What do you do to recover from a bad round?

[imsys0042]

A bad round I chalk up to the fact that I don't do this for a living and cannot play every round to where I want to be.   I've gotten to the point where i treat it as it should, which is expected for my level.   But a lot of practice has gotten me to the point where a bad round is limited to what it used to be. 

 

A a really bad round requires the following:

1 - strong martini, even early in the day

2 - walking away and not thinking about it

3 - watching something uplifting (depends on the round) 

golf can always derail you   So you have to expect days that nothing goes right....

 

[Ernest Jones]

On February 3, 2016 at 8:09 PM, uitar9 said:

I am relatively new at golf and 62 and my thoughts aren't worth shite  

Not true at all. As long as you don't act like a dick, your thoughts are absolutely welcome here and just as worthy of a single digit cap.

On February 3, 2016 at 8:09 PM, uitar9 said:

At the end of 2014, my best 18 was 100 and best 9 was a 50. I was thrilled.

Last year, after lessons and clubs built for me, 53 rounds and as many times practicing my best 18 was an 86 and 9 hole was a 43.

I'm not hugely OCD, but, numerically, I find this very pleasing.

On February 3, 2016 at 8:09 PM, uitar9 said:

 

-I am trying to not think about the outcome of a shot

 

Reverse this. Put ALL your focus on the outcome of the shot.

That's not to say you shouldn't pay attention to the little details that make for a good setup, but when it's time to hit the ball to the target, you want to focus your mind on that and that alone. 

[jamo]

A lot of times when I have an oddball bad round, it was just a weird day where my body and swing never quite felt right. The only answer is to just get back at it.

[uitar9]

On February 4, 2016 at 8:13 PM, Ernest Jones said:

Not true at all. As long as you don't act like a dick, your thoughts are absolutely welcome here and just as worthy of a single digit cap.

I'm not hugely OCD, but, numerically, I find this very pleasing.

Reverse this. Put ALL your focus on the outcome of the shot.

That's not to say you shouldn't pay attention to the little details that make for a good setup, but when it's time to hit the ball to the target, you want to focus your mind on that and that alone. 

Thanks man-Re the last point-what I sorta meant was that I am trying to not look at the whole round , my hope for a certain score, at each shot

Just trying to look at the shot I have, and often what the next shot will be, like chess-set up and where I would like it to end up 'ish lol

I keep score but I try not to think about the end result

[bkuehn1952]

On 2/4/2016 at 0:02 AM, jamo said:

A lot of times when I have an oddball bad round, it was just a weird day where my body and swing never quite felt right. The only answer is to just get back at it.

^^^ This, most of the time.

When the problem persists, I go to the range and work it out.

[Mr. Desmond]

I try to look at the big picture -- out playing golf with generally great scenery and usually for me, the sun is shining.

 

I also keep a stash of bourbon in the trunk ... 

[Elmer]

Drink!

[GolfLug]

My bad rounds are usually attributed to one glaring swing flaw/tendency that I have been working on for more than a year now. So when I have one I just go back to practicing the cure that is well documented in my 'My Swing' thread.

I am not particularly philosophical about good or bad rounds. Merely a reflection of my state of swing.

[jsgolfer]

On 2/2/2016 at 2:49 PM, nevets88 said:

 

 

On 2/3/2016 at 7:20 PM, natureboy said:

I was quite surprised by this. Do pros & their caddies not understand the wind gradient effect and how it's worse at a seaside course? I would have been hitting everything 10 feet off the ground (assuming I had their ability to do so at will). May have been what helped Sneds - his apex height is fairly low relative to the field.

Also known as:

 

+1 For Both of these, although I usually have one of these.

 

 

 

[djfajt71]

I usually have a couple of blow-up holes a round, and after each hole, I immediately look for the cartgirl and buy a round for the group. If it's before 11 AM, it calls for a spicy Bloody Mary for me, after 11, a nice cold beer.  I try to go with the thinking that my generosity will buy me some good karma.  Though, if that's my intention, that may negate the generosity angle!  It makes me wonder if the cart girls and my golfing buddies are wishing for me to have more blow-up holes!!

[Marty2019]

On 1/31/2016 at 9:35 AM, Dave325 said:

Since I have started getting serious with golf last summer, I have been putting a heck of lot of time into practicing and trying to improve my swing. Yesterday, I had one of the worst rounds I have ever played and couldn't figure out what was wrong. How is that even possible to practice more, and play worse? How do I break out of this funk? It seems that I love to practice... Not so enjoy the course play....but I want to. Sorry... A bit frustrated and discouraged.  And what's worse, the two golf buddies I played with made the comment that they haven't played since November! Grrrrr.... Really?

