nearly nearly

I totally agree, I don't improve my game because I don't get mind set before every shot. sometimes I even just get up and hit a shot without even thinking what it will do, well more so with my chipping and putting. I am also a great bowler.


Once you have the swing then it is totally focus. I am awesome at tenpin bowling. turn the ball a mile and shoot quite high games conistantly. just last week I was playing in league and shot 176, 167, a mate of mind I have not seen for a couple of years was there and he laughed at me saying I was better a few years ago. I then being shamed out focused into my game, started 3 strikes then 9 spare, shrug off the 9 spare and struk out for 279.

When I bowl I think of one feeling, it may be taking my arm straight back, it may be feeling of my hand coming up the ball from behind, when I do this I hit good shots. Golf is the same, I think of one thing within my swing and body memory does everything else.

Killer,

This is a major problem for most single h/cappers me included.

This is why there are many successfull 'mind doctors' on tour and much needed, for me there is only one way to combat this, you must learn to play one shot at a time, play each shot as a challenge to beat the wind to curve the ball to your target. This hopefully will help your to stay in the 'here and now' mode needed to complete a good round.

Remember this next time you are close to par, you are only in this position because you have played well.

Good luck next time.

Ian.

__________________
Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

Ah, reminds me of me as well a few years back. There were many times when I was under par with a few holes left. I started thinking too much of "what could have been score" only to see my score go back to even or over par. I finally did eventually manage to break the under par barrier and here are some of the tips that helped me overcome that:
- Stick to your game plan, and most important of all
- Think execution and not results when doing your shot

My goal now is to score in the 60's. My best score is 2under par but that was with birdie on the last hole so have never been in contention of doing it.....

I just looked at the scorecards of 2 players who qualified for the final round of q school: Larry Mize and Skip Kendall. They had between 3 to 8 birdies per round + an occ eagle. However they also had 2-3 bogies per round. My point is, to shoot under par and into the 60's, you will need 5-8 birdies per round to cancel out the bogies, never mind an occaisional double or triple. That is how good these guys are. Yes, part of it is psychological, but you have to play so well on a regular basis to get down to these low numbers.

Another thing to remember about finishing "low". Most golf courses are set up so that there most demanding holes are normally 14 through 17. Usually #18 is set up relatively easy to give you a psychological boost to want to come back and play the course again.

msklar 92

you are so right
on the front 9 i had x2 Birdies and x2 Bogies,
0n the tenth i had another Birdie then played par on the next few holes. But in the back of my mind kept nagging saying i could do with another birdie just to give me a bit of cover on the last holes, i believe thinking like this is what contributed to me ending up over par
ive been there before and no doubt i`ll be there again but one day i will break my DUCK

Msklar92,you are absolutely right. To make it up there with the pros, one would need to be able shoot 8 birdies to counter out the bogeys. Mind you, both Larry Mize and Skip Kendall have been on tour for many years so they are certainly good players who just couldnt quite keep their card.

I usually average about 3 birdies per round which is certainly not enough. The most I have ever had for one round was 5 and you would have expected me to shoot under par then. Unfortunately, with a couple of OBs and 3 putts it ended up to be 3 over. The best round that I had was when I shot 2 under with no bogeys and 2 birdies. Was really consistent and had a lot more chances but the putts just wouldnt quite drop.

Are these rounds in medal play or bounce games?

I once shot -1 on my course playing against my dad. I didn't take any mulligans but the problem was the greens were getting a top dressing applied so it was very hard to putt on.

My dad and I made an agreement that if we hit the green we were given an automatic 2 putt unless we were within 6ft which we would give a 1 putt. However if we holed a putt outwith 1 putt range then that putt would count as just 1.

I had 4 birdies, 3 bogeys.

I reckon if the greens hadn't been dressed and my dad and I making that agreement then I would have shot +2.

What does everyone think? Does this count for my lowest score or would it have to be in medal play?

lowest medal round +12
lowest medal front nine +5
lowest medal back nine par

I always play the back nine close to par if I'v had a nightmare on the front 9.

__________________
Craig

My bag:

Taylormade r7 9.5* Stiff stock shaft
Sonartec SS2.5 3+ 13* Stiff Fujikura Tour Platform shaft
Taylormade Utility 2 16* XS Fujikura TP stock shaft
Titleist 904F 4 wood 17* Stiff Aldila NV85 shaft
Mizuno MP67 3-PW S300 shafts
Cleveland 588 47*, 53*, 56* DSG, 60*
Odyssey White Hot #4 putter

Hi Craig,

There is a moral to every story................!!

You have just answered your own and many other golfers, if you play golf giving yourself two putts outside 6 ft and one putt inside 6 ft................and scored your personal best then the moral to the story is that you need to work on your putting.


Perhaps everyone should try this for one round and see if they beat their personal best round, just to prove that if you putt well you score well.


P.S. No is doesn't count...............I bet we all miss at least 5 putts under six feet in a round.


Great idea though.

Ian.

__________________
Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

If you add in probably 2 3 putts aswell as your 5 missed 6 footers, I would have shot 6 over, which would still easily be my best score. Last season in medals I would always seem to be beatin my handicap by about 4 shots coming to the 14th and I would think to myself, If i can break 80 my handicap will come down to like 12 and instead I would shoot 17 over!!

I have had my fair share of those 3 footers misses as well....

And still remember those days when I was trying to get my handicap down and break 90 and 80. 90 was reasonably easy for me but 80 took a little while longer. When I was younger, I definitely thought more of the final score rather than trying to execute.

Remember, touring pros do not have too many 5 footers for par - for birdie yes.

What did Trevino say?? Something like pros putting for par won't make it.

hmm, I think touring pros have a lot of those 5-10 footers to save pars as well. Its that ability to sink 90% of them in plus still having a lot of birdie chances that are within 20feet and being able to convert them that allows them to score well.

and most of the pros get on the par 5's easily in two! Tiger et al are almost 4 under before they starts a round!

Killer, regardless of the collapse - still a great score round a tough course mate! well done. I carry my bag and even though i am quite fit, I still get tired towards the end of a round. I think tiredness breeds sloppiness and so at the end of a round concentration is even more important.

Nick