Bad shots after big delay

[WUTiger]

I played in the local amateur circuit event on Friday. Played noticeably better than my first outing in May, but I really blew it on shots after delays.

I caused a bit of a delay in mid-front nine when I lost a ball and had to go back and re-hit it. But, I start hitting ball and get a couple of pars. We caught up with a two group stack-up on No. 9 - a short par 5. I stood around for about 20 minutes waiting to hit my drive.

(And, there's a local circuit rule against practicing between holes. So, I really can't knock quarter wedge shots around in the rough while waiting for the tee).

I took a couple of formal practice swings as the groups started to clear out, then popped up a drive about 190 yards, but straight. Then, wait some more to hit next shot, and I skull a 4W about 150 yards. I then put a 7i on green and have birdie putt.

Later, on No. 13, tournament officials say skip the hole* because of an impossible pin placement. Then on No. 14 (par 5), we wait again....... I pop up the drive about 100 yards, then have to wait 10 minutes to hit a blind shot into the valley, while the group ahead clears out. I hit a 7W about 20 yards with a top. Eventually, I wake up and hit a 6i shot into the left side of the green and two-putt for a triple bogey 8.

Does anybody have any advice on what to do on long waits? I don't want to take 20 practice swings and tire myself out, but I seem to lose what groove I have in these eternity episodes.

And, on no-wait holes, I hit some pretty good drives.

*At end of round, we played No. 1 a second time to get a substitute score for No. 13.

[Patch]

A good pre-shot routine is a decent cure for that. I use one before every shot. In between shots I don't think about my next swing, no matter how long the wait is.  Now I said "my next swing". During the wait, I might use the extra time to look at the shot, factoring in distance, landing area, trouble and such, but I never worry about the wait, or my swing. Blaming a poor shot on a longer than normal wait, is just too convenient of an excuse. My own swing rhythm/tempo starts with my pre-shot routine. This is the only way I know that allows me to tolerate slower than my own normal pace of play.