Keeping it together on the course

[8.5_Drive]

I would consider myself a pretty tidy golfer, im capable of hitting most shots.

However when it comes to playing in a competition, i seem to be playing a totally different game..

Obviously nerves play a big part, but sometimes i find myself having a great start, then as the round progresses i am prone to hitting all sorts of bad shots (not just the usual hook). It could literally go anywhere!

Any tips on keeping a good round going?

[Elvisliveson]

I'm going to fall back on the cliched "take it one shot at a time" and stop thinking about score. You obviously start worrying when you get off to a good start that you won't be able to duplicate it for the entire round and it's wearing on you. You probably got off to a good start simply by concentrating on hitting a good shot. For example on the first tee, I doubt you're worried about what score you'll shoot, but rather how to pund that drive in the fairway. At that moment, you are focused on hitting that one shot. Once you get going well, your focus probably starts to wander to the round as a whole.

[8.5_Drive]

lol i thought someone would say that.

it wasnt the 'take this pill and you will have the consistency of luke donald' reply i was hoping for.

im not sure if this is the problem because it happens on bad rounds aswel. its almost as if my swing gets 'tired' on the back 9.

[Elvisliveson]

Originally Posted by 8.5_Drive

lol i thought someone would say that.

it wasnt the 'take this pill and you will have the consistency of luke donald' reply i was hoping for.

im not sure if this is the problem because it happens on bad rounds aswel. its almost as if my swing gets 'tired' on the back 9.

There it is again: look at your last sentence. You continue to focus in terms of rounds, instead of shots. You need to think in terms of quality of your ball striking, not in terms of good or bad rounds/scores.

[awmgolfer]

Exactly, last year I had my first 9 hole round of even par and I was never such a nervous wreck about holding it together. This year I have already had a few rounds in the 30's and I have totally changed my thinking to one shot at a time and taking dead aim on each shot and that is all I think about. They have been the easiest most low stress rounds I have ever had. Each shot is independent and that is all I am thinking about until after the shot is hit, then it is on to the next one. If I have a bad hole, I have short term memory on the course because I forget about it and move on. Last year I stunk it up under pressure in tournaments so I am excited to finally get into some tournaments this year and see how much the change in thinking will help.

[GolfHippy]

I tend not to play in competitions any more much. I find it too much pressure. I play a lousy game when I play with people I am less farmiliar with. Also when a lot of people are watching me.

[blackxpress]

Originally Posted by Elvisliveson

I'm going to fall back on the cliched "take it one shot at a time" and stop thinking about score. You obviously start worrying when you get off to a good start that you won't be able to duplicate it for the entire round and it's wearing on you. You probably got off to a good start simply by concentrating on hitting a good shot. For example on the first tee, I doubt you're worried about what score you'll shoot, but rather how to pund that drive in the fairway. At that moment, you are focused on hitting that one shot. Once you get going well, your focus probably starts to wander to the round as a whole.

I agree wholeheartedly but wish someone could teach me how to take your advice. The other night I took my wife out for her first 9 hole round ever. We weren't keeping score and she didn't really even play. She just hit a few shots here and there and mostly just worked on her chipping and putting. Still, I was totally focused on her. I was busy teaching her the rules of the game, golf etiquette, etc., and watching behind us to let other groups play through and so forth. Needless to say it was a long 9 with huge amounts of time between my shots. As I said, I wasn't thinking about my game at all. Each time I made a shot I was talking to her about the strategy. I would tell her how I needed to play the shot, how to line it up, which club to hit, etc., and then I would proceed to make a good shot. Around the greens I was very careful to choose the right kind of shot for the situation so as to set a good example for her. I would assess the situation, explain to her why I needed to play the bump and run or the flop shot or whatever and then I would proceed to execute the shot. We weren't keeping score but of course I knew how many strokes over par I was. After we putted out on 9 I added it up and had shot a very respectable 41. All because I was taking my time and focusing on one shot at a time, not getting stressed out over my game or my score or even really caring about such things. If only I could duplicate that mindset when I'm playing a serious round I'm certain I could take several strokes off my handicap. Instead, as soon as I make a couple of bad shots I start worrying about my score and trying to scramble to make it up, usually with less than stellar results.

Bottom line, one shot at a time is the best golf advice that's ever been handed down. Too bad I'm not able to take it to heart.

[8.5_Drive]

Thanks for the replies. Some very good points.

I played in my second competition this weekend.

I started out great. +1 thru 8, then i started thinking about my score because i was doing well, then went triple bogey, double bogey, and 2 bogeys on the next 4 holes.

So then my mindset was 'ive ruined my chances of winning this now, damn'

I just wanted to get off the course as fast as possible

Then, i parred out everything and made 2 birdies coming in and won the medal outright.

This is without doubt the biggest fault in my game, and it seems impossible to fix!

[saevel25]

Stop thinking about your score, go out and play a round now and then and just write downt the score. Don't keep track were your at or how much over or under par, or the total you have. Just write down the score for the hole and move on. Thats how i would practice from now on. Honestly, the only time i want to know if i need to make a shot, is the last hole on the last putt, the rest of the round, what ever i play like is what i play like, and i can't control the other person, so its not worrying about.

[Zimmy]

I think we can all feel your pain on this one.  I've been playing in a lot of tournaments lately, and my ultimate goal is to one day feel as comfortable in a tourament round as I do when I out playing a practice round with myself.  It would be safe to say that I'm not there yet.  Here's an "a-ha" moment I had in a tournament round last Sunday.  I got off to a pretty shaky start, bogeying 2 of the first four holes.  Standing on the tee box of the 5th hole I resolved to stop playing in a tournment, and start just playing golf.  I love to golf.  I absolutely love it.  And I hate it when my nerves get in the way of having a good time on the course.  So for the next 12 holes or so I was able to just focus on the fact that I was doing something I enjoy.  I played those holes 1-over, which, with two holes to go, got me thinking again that I might be challenging for the lead.  Not surprisingly, when I started playing in the tournament again I ended up bogeying the last two holes, missing makeable par putts on each of the holes.

I know that sometimes the mind is a hard thing to trick.  I have taken many putting lessons, and the least valuable one was when the instructor told me to tell myself to not care about whether the putt when in or not.  I know where he was going with that - just focus on the process, and not the outcome.  But my brain won't let me think like that.  I can't tel myself not to care about the putt going in when I do.  Still, if nerves are getting the better of your in tounament situations, try to focus on the golf part, and de-emphasize the tournament part.