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How do you handle bad holes?

Mmaynard11

Mmaynard11

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So after watching the US Open today and watching how these professionals handle bad holes or how a single shot can seem to turn a round around. Then I got to thinking how I handle bad shots during a round. So as it seems, after looking at score cards, it seems that when I have a bad hole they tend to come in groups. So how do you handle a bad shot or a bad hole? Do you have a certain think you do mentally to flip the tide?

For me I guess I have never really thought about it and is something is like to incorporate into my game.
 
When I hit a bad shot, I try my best to not let it boil over into my next shot. I tell myself that the next one is just as meaningful as the previous one, to try to get myself focused. Then for the next shot, I try to visualize another time I had a similar shot and hit a good one.
This mentality seems to work for me cuz I don't let one shot/hole ruin an otherwise good round.

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I throw clubs, cry, pout, take my shoe off and throw it in the lake, or threaten to hurt myself. Is there a better way?
 
Depends on the day. After the first bad shot I move on and try to save par, but after the 10th bad shot I sigh and look to the heavens.
 
BamBooBender said:
I throw clubs, cry, pout, take my shoe off and throw it in the lake, or threaten to hurt myself. Is there a better way?
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I guess I could try that, however I was thinking something more conventional. :)

I guess just to add to it...what happens if for example you hit bad shot after bad shot with your driver. Do you keep it in the bag or do you find yourself reaching into the bag for it on the next tee?
 
Just go on to the next hole. What else are you going to do? The bad hole is over.
 
Divorce them ...

Unless I hit a house I am pretty good at letting it go ... Once I hit a house, then my day is shot ...
 
mmaynard11 said:
I guess I could try that, however I was thinking something more conventional. :)

I guess just to add to it...what happens if for example you hit bad shot after bad shot with your driver. Do you keep it in the bag or do you find yourself reaching into the bag for it on the next tee?
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I don't do those things, except maybe letting a club slip from my hands during a practice swing after a bad shot, but I also can't say I handle bad holes particularly well either. One bad hole usually leads to another for me, but I am getting better at just blowing it off. I have found that swinging a little easier and trying to hit a controlled shot after hitting a really bad shot helps more than getting mad and swinging in anger, most of the time. Two or three bad shots, followed by one great shot, can often at least keep it down to bogey instead of a double or worse.

I don't keep the driver in the bag after a bad drive, I guess my thinking is kind of like the old adage about falling off a horse--get right back on.
 
Smallville said:
Just go on to the next hole. What else are you going to do? The bad hole is over.
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Very true! I'm doing better keeping that sort of thinking in mind.
 
iSukGolf said:
Divorce them ...

Unless I hit a house I am pretty good at letting it go ... Once I hit a house, then my day is shot ...
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That would probably bother me too, unless my ball ricocheted back into the fairway, then I'd probably be over it pretty quick.
 
Getting a little better at asking myself "CJ what the frick was that? You're so stupid!" Moving on and playing the next hole.
 
One bad shot or hole, no biggie. Several of those then I just laugh, get a crown and coke or some home brew and move on. Seriously though I can forget about the last shot I just made good or bad and focus on the next.
 
I would like to say I move on to the next hole and put no added pressure on myself however if I take a double or triple I am thinking about it the rest of the round and how I need to make the strokes back up somewhere
 
Smallville said:
Just go on to the next hole. What else are you going to do? The bad hole is over.
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I agree. There is nothing you can do to change the shot that just happened. Move on.
 
Try not to dwell on it, realize there is nothing you can do to change what just happened. You can only control what is going to happen from that point forward. Easier said than done, but I put my complete attention on the next shot and not try to get ahead of myself.
 
ZEN GOLF.....read it, learn it, live it.
 
No matter what I don't get emotional, hit it OB? blah, hit it in the water? blah Make an eagle? blah. No matter what happens I take each shot individually and don't get up set.

Give me the shanks and I'll get emotional as all get out lol, when they show up it's usually about 20 or 30 shots in a row.
 
Have been doing a lot better with this this year. Yesterday at a really tough course I hit some doozies and just picked up my head and kept going, trying to forget as best I could. I still tend to press a little on the next hole, but working on it.

JM
 
Smallville said:
Just go on to the next hole. What else are you going to do? The bad hole is over.
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HoosierGolfer said:
I agree. There is nothing you can do to change the shot that just happened. Move on.
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Easier said then done for most. Most say they let it go but dont and dont know how. Being able to treat every shot the same is an art that takes many years. It also requires the golfer manage their expectations.

If you are prone to bogie golf, then embrass it. Dont get pissed because you didnt make par. Bad holes should be expected by most but sadly people think theynare better than they are.
 
Being retired I get to play golf almost every day. I know that one bad shot on one hole will not ruin my enjoyment of golf. What will it do, raise my 18 hole score by a couple of strokes? I'll still be on the course playing with friends, smoking a nice cigar, and probably getting ribbed for the lousy shot! What a disaster! LOL

Now if the lousy shot turns into lousy SHOTS, that is a different story altogether.
 
I remind myself that I play golf for fun, not to make a living and that hitting a bad shot, a bad hole or even an entire bad round doesnt really matter. Its not as if Im a pro who depends upon making a 4 foot putt to determine whether or not I can put food on the table or even make it to the next tournament.
 
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