How to close???

[k-troop]

Anyone else's handicap triple on 16, 17, and 18 when you've got a good round going?  Few weeks ago I was on the 16th tee of my regular track sitting at -3.  I've broken 70 one time in my life, when I was in college.  Finished with par, bogey, double-bogey (16 and 17 are birdie holes if you hit a good tee shot) for a disappointing 72.  My buddy was congratulating me all over the place; told him I'd rather finish birdie-birdie to shoot 79 than +3 to shoot anything.

Any tips on how to not choke?  I hit a chip shot from a decent lie seven feet on 18.  Seriously?

[Harmonious]

You were way outside your comfort zone.  The idea of being that far under par with only a couple of holes to play was not something that you do everyday, so you felt the pressure.  Chances are, the more times you play well and put yourself in that position, you will do better.

You were probably thinking "score", rather than just playing the next shot. There's always time to add up the score AFTER the round.

[mdl]

I wish I'd ever been in this situation to break 70!  But I had similar struggles when I was trying to break 80 the first time.  First time I had a legit shot I was sitting on the 16th tee box needing to score +2 or better over the last three holes to shoot 79 or better.  Hit a great drive, was pumped and feeling confident.  Then started thinking about parring out or better (18 is a reachable par 5) for something like a 77 or 76, dug a 6i (long hole) about 20 yards, missed the green with the next shot, double bogeyed, then bogeyed 17 and 18 to shoot an 81.

Didn't happen the next time.  Just don't get in your head like Harmonious said.  The lesson I took was exactly never to think of scoring.  I realized that I'll start doing that even after just opening up with 4-5 good holes.  I play best when my buddy's keeping score and doesn't even tell me what I'm shooting til the round is done, and I make sure not to try to keep a +/- score in my head.

[GaijinGolfer]

Play it one shot at a time and keep the score out of your mind.

[iPutt]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

You were way outside your comfort zone.  The idea of being that far under par with only a couple of holes to play was not something that you do everyday, so you felt the pressure.  Chances are, the more times you play well and put yourself in that position, you will do better.

I agree with this 100%. I think that for anyone breaking those "score barriers" for the first time, there's so much pressure that we put on ourselves that it just creates tight, conservative swings. I'm happy that the one time I've broken 90 so far is over with, so that the next time I'm getting close I'll have the confidence to know that I've done it before. I also think that letting go at that point is a big help, because if you trust that you're going to make the shot, you can make those free swings that lead to those great shots.

However, I do think that once you start to get better, it's tough to completely block out where you stand for a round. If you're at +3, it's not hard to remember that it's been 5 bogeys, 2 birdies. I really don't think the problem lies in knowing where you stand for the round and playing ignorant, but rather having the mental strength to let go and trust all the practice you've put in.

[mirv]

Ben Hogan always said "I've hit this shot a thousand times, and the shot is still the same, no matter if you're playing for fun, a club championship, a Tour championship, or the US Open."

He spoke of Karl Wallenda, "The Great Wallenda," perhaps the greatest high-wire walker in the world, who walked the wire between New York City skyscrapers.  When Wallenda was asked, "Do you get more nervous the higher they put the wire?" His answer was, "Why should I? The wire never changes."

That puts the whole thing in perspective.  Hogan said "I've hit it a thousand times.  Why should I be nervous?  The wire never changes."  When you get to the 18th hole, do you get more nervous because it's the last hole?  Why should you?  The wire never changes.  I think that's the best golf statement I've ever heard.

- Ken Venturi

[zipazoid]

Excellent thread, excellent posts! I just spread around a little 'rep love'.

I am a serial offender about closing out rounds properly. I think score way too much. My good friend Mike, who used to be a pro, is always getting on me about that - 'Forget what you're shooting!" he always says to me. It really takes some serious mental discipline to blot out score. I always know in my mind where I am in relation to par - 'I'm 4 over, three to play' - that kind of thing. A couple months back we were playing & I was short of 18 in two, a looong par 4. I had a flop shot over a bunker to a tight pin. I knocked it stiff & he slapped the ball back to me and said 'Nice par'. I said 'Thanks. That's a 75.' He just rolled his eyes at me.

[TourSpoon]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Excellent thread, excellent posts! I just spread around a little 'rep love'.

