I never "expect" to mishit the ball but unfortunately it happens. My thought varies depending on where the trouble is. If it's short, I'm obviously going to take enough to get to the back of the green with a well struck shot, but if it misses, it misses over the trouble. If it's long, then obviously I'm going to play to the middle. If it's flushed, it makes the middle but missed, it stays short to where I can get up and down. I don't pin hunt very much anymore, so I'm trying to play for the center. So a flushed shot either goes to the middle or back, while a missed shot, is short.
I think pin location may be partly the issue. If it's in the front, don't even think of trying to hit the front of the green, take enough club to the middle or the back. Then if it's missed, it's right near the pin but if it's flushed, you're still putting. Then obviously the opposite for a back pin.
Try playing a round by taking enough club to the middle or the back of the green, regardless of pin location. You should start to engrave a thought in your head that if "this club is flushed, I'm at the back, even if I miss it, it's still short to where I can get up & down." Once you start forgetting where the pin is, the thought of "expecting to mishit the ball" shouldn't really become a factor.
I think players sometimes think about "hitting that exact number" way too much. Especially when a player is just beginning the game. When I think that 9/10 beginner players don't know or have the slightest idea what their carry numbers are, whether it's a good shot or bad. By not thinking about that exact number, you can't "expect to mishit it" if you don't know the exact number. Try changing your pre-shot routine to negate the time for those thoughts to come to mind. Get those distances, pull a club to the middle or back, then swing away. Don't start thinking "well if I flush this one, it might go over" or "if I don't catch all of this, it will never get back to the pin." You may not do it consciously but subconsciously it's affecting your thought process, consequently your shot.
If none of these work, then I've got nothing for ya. Seek your nearest golf professional.
I think pin location may be partly the issue. If it's in the front, don't even think of trying to hit the front of the green, take enough club to the middle or the back. Then if it's missed, it's right near the pin but if it's flushed, you're still putting. Then obviously the opposite for a back pin.
Try playing a round by taking enough club to the middle or the back of the green, regardless of pin location. You should start to engrave a thought in your head that if "this club is flushed, I'm at the back, even if I miss it, it's still short to where I can get up & down." Once you start forgetting where the pin is, the thought of "expecting to mishit the ball" shouldn't really become a factor.
I think players sometimes think about "hitting that exact number" way too much. Especially when a player is just beginning the game. When I think that 9/10 beginner players don't know or have the slightest idea what their carry numbers are, whether it's a good shot or bad. By not thinking about that exact number, you can't "expect to mishit it" if you don't know the exact number. Try changing your pre-shot routine to negate the time for those thoughts to come to mind. Get those distances, pull a club to the middle or back, then swing away. Don't start thinking "well if I flush this one, it might go over" or "if I don't catch all of this, it will never get back to the pin." You may not do it consciously but subconsciously it's affecting your thought process, consequently your shot.
If none of these work, then I've got nothing for ya. Seek your nearest golf professional.