Trying To Break 90 Club

Another 94 dam it, 21 effing strokes on 4 par 3s. I gotta get those holes out of my head. They are killing me every round. On the front I shot a 45 (+10) with 12 strokes on 2 par 3s :banghead::banghead::banghead:


One suggestion:

For now, stop seeing Par 3's as scoring opportunities. We all do it - we get up and think "Man...if I can hit this one close, I can make birdie." As we're rolling in our putt for a triple, we think "So much for the birdie."

Step up to the par 3 thinking, "What's the safest way for me to achieve a par, or at worst a bogie?" That might mean hitting your tee shot towards the edge of the green and ending up in a collection area. However, that's better than being in the lake or bunker.

As you improve, you can start getting more aggressive, and of course there will be some par 3's where there's no detriment to "going for it." Incidentally, I've often heard pros remark they often have to take this same strategy. While the par 3 seems like it ought to be an easy birdie for them, they frequently blow up if they try. They often have to go into par 3's realizing it's a hole they have to play for par.
 
I hit the range today and had a good session working approach shots. Tell ya what though... it is tough committing to practice. The range is right next to the first tee, it's a BEAUTIFUL spring day in St. Louis and I was itching to get out and play. It's a challenge to deny that urge and just stay on the range and do the work ahead of my round on Friday. I know the hard work will pay off though.
 
ALMOST!!! i got out and shot 90 this afternoon, irons were okay and the short game and putting were on!

There were 4 hole where i did more than bogey, and on all four of them , its my tee shot that put me in trouble.
On hole 1: a push fade into the Woods left, and i had some trouble getting out of there.
On hole 2: pulled my drive in the pond on the right side
On hole 12: a dock hook in the trees, I never saw the ball bounce, had to retee.
on hole 16: a push fade that went OB

Thats where I will focus for my next few range sessions

also, the Wind was blowing like crazy, not helping me to hit greens at all, but this is not what cost me today

edit: oh and this my home course, not the hardest one, but certainly one of the prettiest and most challenging in the area
IMG_9525-2-parcours.jpg
 
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I hate playing on wet grass. I should go back to the "Trying to break 100 club." I know things will change as soon as things dry out around here and I'm not hitting out of wet rough - another reason I hate playing in the morning.
 
I hate playing on wet grass. I should go back to the "Trying to break 100 club." I know things will change as soon as things dry out around here and I'm not hitting out of wet rough - another reason I hate playing in the morning.

What seems to plague you about wet grass? Is it a mental thing or do you find yourself hitting more shots fat or chunking them?
 
ALMOST!!! i got out and shot 90 this afternoon, irons were okay and the short game and putting were on!

There were 4 hole where i did more than bogey, and on all four of them , its my tee shot that put me in trouble.
On hole 1: a push fade into the Woods left, and i had some trouble getting out of there.
On hole 2: pulled my drive in the pond on the right side
On hole 12: a dock hook in the trees, I never saw the ball bounce, had to retee.
on hole 16: a push fade that went OB

Thats where I will focus for my next few range sessions

also, the Wind was blowing like crazy, not helping me to hit greens at all, but this is not what cost me today

edit: oh and this my home course, not the hardest one, but certainly one of the prettiest and most challenging in the area
IMG_9525-2-parcours.jpg

You're getting there, Martin! And that course is beautiful
 
Way to go Marty! Nice looking course all the snow melted, nice! Haha
 
Thanks guys, things are falling in place, and it feels good
Thats awesome man. Did you get the chance to play everyday?
 
Thats awesome man. Did you get the chance to play everyday?
Not everyday, my fiancée wouldnt appreciate that toi much, but i manage to play 2-4 rounds a week so far
 
Not everyday, my fiancée wouldnt appreciate that toi much, but i manage to play 2-4 rounds a week so far
Haha yeah I hear that. Still a lot of golf you are playing which is awesome. You have serious game and playing more will make it even more fierce
 
Haha yeah I hear that. Still a lot of golf you are playing which is awesome. You have serious game and playing more will make it even more fierce
Yeah playing la te afternoon helps, i love 2.5 hour rounds
 
What seems to plague you about wet grass? Is it a mental thing or do you find yourself hitting more shots fat or chunking them?

