How do You Shake off a Bad Hole/Shot?

[Pretzel]

What do you do when you feel like you really did something poorly, whether it be a hole in general or a specific shot?

[Patch]

I don't do anything. Good, or bad, the shot is over, and done with. Once that ball leaves the club face that shot is over. The next shot takes over, and decisions are made on how to play it while approaching to the ball for that next shot. If I kept any thoughts about my last shot, then my next shot would not be receiving my best effort.

It's kind of like when you ask a MLB umpire  what his toughest call is. Most will tell you their "next one" .

Golf is just a game. Everyone hits bad shots, some more than others. I just feel that those golfers who control their own game, as opposed to the game controlling them, are the better golfers.

There's plenty of time after the round is over to revisit both the good, and bad parts of the round.

[CarlSpackler]

I start focusing on the next shot.

[caniac6]

I just go to the next shot/hole, and try to recover. Bad shots happen. I really don't worry about it.

[vangator]

I swear and throw my club. :-)

[boogielicious]

What do you do when you feel like you really did something poorly, whether it be a hole in general or a specific shot?

Being a higher HC than you, it happens to me more.  I try to go back to basics.  I usually know what happened and relax and do it right the next time.  I can't do anything about the last shot, but I can for the next one.

[cipher]

I start focusing on the next shot.

This, it takes some practice, and I am still not very good at it.  But do your best to forget it and move to the next shot with confidence.

[CarlSpackler]

I swear and throw my club.

Dad???? Is that you???

[lumpuckeroo]

Not to say I expect them, but I wouldn't be a double digit handicap if I didn't have them, so when they happen it's not like I react like my dog just died.  I simply try to find a way to minimize the impact.  I try to put the bad shot out of my mind and focus on what I need to do to salvage a decent score on the hole.  In the case of a bad hole, it's more of a focus on making sure that I don't let that one hole hurt a good round.  If I shot something in the low 80's and have a triple on my card, I had a good round, so I try and just take it in stride.

All easier said then done, but that's why golf is a four letter word.

[Jeremie Boop]

Like this:

and this:

[vangator]

Dad???? Is that you??? :-P

Son!

[Pretzel]

I'm not asking because I have trouble with this usually myself (I have an ok bounce-back stat at 15%, so it turns out I'm actually more likely to birdie a hole after a bogey than a par), but I'm curious to see what other people do. I personally just like to analyze the previous hole, find out what caused the mistake, then try not to repeat it.

[westcyderydin]

I analyze what I did poorly, what caused it, and what I can do to correct it.  Sometimes it is just a bad shot and I move on.  If I need to make an adjustment for the rest of the round then I do that.

When it comes to the mental part of the game you want to funnel all of your thoughts into playing as well as possible and scoring as low as possible.  Getting mad and throwing clubs does nothing to help...giving up on a hole because you are already hitting 7 from off the green doesn't help.  Constructive thoughts, only.  You also have to be process oriented.  If you play a lot of golf then you are going to hit a lot of bad shots.  That is just the way things work.  The better you get, the better those bad shots get.  You just have to realize that hitting bad shots is part of the process.   Also, you can learn from your bad shots...learn to find patterns and all.

How do You Shake off a Bad Hole/Shot?

I feel like i am going to make it up later in the round.

Just because you hit some bad shots or score bad on the first few holes doesn't mean the rest of your round is screwed.  Statistically, you will have a certain amount of bad and good holes... so naturally sometimes those bad shots and bad holes will happen early in your round.  Sometimes it might take a few holes to get into a rhythm, too.  Don't get too down after a bad shot, just do better from there on out.

Things also seem to even out.  Sure you lipped out two 6 footers in league the other day, but you also made that 12 footer to save bogey and knocked low probability shot onto the green and two putted.  People seem to dwell on the times they lose out on their luck but then feel like they are owed that lucky bounce off the tree back into the fairway and then forget about it.

I guess all I am saying with this whole post is keep things in perspective.

[RayG]

What bad hole? Gimme a tee son, we're up.. It's no different than here at work. By the time I get to the main lobby downstairs, if someone asked what was on my desk, I draw a blank. Don't want it to affect the rest of my day worrying about something at my job. I card my score, put it in my pocket and set off for the next tee...

[isukgolf]

Actually the worse the shot, the more I able to shake it off and laugh at myself ... the good news is I am usually able to self correct a really bad shot on the next hole

Now I hate the little swings flaws that are causing you to be a little off ... a chunk, thin, etc ...

I think laughing at yourself is all in perception ... after all you are out golfing ... the shot is done ... you can choose to be mad and upset, or you can choose to focus on the next shot ... for me the day is more enjoyable when I choose to focus on the next shot ...

[Slice of Life]

Nothing. Move on.

A bad shot/hole doesn't make a round, just like a great shot/hole doesn't make a round.

Although it may be different for me, since I'm more accustomed to bad shots/holes. :D

[rmenary]

Being a higher handicap it's been very tough to not let these shots bother me especially since there are multiple per round. I've been doing a lot better at moving on to the next shot and leaving the last shot behind. My competitiveness takes over at times and I put myself into check.

[HawkNballs]

I will always solve the problem on the way to the next shot.  I know my swing so well by now.  If I double a hole... I just tell myself that a birdie will get me back on track.  If you are a higher handicapper, you might get a triple and tell yourself you need to get an extra par to cancel it out for a solid round.

Or break a club.  ;)