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  • Finishing off rounds

    Ok so for the last 2 rounds I have been making a good amount of birdies about 4-5 a round. In each of the last 2 rounds I have shot 2 and 3 under on the front nine, and my swing feels great and I feel like I'm grooving it. Yet I somehow still shoot 73 and 75. What's happening on the back nine? Thanks

  • #2
    Re: Finishing off rounds

    Originally posted by Joe1102 View Post
    Ok so for the last 2 rounds I have been making a good amount of birdies about 4-5 a round. In each of the last 2 rounds I have shot 2 and 3 under on the front nine, and my swing feels great and I feel like I'm grooving it. Yet I somehow still shoot 73 and 75. What's happening on the back nine? Thanks

    Your subconscious beliefs are getting in the way. Im actually in the middle of writing a book on this one and how to change it. You have an internal thermostat that you are not aware of, this applies to all of life. Whenever we get close to our boundaries we sabotage our own success. It may seem like we are getting unlucky, but its really our subconscious stopping us going outside our comfort zone, it#s largely influenced by our evolutionary past.

    There is a way through it. Go through imaginary rounds of golf in your head and consistently but realistically break your boundaries - maybe by 4 or 5 shots. Repeat several times and attach it to a trigger - maybe a word or tap on the wrist. Next time you are i the situation of 3 under, give yourself a tap on the wrist again.

    You could also play with better players and see them shooting silly low scores, this will give you the belief that you can do it. One last thing. Set your desktop to a picture of the last hole at your club. In the corener put zour name in red with -6 next to it. Your subconscious will soak it in day after day and within a month you will break your boundaries.

    Think about how ahrd it was to break 90, then 80. But once you did it, it seemed easy (change in subconscious). 70 is harder to break for obvious reasons, but we can push it with our imagination. I have hundred of other ways but these are a few good ones

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    • #3
      In Your Head

      Excellent reply, I agree completely.

      I used to suffer something similar to this years ago. I would play 14 or 15 great holes and then start thinking about the end result before the job was done. As mentioned it's getting out of your comfort zone and you end up pushing yourself back to your old levels. I can relate to this!

      I would also add and this has worked for me and that is the old 'cliche' of playing one shot at a time. It can be very easy to get ahead of yourself when things are going well. I think I read this in one of Tiger Wood's books that he focuses on 'Staying in the Moment' ... I like this thought. Every shot of every hole until the round is finished. If it works for Tiger it certainly can work for the rest of us.

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      • #4
        Re: Finishing off rounds

        First question I have is your back 9 harder then your front? Is there a hole or 2 that you are making the 6 or 7 on that is causing the 75?

        If so, learn to play those holes better.

        If not, and you are getting tricked up on different holes on the back, and you think you "doomed" to shot the perfect score that day, the above answers are right on.

        Read Bob Rotella. "Golf is not a game of Perfect" is probably the most appropriate...start there. This will make perfect sense to you.

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        • #5
          Re: Finishing off rounds

          Thanks for the replies guys I appreciate it. I can't really remember what my thinking was like in order to break 90 and 80 so if you can give me a refresher of what happens during that time that would be great. Thanks Joseph

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          • #6
            Re: Finishing off rounds

            Originally posted by Joe1102 View Post
            Thanks for the replies guys I appreciate it. I can't really remember what my thinking was like in order to break 90 and 80 so if you can give me a refresher of what happens during that time that would be great. Thanks Joseph
            i was just saying that normally when you are a consistent 90s shooter and havent shot in the 80s you can sometimes be very close to breaking, but then you mess up. The moment you have actually broken those barriers for whatever reason (random good game) then you start to beleive that you deserve it.

            Another good drill would be to write as many reasons as you can of why you deserve to shoot the score you want. It could be times you remember making 3 birdies in a row - or how many of the holes at your course have you birdied in one round, or how many of the holes have you birdied since you stared playing (you may have birdied all of them at some point). I know it sounds cheesy but just write 10 down and see how you feel. I think you will feel a little more confident that you deserve to shoot a good score.