I have a rotator cuff injury. This is not helping. It requires a bit more effort to get the ball out. I'm worried about my right shoulder. A chunk hurts. I hurt my shoulder reaching for a glass of water on my night stand about two months ago. I've been doing the rotator cuff exercises. It's just going to take time to heal. I prefer playing in the afternoon when it's dry, but my club plays early in the morning. The course conditions change in mid-July. This summer, though I expect they'll just be watering the fairways and greens - drought conditions.
 
I have a rotator cuff injury. This is not helping. It requires a bit more effort to get the ball out. I'm worried about my right shoulder. A chunk hurts. I hurt my shoulder reaching for a glass of water on my night stand about two months ago. I've been doing the rotator cuff exercises. It's just going to take time to heal. I prefer playing in the afternoon when it's dry, but my club plays early in the morning. The course conditions change in mid-July. This summer, though I expect they'll just be watering the fairways and greens - drought conditions.

Ouch. Sorry to hear that! So it's more just the wet rough then? Not necessarily the wet fairway?

I know sometimes I struggle with wet fairway with my wedges because I will hit too far behind the ball and I end up sliding under it.
 
What issues are you having to blow up on the par 3s?

These issues are new this season:

Irons, either I come up short or slice (righty)

Hole 2: is 170y lateral hazard (steep rock incline the entire length), always a slice, I'll take the drop - lots of rattle snakes down there
Hole 4: is 133y over water 90%, simple short shot really, I've tried taking extra iron and still come up short, splash
Hole 14: is 166y straight, left/right side thin tree line other fwys. simple 6i extra club same, just coming up short again or slice (don't go long: OB)
Hole 16: is a straight 196y. entire right side hill that drains back onto it, last season a 3i/4i, this season tried hybrid/irons/5w, just can't seem to hit straight on this one

I know my brain is at least 50% of the problem, the rest I put on my iron play.
For the coming up short I believe it either I'm hitting to high or just lost faith in them.
As for the slice either my stance or open face or both.

I'm sure if I go hit a few hundred with 7/8/9 I'll work out the problem (and maybe grab 1 of the pro's)
 
These issues are new this season:

Irons, either I come up short or slice (righty)

Hole 2: is 170y lateral hazard (steep rock incline the entire length), always a slice, I'll take the drop - lots of rattle snakes down there
Hole 4: is 133y over water 90%, simple short shot really, I've tried taking extra iron and still come up short, splash
Hole 14: is 166y straight, left/right side thin tree line other fwys. simple 6i extra club same, just coming up short again or slice (don't go long: OB)
Hole 16: is a straight 196y. entire right side hill that drains back onto it, last season a 3i/4i, this season tried hybrid/irons/5w, just can't seem to hit straight on this one

I know my brain is at least 50% of the problem, the rest I put on my iron play.
For the coming up short I believe it either I'm hitting to high or just lost faith in them.
As for the slice either my stance or open face or both.

I'm sure if I go hit a few hundred with 7/8/9 I'll work out the problem (and maybe grab 1 of the pro's)

sounds like there is a mental block there. I hope you can get it figured out soon. Are you having the iron issues on approach shots on par 4 and 5s?
 
These issues are new this season:

Irons, either I come up short or slice (righty)

Hole 2: is 170y lateral hazard (steep rock incline the entire length), always a slice, I'll take the drop - lots of rattle snakes down there
Hole 4: is 133y over water 90%, simple short shot really, I've tried taking extra iron and still come up short, splash
Hole 14: is 166y straight, left/right side thin tree line other fwys. simple 6i extra club same, just coming up short again or slice (don't go long: OB)
Hole 16: is a straight 196y. entire right side hill that drains back onto it, last season a 3i/4i, this season tried hybrid/irons/5w, just can't seem to hit straight on this one

I know my brain is at least 50% of the problem, the rest I put on my iron play.
For the coming up short I believe it either I'm hitting to high or just lost faith in them.
As for the slice either my stance or open face or both.

