bad days

[donkba]

today, i played a few holes with my mates as i do every week and was feeling good about my game, not nervous or anything and on the first tee, i topped it. well anyway i went on to make an 8, 3 putting on a 300 yard par 4. i never thought much of it and thought i would improve as i went on, but i did anything but. the ball was going everwhere except where i was aiming and i topped and thinned a few, as well as a few more 3 putts. i realise that you have to stay positive, but how many bad holes does it take before you start thinking about giving up golf? i am trying to forget it but what if it happens next week and the week after. how do you handle bad days, please help

[Dave]

I never think about giving-up, it's not my profession so I don't expect to play like a professional. Last time I played, I couldn't hit my 3 wood at all (this is the same 3 wood that I've hit great for years). After I hit 3 bad shots with it, I put it away for the round. If you have a club or two giving you fits, put them away and work-it-out on the range later.

Figuring-out how to score when you're having a bad day can be a real confidence builder.

[Plank]

Everybody has bad days but it all depends on how much you love the game. Eveyone is different on how long they will go on with being a subpar to a bad player. It is up to you on how long you go. You could take lessons and that may help, that is if want to invest that type of money.

[TourSpoon]

I remember a few rounds ago looking at a 15 footer for an 8 on the 3rd hole. I had started par, birdie and was trying to save triple bogey. My attitude that day was good and I was determined to make that putt. I made it, made bogey the next hole, par on the next two and then a double. I was really trying not to lose it. The next two were pars for a 41. For some reason I kept thinking about that putt I made for eight and that one shot, no matter where it is, counts as much as any other shot. Well I started with 2 birds on the front and ended the day with a 78. I attribute it all to not giving up. It doesn't always happen that way but that day was a good lesson.

[neudi]

Think of it this way, without bad days, golf would be boring and there would be no point to come back if you shot the same score over and over again unless it was like a 60...

[Shindig]

Think of it this way, without bad days, golf would be boring and there would be no point to come back if you shot the same score over and over again unless it was like a 60...

No. Can you imagine how frustrating that would be? Shooting a 60 every time?

I got frustrated after I threw away a shot at breaking 90. But I'll have another one. Can you imagine shooting 60 every time, knowing one fewer stroke is a 59? On the other hand, the money you'd make if you could always shoot a 60 might be worth the frustration.

[Three Putt]

Everyone has bad days, bad weeks, bad months, etc...

If the total emotional resonse is greater on a bad shot then on one of your great shots..... you need to quit.

Take up fishing, I love Fishing...not trying to dog you.

But I know that is not the case right? You wouldn't be here if it was.

[marpr]

in my opinion:

AFter i have really bad days, i try to go to the range soon after (a few days after) to shake off the bad day and try to restore some confidence.

For me, i dont like dwelling on a bad day between rounds, i like to get it sorted right away.

Afterall, it only takes a couple of great shots to get your confidence back up.

anyone agree?

[ks8829]

I had a bad day last outing and I also felt the same way. It only gets better. The funny thing is that day before I was hitting the balls so well and everything was fat when I played last Friday.

I tried to change my swing during the round and only found it on the 18th hole, so I'll have to see next time I am out playing.

You may feel like giving up golf but that always passes with time.

[JaY_B]

It happens, laughing it off is always the best way to deal with it, fact.

[hawkeye]

bad days are what make it a "game" - you're not going to win everyday.

i find those with very high expectations who don't play to them tend to get annoyed and this exponentiants the bad shots - making half bad days into bad days...

when things go south - focus on the next shot at hand - make it a challenge (not a task) to finish the last 6 holes 2 under.

we all have bad days but those who can get it up and down tend to have less bad days. another reason to proportion your practice time on the short game area.

it's just mental. think - you could be stuck behind a computer in the office or stuck in the traffic, but instead you are out in the fresh air, with your buddies, playing a game you love. and it's just a game. i reitterate, you're not going to win every day.

[King Norre]

Everyone has bad days (of course, high handicappers - like me - have them more ). Last week I took a lesson and I really learned a lot. My swing improved alot. I've been hitting great balls at the range this entire week. So today I went to the course and tried the things I've been practicing. I don't know what happened. Nothing, really nothing was going the way it was supposed to be. It was really sad, frustrating actually. I decided to quit after the 3rd hole and went home. I'm going back tomorrow and hope it will be a better day. Maybe it's not the right thing to do, I don't know, but something in me told me to just accept the fact that I was having a bad day and there was nothing I could do about it. I hate it when that happens.

[FortAsel]

I never gave up on a round of golf except once (2 weeks ago). Even if you are 50 over par going to the last hole, you shouldn't give up. Why? Simply because "winners never quit, and quitters never win".

If you give up on anything, you will only be a quitter, and you'll never know how far you could go...

Of course there are things in life that you have no option except to give up, but those are not included

[deakanutz]

Kick the dog and beat the wife.

[King Norre]

Kick the dog and beat the wife.

I did ... my game didn't improve.