I am a serial offender about closing out rounds properly. I think score way too much. My good friend Mike, who used to be a pro, is always getting on me about that - 'Forget what you're shooting!" he always says to me. It really takes some serious mental discipline to blot out score. I always know in my mind where I am in relation to par - 'I'm 4 over, three to play' - that kind of thing. A couple months back we were playing & I was short of 18 in two, a looong par 4. I had a flop shot over a bunker to a tight pin. I knocked it stiff & he slapped the ball back to me and said 'Nice par'. I said 'Thanks. That's a 75.' He just rolled his eyes at me.

I can relate to this.  It's very hard to not know where you stand when you are a couple over.

[zipazoid]

Hey TourSpoon - I used to live in West Palm. Looks like you're a member at PB National...? I used to play that a lot, and have played just about every course you listed - WPBCC (no water!), Atlantis, Park Ridge (elevation changes! Thanks landfill), Madison Green. I used to have a membership at Binks Forest in Wellington. Miss those courses.

[UruguayanPGA]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Hey TourSpoon - I used to live in West Palm. Looks like you're a member at PB National...? I used to play that a lot, and have played just about every course you listed - WPBCC (no water!), Atlantis, Park Ridge (elevation changes! Thanks landfill), Madison Green. I used to have a membership at Binks Forest in Wellington. Miss those courses.

I live in Wellington as well haha. Its a small world. Such great golf courses. I play Okeeheelee, Park Ridge and Binks the most

[TourSpoon]

Hey Zip, I used to work the bagroom at Indian Trails (Village Golf Club) when I was getting my master's degree.  Once I started my career, I worked at Binks running their summer golf program for 3 years.  During those years (my brother was an assistant at Emerald Hills) we played quite a few places including The Fountains, Falls, Emerald Dunes, Sherbrooke, Winston Trails, Royal Palm, PGA National, Stonewall and Ballenisles.  I have a buddy that I used to work with that owns Magnolia Plantation in Lake Mary over in your neck of the woods.  And yes, Palm Beach National is my current home even though I live close to Binks Forest.

[zipazoid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UruguayanPGA

I live in Wellington as well haha. Its a small world. Such great golf courses. I play Okeeheelee, Park Ridge and Binks the most

I aced the 16th at Binks back in '92. Check out my post in the Hole In One thread - I talked about it there. So glad they saved that course.

Quote:

Hey Zip, I used to work the bagroom at Indian Trails (Village Golf Club) when I was getting my master's degree.  Once I started my career, I worked at Binks running their summer golf program for 3 years.  During those years (my brother was an assistant at Emerald Hills) we played quite a few places including The Fountains, Falls, Emerald Dunes, Sherbrooke, Winston Trails, Royal Palm, PGA National, Stonewall and Ballenisles.  I have a buddy that I used to work with that owns Magnolia Plantation in Lake Mary over in your neck of the woods.  And yes, Palm Beach National is my current home even though I live close to Binks Forest.

Wow...I just played Magnolia Plantation a couple months back. I used to live in Palm Beach Gardens & played PGA National, JDM/Ballenisles, North Palm (I heard Nicklaus ruined it), Stonewal, Ibis. Then moved to Greenacres & got the membership at Binks. Played PB National, Wycliffe & WPBCC a lot when I lived there.

We now return you to the thread....

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by mirv

Ben Hogan always said "I've hit this shot a thousand times, and the shot is still the same, no matter if you're playing for fun, a club championship, a Tour championship, or the US Open."

He spoke of Karl Wallenda, "The Great Wallenda," perhaps the greatest high-wire walker in the world, who walked the wire between New York City skyscrapers.  When Wallenda was asked, "Do you get more nervous the higher they put the wire?" His answer was, "Why should I? The wire never changes."

That puts the whole thing in perspective.  Hogan said "I've hit it a thousand times.  Why should I be nervous?  The wire never changes."  When you get to the 18th hole, do you get more nervous because it's the last hole?  Why should you?  The wire never changes.  I think that's the best golf statement I've ever heard.

- Ken Venturi

......that quote was obviously made well before Karl fell to his death walking a wire.

Moral of the story:  ...... be very afraid

HEH