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            • #7
              Re: Finishing off rounds

              Some good replies here.

              Another point I would make is to have a good solid preshot routine for every stroke including putting. Doing this allows you to get into the zone and focus fully on the shot in hand to the exemption of everything else. Part of my preshot routine includes controlling my breathing, as I approach my shot I breath deep and slowly in a controlled manner as if I am breathing through my heart (I know that sounds strange but it steadies you and lowers your heart rate) This works especially well on the putting green.

              It is also easy to exhaust your mental concentration on the front nine by not relaxing and turning off concentration between shots. I use some relaxation techniques between shots like focusing on the feel of my feet on the grass as I walk, looking around and taking in the scenery, I force myself to stop thinking of the last shot as soon as my club is placed back in the bag. It is just as easy to become mentally exhausted as it is physically during a round of golf.

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              • #8
                Re: Finishing off rounds

                Originally posted by BrianW View Post
                Some good replies here.

                Another point I would make is to have a good solid preshot routine for every stroke including putting. Doing this allows you to get into the zone and focus fully on the shot in hand to the exemption of everything else. Part of my preshot routine includes controlling my breathing, as I approach my shot I breath deep and slowly in a controlled manner as if I am breathing through my heart (I know that sounds strange but it steadies you and lowers your heart rate) This works especially well on the putting green.

                It is also easy to exhaust your mental concentration on the front nine by not relaxing and turning off concentration between shots. I use some relaxation techniques between shots like focusing on the feel of my feet on the grass as I walk, looking around and taking in the scenery, I force myself to stop thinking of the last shot as soon as my club is placed back in the bag. It is just as easy to become mentally exhausted as it is physically during a round of golf.
                Great points Brian. The tools you described are very useful at staying in the now and keeping yourself out of the shot - a kind of oxymoron that enables us to get in the zone. I often do some counting or breathing routines to try and get my conscious mind out of the picture, and help me relax.

                Have you ever tried heartmath? they use heart breathing as one of the techniques to get into what they call coherence.

                However, as necessary as these tools are we must change our beliefs and subconscious in order to truly be in control. Most people find that they struggle to turn their minds off the danger, or the score they are having. We are not in direct control of this (modern science has dispelled the idea of free will and that we can choose our thoughts). I can be walking along the fairway and my mind is whirring with numbers of what shots i have had and how many under par i am etc and I have no control over these. Even the techniquees you describe are very short lasting for me and many others although i feel they are a necessary bridge.

                What really works is if you genuinely believe you belong there, under par or whatever it is you are trying to achieve. If you believe you can win the club championship no problem subconsciously, then the nerves will be much lower. There is a flip side to this - complacency..... to which the routines you describe are of vital importance.

                What do you think?
                Last edited by rogue; 08-26-2010, 06:10 PM.

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                • #9
                  Re: Finishing off rounds

                  The best players I know all have a slight confident edge about them (Cocky as we say in the UK), they have a self belief in their abilities and are normally prepared state it. I know that if I stand behind a shot or putt and say 'this shot is makeable' and believe in my ability to do it, there is a better chance that it will come off.

                  I do follow your point in having a belief that you belong there but only when you have set the next target, whether that be 100/90/80/70/etc

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                  • #10
                    Re: Finishing off rounds

                    Originally posted by BrianW View Post
                    The best players I know all have a slight confident edge about them (Cocky as we say in the UK), they have a self belief in their abilities and are normally prepared state it. I know that if I stand behind a shot or putt and say 'this shot is makeable' and believe in my ability to do it, there is a better chance that it will come off.

                    I do follow your point in having a belief that you belong there but only when you have set the next target, whether that be 100/90/80/70/etc

                    good point yeah, be realistic about your targets. pointless visualising 300 yard booming drives if you are a 30 handicap. There is a fine balance between pushing enough and being realistic.

                    And a big difference between consciously saying you can do it, and subconsciously believing. The subconscious belief is below our awareness. All the conscious thoughts in the world are just the tip of the iceberg. Conditioning is key.

                    Ever see clockwork orange?

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