The question I have here is that... Has anybody run into a similar issue with your own game? What did you do (or, do you do) to recover and maybe use the event to help you in the future?  Maybe I am practicing wrong.... Or too much?  Going to head over to the range today and try to figure out what the heck is going on. Trying to stay positive... But it's hard. Any help (or hugs) would be appreciated. 

A similar thing happened to me two days ago.   I've been practicing and improving my swing also.  Then on Monday I went to a course I have only played twice, to play with some guys I know.   I warmed up great on the range.   Everything clicking.   Good tempo.   Good contact.   Almost every shot straight and long.   But then when we teed off, I pushed my drive far to the right, punched back out into the fairway, hit my third shot fat and into a hazard, took my drop, got the ball on the green and two putted for double bogey 7 and that's the way my round went on the front 9.   Double bogey, double bogey, bogey.   On the back 9, par, birdie, double bogey, and then to top it all off, I sprained my wrist and had to stop on #16.  

The problems I had during that round were varied, but when I look back, one thing I can point to is that I have been making a swing change and my timing was off.   I warmed up great on the range, but once I got the slightest bit of tension in my swing on the first tee, all bets were off.   

As far as your comment about practicing wrong, I read recently, I think on this forum, that you learn twice as fast if you vary your practice from one repetition to another.   When I go to the range, I tend to hit one club until I master it, then move on to another club.    I am going to change my practice routine and go from one club to another as if I was playing a round of golf.   Maybe you should try that, too. 

Now, about your comment about enjoying practicing and not enjoying playing, that sounds like me.  Practice is stress free but playing is like taking an exam after all that practice.   Perhaps, like me, you feel some pressure when you play, and get frustrated when you practice well and play poorly.  Pressure and frustration will inevitably lead to poor play.   You and I need to play more.  

Golf is such a mental game.   Some of my best rounds come when I'm not trying very hard and have no expectations.   Maybe you should change your goals for one round.   Instead of playing for a total score, play for birdies.   That way, instead of one hole killing your entire round, every hole is either a birdie or not a birdie. 

Anyway, I go through the same thing.   Maybe it was just a bad round.  

[RussUK]

I've had a lot of practice recovering from bad rounds. For me its fairly simple, i remind myself its just a game and that things will go better next time. Lets face it, if we make or miss a shot or putt it doesnt make the difference between having your photo taken with a large cheque or wondering if you will be able to pay the rent this month.

One on my colleagues is a former tour professional (played mainly on the Euro Pro tour) and he told me a good round meant a nice pay day, invites to bigger tournaments and a bad round meant it was beans on toast for dinner again. Now he shrugs off a bad round and looks forward to the next. Like i said, its a game. As long as we enjoy the challenge that keeps us hooked then a bad round isnt that bad.

[9wood]

To recover from a bad round I simply reflect on what I did wrong because I usually know how to fix it

 

[Lihu]

On 1/31/2016 at 6:35 AM, Dave325 said:

Since I have started getting serious with golf last summer, I have been putting a heck of lot of time into practicing and trying to improve my swing. Yesterday, I had one of the worst rounds I have ever played and couldn't figure out what was wrong. How is that even possible to practice more, and play worse? How do I break out of this funk? It seems that I love to practice... Not so enjoy the course play....but I want to. Sorry... A bit frustrated and discouraged.  And what's worse, the two golf buddies I played with made the comment that they haven't played since November! Grrrrr.... Really?

The question I have here is that... Has anybody run into a similar issue with your own game? What did you do (or, do you do) to recover and maybe use the event to help you in the future?  Maybe I am practicing wrong.... Or too much?  Going to head over to the range today and try to figure out what the heck is going on. Trying to stay positive... But it's hard. Any help (or hugs) would be appreciated. 

Some days you focus better than others. For instance, I just played what felt like my worst 20 holes in a while yesterday, but I did get lots of practice. My goal for that day was just to relax and enjoy myself while getting in some "range work" on the course.

Also, it doesn't matter how much you practice, but the quality and the focus of your practice sessions that makes the difference. Same with the course. If you focus on every single shot with your maximum concentration, then you will most likely do better.

Then there those days when you can just play for the fun of it. On those days you don't even really need to keep score. Just hack around without focusing on anything really, and take in the scenery and relax. Sometimes you can even shoot better this way because you aren't focused on score so much.

Nothing to worry about.

[BlackandGold]

I always keep the scorecard.  Look at where I went wrong and then practice accordingly.  If I'm hooking the driver and that it ultimately costing me strokes, I'll do some drills or read some material and then practice the fix on the range.  If it's mishits on short/mid/ irons I practice ball striking on the range.  If its the long irons, I invest some money in a hybrid because I can't fix that...ever.  Most of your shots are struck with a putter: spend extra time on the putting green and practice putts from different lengths.  Key in on the putts you are missing the most: long, medium, short, and from different angles.  This would be a good place to start each practice session.  Good luck!