Tearing my hair out in frustration....

[bdbl]

... and as many of the more "mature" amongst us will know, this is not a good idea with only limited amounts to start with

Anyway, the likes of Brian will remember that when I first joined this forum I was close to giving up the game in frustration*; I'm now back in the same position, albeit for different reasons.

Back then I was struggling to break 100 and my inconsistency meant I saw not infrequent 115-120 scores. Now I'm in the mid to high eighties most of the time on my home course (low 90s away from home) and when chipping / putting well I've even seen a couple of nine holes completed in 40 (5 over).

But, but, but, there are two scenarios - possibly "mental" - that are really killing me** and preventing the next drop in scores and your help and advice would be appreciated.

1) As an example. Our 9th hole (P3) is an "easy" wedge downhill right to left shot with the (fenced off) 1st tee behind and to the left of the green. OOB all the way down the right. 9 times out of 10 I'll make contact with the face left wide open and steer the ball OOB. My improved (of late) driving means that, whilst still not long off the tee, a decent 2nd will leave me with the same "easy" wedge into a Par 5. Same result as the Par 3 - ball steered way right.

2) For some reason I'm being faced more 40-80 yard pitches than I used to, with the knowledge that playing them well will set up a scoring putt. That is if I didn't steer them right.

OK, on the range I can play these shots, laying up on the course I can play these shots. But can I under self-perceived pressure? Hell I can. Which is why I say it's partially a mental problem because I've got to the stage when I stand over the shot expecting failure.

Any ideas?

* By the way, many thanks again to those that got me through the frustration last time. If you can help this time I'll be exceedingly grateful.

** Yesterday for instance I had a front 9 of 44 (bogey golf) that include two examples of scenario 1 and 3 messed up pitches. The back 9 I only just broke 50 my confidence was so shot.

[BrianW]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Hi Robin,

I do understand the problem and it is actually a very common one. I think you 'Hit the nail on the head' (Excuse the 3SK pun) when you said it was a mental problem and due to steering the club. This is the way I deal with it and recommend to you:

When you are setting up for the shot consider the distance, club required, type of shot, wind condition etc. Stand behind your ball and pick a target high up in the distance behind your target, like the top of a tree, building or even a cloud. Take aim on the elevated target and completely ignore the fairway and it's hazards, only focus your attention to hitting at the elevated target with total commitment to the shot in hand. Complete the shot to a full finish.

This encourages you to make a full unrestricted swing and prevents the insidious steering which will tend to restrict a full follow-through and create a short jabby one which leaves the ball out right.

On the range you have no hazards to fear so you will be more likely to swing through with conviction.

I think this should help you mate

[Slavera]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Try to eliminate the problem.
If your going to Lay Up - Lay up well back and hit a FULL shot in.

[bdbl]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Hell's Bells Brian, have you been hiding in the bushes watching?

...insidious steering ... will tend to restrict a full follow-through and create a short jabby one which leaves the ball out right.

That "short jabby one" is exactly the swing in question.

...complete the shot to a full finish ... [with] ...
a full unrestricted swing and ... swing through with conviction.

And that's pretty much what is missing compared with the range or other non pressure situations. Which leaves the solution.

Stand behind your ball and pick a target high up in the distance behind your target, like the top of a tree, building or even a cloud. Take aim on the elevated target and completely ignore the fairway and it's hazards, only focus your attention to hitting at the elevated target with total commitment to the shot in hand.

Might be easier said than done but anyway of freeing up my swing in these situations is worth a shot so I'll give it a try, and see what happens.

Cheers Robin.

[BrianW]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Might be easier said than done but anyway of freeing up my swing in these situations is worth a shot so I'll give it a try, and see what happens.

Cheers Robin.

Robin,

You will see most tour players doing this, it was suggested to me by a PGA Professional once and I found it one of the best tips I was ever given. I use it off the tee and on all shots but chips and very short pitches.

Good luck.

[AussieGolfBoy]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

dbdl, if i can add my 2c...

we have a Par3 at my local GC which is only 135m in length with water all down the left. depending on hole location this is a PW or 9i shot for me. the trouble i faced with this hole (obviously) is the water down the left and the fear of going in the drink and i always ended up hitting the ball way right.. i'd play a PW or 9i to within metres of the hole when hitting off the fairway, but always struggled on this hole...

one way i fixed this problem is going 2 clubs more than i needed and playing a short punch shot at about 1/2 speed.... accuracy went up to about 80% from before at about 20%. you could give this a try and see how you go.

