront.

[ControlJunkie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NEOHMark

Frankly, I think maybe it's you who should re-read Shorty's response.

It seems you're looking for an excuse, or magic bullet, to justify how your internal rage destroys your game.  No?

Absolutely not looking for an excuse, so frankly you're wrong. I'm raging at all, and from your response, it sounds like you're the one that's a little too worked up here.

Quote:

You are justifying a 'why me' mindset throughout, and then you bristle when Shorty points out the shortcomings of the shots that got you into trouble???  Maybe that's why you struggle to focus on the 'now' as opposed to living in the 'should've/could've/would've' world of ignoring your own contributions to your marginal shots.

I'm also not justifying a "why me" mindset either, that wasn't the point of the post at all. Again, you are completely missing the point and making assumptions.

Quote:

Look - if the water is in play because you had a 'bad bounce' - then YOU obviously put it there close enough to allow a bounce to put it in the water.  I bet you've never complained when a shot appears to have well-missed the green and then miraculously bounces 90 degrees onto the green and snuggles 8 ft from the pin?  Same with the tree.  How can you NOT 'exactly hit into a tree', when the ball hit the tree on the fly???  It's pretty much an accepted norm - if you hit into a tree, all bets are off on where the ball bounces from there.  IF you can find it, you got away with one.  Maybe a club or two shorter/longer would've avoided the tree if the water on the opposing side was the worse penalty?

You ask of the folks on this forum, "what they do to get their heads back on straight after a few bad breaks?"  IMHO, taking some ownership of placing the shot so near jeopardy is a good start. It allows you to focus on what you can do differently rather than simply raging away at some faceless, mindless 'Golf Gods'.

Just my $0.02 - but don't ask for others advice if you're not willing to consider honest answers.  If you simply want to be placated, just say so upfront.

And again, you miss the point, and you're really getting too worked up over a simple question. All I was trying to do was explain the situation, and to ask people how the get focused again. Those were a few examples. The problem is that I throw the question out there, and instead of answering, you'd prefer to rant, read into my post things that aren't there, and make asinine assumptions.

Let me ask you a question. If I would have gotten on here and asked "what do you do to get your head back on straight after a few bad shots?", would you be as quick to mount your soap box? Because really and truly, what's the difference? No, you probably wouldn't have felt the need to post your holier-than-thou response, but instead, in this situation, you choose to critique, make assumptions, and ultimately add absolutely nothing to the discussion at all. I still stand firmly by the fact that I had a little streak of bad luck, but the discussion isn't about what happened, it's about how to your mind right afterwards. I wasn't raging away at 'some faceless, mindless Golf Gods', but if that's what helps some people get past it, who are you to criticize that?

It's really funny when you come here and preach this crap, but just a couple of short days ago, you talk about how a hole in one is a combination of luck and skill. So luck can go one way, in a positive manner, but when something negative happens there's just no way it can be bad luck, right?? That's pretty interesting.

[Zeph]

Stop believing in luck and try to hit good shots. I rarely have bad luck on the golf course. Most trouble I find is a result of my poor playing.

[NEOHMark]

Originally Posted by ControlJunkie

It's really funny when you come here and preach this crap, but just a couple of short days ago, you talk about how a hole in one is a combination of luck and skill. So luck can go one way, in a positive manner, but when something negative happens there's just no way it can be bad luck, right?? That's pretty interesting.

The difference is I accept a little luck in all situations - good or bad.  I don't need to come here and ask "How do you break a streak of bad luck?"

I hit the best shot I can; accept the results - good or bad; and if I make a mistake, I self-analyze and put the best swing I can on the next shot.  I don't get hung up on 'streaks of luck'.  Sorry.

Edit to add:  I firmly believe if you honestly put a good swing on the shot and hit your target, good things will happen more often than not.  If things go sour more often than not, then perhaps a new target, or approach to the shot, is in order.  I can live with a good swing/bad result far easier than I can with a crappy swing/shot.  JMHO

[ControlJunkie]

Originally Posted by NEOHMark

The difference is I accept a little luck in all situations - good or bad.  I don't need to come here and ask "How do you break a streak of bad luck?"

I hit the best shot I can; accept the results - good or bad; and if I make a mistake, I self-analyze and put the best swing I can on the next shot.  I don't get hung up on 'streaks of luck'.  Sorry.

Ok, apparently I could have phrased the title better. At this point you're just nitpicking and twisting words, and you have yet to add anything useful. I've explained what I was asking multiple times. I start a conversation here based on something that happened during a round, plan and simple. Where's the harm?  I don't feel like I need to come in here and ask, but I wanted to in order to maybe start some good conversation. Why do you feel like you need to comment on it and project your condescending attitude when you could just skip over it and go about your merry little way?

[andymane]

change things up a bit. eg. who you play with, where u play, things like. golf is a HARD game to play. is that not why we all love it????

[phillyk]

To break bad luck, a possible way could be play a round with a couple guys you know you can beat and play for a couple bucks.  All you need to do is make yourself feel better about your game. Be confident that you can do well in any situation.

[NEOHMark]

Originally Posted by ControlJunkie ........ you have yet to add anything useful.

I'm sorry you feel that way, but that's what I meant by focusing on putting your best swing on the next shot.

A quick analogy:

I'm a better bowler than I am a golfer.  That's a game fraught with excuses built-in - if you let if happen.  Lanes conditions too oily; too dry; lefties get all the breaks because there's only one of them breaking down the lane all night while there are nine righties; pins are dead; pins are too light; you name it, there's a rationalization for it.  For years, especially when I was younger, I'd get frustrated by stringing a complete game of solid pocket hits and getting tapped with a 'strong' 10-pin five or six times.  I made all those excuses listed above.

But guess what?  It was only after I figured out a little more about my game that realized my angle of attack was too steep, too inside, and those solid pocket hits were causing the 3 pin to go flying up, out, and around the 10.  Once I took ownership of it, I fixed it by taking an angle more from the outside and with more 'lift'.  It made me a much better bowler.

CJ, you've probably been golfing for awhile if you're sporting a 15 hdcp.  In all honesty, don't you just 'know' within a half second of hitting a shot and seeing the ball flight in the first 30 or 40 yds whether or not you're safe or flirting with disaster?  Did the ball go where you were aligned on your drive into the water and the iron shot into the tree?  What can you learn from those shots?  Was there a swing mistake?  Was there an error in course management or strategy?

My mindset to 'fix' a streak of bad breaks and get my head back on straight is to do some honest self-analysis and see if there's anything I've done to contribute to it.  Maybe I'm pushing or pulling the ball.  Maybe I'm trying to be too aggressive on the angles.  Maybe I'm not hitting as far as I normally do, or perhaps longer.

I honestly thought that's the kind of approach I was offering, but I'm sorry you took it as being condescending.  After I saw you jump all over Shorty, for very little reason IMHO, I thought a little frankness - and some challenging of your logic - was fair game.  I genuinely wish you the best in your game.  FWIW, what works for me is when I'm harder on myself than anyone else ever could be.

[NEOHMark]

Originally Posted by phillyk

To break bad luck, a possible way could be play a round with a couple guys you know you can beat and play for a couple bucks.  All you need to do is make yourself feel better about your game. Be confident that you can do well in any situation.

A similar tactic, that you can do by yourself, is play from the next tees forward than your usual set of tees.  It can be a big confidence booster by getting you into a lower scoring mindset.