Can You Forget Bad Shots?

[CCC]

2 hours ago, isukgolf said:

In fact, I sure I have not hit a house in 2016 ... 

'16 has only just begun. :)

[Hardspoon]

I definitely put bad shots behind me easily...I have to; most of my shots are bad.

I do lose confidence if I make a few similar "mistakes" in a row...bad pitch shots, or bunker shots, or putts. But I can honestly say that I don't think confidence (or lack thereof) actually makes the subsequent shots worse.

[CCC]

Yes, golf is hard. Very hard. It can lead to some of the most embarrassing situations that you can ever get yourself into. Voluntarily.

Whiffing a tee shot - in front of, not only your playing partners, but also the 4 players behind you. Skulling a short pitch over the green. I've bladed a sand shot over the street that was next to the hole. Yes, there were cars driving by as my ball flew over. I'm lucky I did not kill someone. I could go on....

So, I keep my golf expectations very low. I don't play a lot. I don't practice a lot. And I'm just coming back to this great game after so many years.

I think having low expectations before my round keeps me from getting too down on my self about an occasional triple bogey, skull shot, topped shot, chili dip, etc...

What really 'cooks my grits' though is missing a (straight in) 3 foot putt. That is one swing that I will remember when I try to go to sleep that night. Anyone can make that putt, right?

 

 

Edited May 8, 2016 by CCC
sand shot

[Patch]

3 hours ago, 9wood said:

What bad shots?

 .  Exactly....

[bwdial]

Hell, I still remember bad shots I hit in the 1990s.

[Lihu]

On May 7, 2016 at 10:15 AM, Patch said:

I was golfing with younger guy last week who I met for the first time on the first tee. From what I could tell during the first few holes, he was a pretty good golfer. I thought I was in for treat to watch someone with a good golf game.

Wrong. On the 6th hole he shanked a shot, got pissed, lost his confidence, and bogie plused the next few holes. 

At the turn we went in for some beverages. The 10th hole had some folks waiting, so we had some time. We got to talking about what had happened at 6. We talked about how it was important to forget bad shots asap after they happened. I explained how I tend to forget the bad shots, and sometimes even the good ones, while looking forward to the next one.  This, I told him, was probably the strongest part of my game as far as being consistent through out my whole round. Bad shots happen. No big deal.

On the 2nd nine he shot a 33, while finishing with a 77. I got my treat. That 33 was a pleasure to watch. He lost 7 shots on holes 6-9. Me, I shot a 41/41 for an 82

So are you the guy/girl who can forget the bad shots, and not allow yourself to let those bad shots dictate how you play from there forward?

What I got from all of this is that you would be a tremendously good partner. Look forward to playing together someday.

[alleztom]

I struggle a bit with 'inexplicable misses'. That is, I know I have a habit of pulling my iron shots, so if I miss a green 10 yards left (RH golfer) it is not an issue, that's my miss, just part of my limitations. If I flare a shot 10 yards right of where I'm aiming it bothers me more.

In terms of bad shots - I think I'm reasonably good with letting them go. I shot my equal best round ever last weekend (+10 for 18) and duffed the first tee shot, and laid the sod over 3 more (hadn't practiced for 3 weeks). The first tee shot was great, because a couple of friends on the tee made a couple of sympathetic comments 'gonna be a long day etc' - to which I responded (& believed) - oh well, it's done now, I'll make a bogey and get on with it. Did, and it was a good day.

[Buckeyebowman]

I golf with a guy who is kind of like this. He makes one bad swing, and he is the most worthless piece of crap that God ever put on this earth!

Recently, we were playing a little 2 man scramble against a couple of other guys, and hacked the crap out of a little par 4, losing the hole and pissing my buddy off to no end! We jaked on the next hole, a par 3, then went to the tee of a short par 4, about 320, with a pond short right of the green. This is a hole my buddy owns, which I quickly reminded him of. He proceeds to drive the green!

We had a 20-25 foot putt for eagle, which we both narrowly missed, leaving us a kick in birdie! After that, he went crazy! Hitting miraculous shot after miraculous shot. Amazing what one's mental state will do for, or against, one's game! Think positive!

[newtogolf]

The toughest part for me is recovering after a bad shot, especially if the time in between shots is short like a flubbed shot out of a sand trap or missing a two foot putt.  

I notice myself and many of my playing partners feel or act embarrassed after failing to get the ball out of a bunker or missing a short putt and rather than resetting and approaching it as a new shot we rush and end up making another bad shot.  I've watched guys take 3 - 4 shots in less than 30 seconds rushing to get out of the trap as if it was filled with poisonous snakes.  

Ernie Els is an example of this behavior at the pro level when he 6 putted at The Masters.  Rather than mark the ball and take a fresh look, our natural instinct seems to be to rush and get out of the uncomfortable situation as quickly as possible which usually backfires on us.  

[iacas]

On May 7, 2016 at 5:57 PM, Club Rat said:

Also, I sometimes get tweaked when the rub of the green occurs frequently, like my ball ending up in an old divot a couple of times in a round, or having re-occurring bad bounces.

Pedantic alert… but those aren't "rubs of the green."

I can forget bad shots. I sometimes laugh at them.

[Braivo]

I forget bad shots rather quickly now, but in my youth I would let them spoil the next few holes. Sign of maturity I suppose.