[bdbl]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Thanks AGB, I could try that as a temporary fix. Long term though I've got some kind of problem under, relative, pressure that I have to sort out.
I should have said in the OP that to begin with this only happened when poised on that hole for a really good 9 or 18 - if I'd been playing badly to there then no problem.

[BrianW]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Thanks AGB, I could try that as a temporary fix. Long term though I've got some kind of problem under, relative, pressure that I have to sort out.
I should have said in the OP that to begin with this only happened when poised on that hole for a really good 9 or 18 - if I'd been playing badly to there then no problem.

Not wanting to harp on Robin but you will find that the best way to deal with this kind of problem is to do what you can to remove any negative thoughts regarding the shot in hand. Hitting with conviction to an elevated target is a great way to do this.

[GolfJunkieSr]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

As mentioned above just change the perspective of the shot that is causing you grief. It sounds to me you are trying too hard to hit your shot too close to the pin, to guarantee yourself a one putt score. You are putting too much pressure on yourself, which relates back to the mental issue you spoke about. When on the range that pressure is not there. A quick fix might be to take a longer club, and use a shorter swing. Or, maybe if you are proficient with a longer, higher shot, a longer club with a more open face into the green. You just need to change your mind set. One of the first rules of golf, is to not hit a shot you can't hit consistently, when another shot will work better for you. Trying a shot you already know that most likely won't work, and it doesn't, will ruin your focus on the rest of that hole. GJS

BTW, scoring is the 80s as you do, you might find it good to know you are in the top 15%-20% golfers in the world. Not to shabby of an accomplishment to say the least. Just a thought...........

[bdbl]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Cor blimey Brian, give me a chance mate . Haven't had the clubs out since the OP - as my No 1 Gentleman's Golfing Solutions Agency rest assured that I'll be swinging to them far hills next time I'm out

[BrianW]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Cor blimey Brian, give me a chance mate . Haven't had the clubs out since the OP - as my No 1 Gentleman's Golfing Solutions Agency rest assured that I'll be swinging to them far hills next time I'm out

Haven't had the clubs out since a week Saturday? Come on Robin, lets see those hands bleeding

[bdbl]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

Haven't had the clubs out since a week Saturday? Come on Robin, lets see those hands bleeding

I know time passes in a diiferent dimension for the recently retired Brian but a week Saturday? I make it 3 days since I last played and 2 since I posted

[BrianW]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

I know time passes in a diiferent dimension for the recently retired Brian but a week Saturday? I make it 3 days since I last played and 2 since I posted

Er-Hmm, yes but no but 11/4 not 4/11. Put it down to the pain from my hand bandages

[Scragger63]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

... this only happened when poised on that hole for a really good 9 or 18 - if I'd been playing badly to there then no problem.

Robin,

If this is a case of "scoreboard pressure" then, the overtly simplistic answer is to just never look at the scoreboard during a round...

I for one was affected by just this problem, adding up my score as I went along, keeping tabs on where I was against my handicap and during this time, I rarely had a handicap breaking round.

Once I started being completely ambivalent to the score, this stopped.

My practice now is to just write the number on the card and put it away as quickly as is practicable and not dwell too much on any hole just completed.

It also helps me when I'm playing in a group with some of my closer mates at the club because then I can remove myself from my round in conversation about anything except golf. Of course I have to be mindful that I'm not too chatty for my playing partners, some of whom play better when really immersing themselves in their rounds. That simply just doesn't work for me.

Focus solely on one shot at a time and once you've hit that shot, forget it altogether. Move to your ball, you already know deep down you put it wherever it is, there is no need in my view to agonise over how it got there once it's there. It them becomes a new golfing problem to solve.

Good luck in your efforts to rectify this and taking your next golfing step as a player regularly scoring down into the 70's

Cheers

[mariner]

Re: Tearing my hair out in frustration....

You sound a lot like where I am with my game and mental problems, I shoot the same kind of scores and recognise your problems, so do yourself a huge favour and get Ray Floyd's "Elements of Scoring" (second hand off Amazon for about 90p)
It has transformed my game not only in terms of scores, but I just enjoy the game a whole lot more even when I don't break 90 (which would have been IMPOSSIBLE a little while ago)
I now play a different game to what I did before, where you accept the fact that you are likely to mishit every shot to some degree and play accordingly . . . . you score well simply by playing to avoid scoring badly.
One thing about that wedge shot though - you don't HAVE to hit the wedge, you can run it up with an 8 iron, which would have a much higher margin for error, ie thin it a bit and it still goes roughly the same distance, unlike your wedge which will go a LOT further if you thin it.