I'm sure if I go hit a few hundred with 7/8/9 I'll work out the problem (and maybe grab 1 of the pro's)
Sometimes on par 3s i have a tendency to try to pick the ball off the tee instead of hiting down on it, could it be why you come up short on these holes?
 
sounds like there is a mental block there. I hope you can get it figured out soon. Are you having the iron issues on approach shots on par 4 and 5s?

par4: sometimes just coming up 10 or 20 feet short but pin straight, this is why I'm thinking hitting it to high
par5: if hit driver/hybrid good, its wedge or chipping.
 
These issues are new this season:

Irons, either I come up short or slice (righty)

Hole 2: is 170y lateral hazard (steep rock incline the entire length), always a slice, I'll take the drop - lots of rattle snakes down there
Hole 4: is 133y over water 90%, simple short shot really, I've tried taking extra iron and still come up short, splash
Hole 14: is 166y straight, left/right side thin tree line other fwys. simple 6i extra club same, just coming up short again or slice (don't go long: OB)
Hole 16: is a straight 196y. entire right side hill that drains back onto it, last season a 3i/4i, this season tried hybrid/irons/5w, just can't seem to hit straight on this one

I know my brain is at least 50% of the problem, the rest I put on my iron play.
For the coming up short I believe it either I'm hitting to high or just lost faith in them.
As for the slice either my stance or open face or both.

I'm sure if I go hit a few hundred with 7/8/9 I'll work out the problem (and maybe grab 1 of the pro's)

I know this is going to sound a bit weird but what you need is to give yourself permission to break 90. The mental game coaches theory is that breaking 90 would be outside your comfort zone so you find a way to mess up certain holes to keep your score in your comfort zone.

I would visualize good shots on the holes you mentioned - maybe just a baby fade instead of a slice. Tell yourself you clear the water every time. Picture the shot flying the water right to the green. Your problem is in your head and when your brain begins to think 88 is your comfort zone guess what will happen?
 
I know this is going to sound a bit weird but what you need is to give yourself permission to break 90. The mental game coaches theory is that breaking 90 would be outside your comfort zone so you find a way to mess up certain holes to keep your score in your comfort zone.

I would visualize good shots on the holes you mentioned - maybe just a baby fade instead of a slice. Tell yourself you clear the water every time. Picture the shot flying the water right to the green. Your problem is in your head and when your brain begins to think 88 is your comfort zone guess what will happen?

either that or I'm setting it up to sandbag someone :angel:
 
Thanks. I've read for months now here and there and decided this topic was worthy of registering a username myself. Lol
 
Ouch. Sorry to hear that! So it's more just the wet rough then? Not necessarily the wet fairway?

I know sometimes I struggle with wet fairway with my wedges because I will hit too far behind the ball and I end up sliding under it.

And damn, I forgot to make the motion at our meeting today to move our start time to 11:30 a.m. so we'd be finished in time for Happy Hour in the club house.

Wet fairway I can handle okay. It's the long grass that snags the club especially if the ball isn't sitting on top nice and pretty. You can't use a hybrid in wet rough because too much turf interaction.
 
par4: sometimes just coming up 10 or 20 feet short but pin straight, this is why I'm thinking hitting it to highpar5: if hit driver/hybrid good, its wedge or chipping.
Sounds like a mental block on par3s that have trouble around them. I know a guy who struggled on any hole with water. His mindset would think water and even if it wasn't in play on the shot he would find it somehow during the hole. Maybe consider approaching those par 3s as approach shots on a par 4 or par 5.Regarding short game do u use high lofted wedges for chips or short pitches?
 
Sounds like a mental block on par3s that have trouble around them. I know a guy who struggled on any hole with water. His mindset would think water and even if it wasn't in play on the shot he would find it somehow during the hole. Maybe consider approaching those par 3s as approach shots on a par 4 or par 5.Regarding short game do u use high lofted wedges for chips or short pitches?

For chips I switched up to using 8i, been a money shot since. For pitching it depends on yardage which wedge but AW/56 most used.

I don't think it's the water being there issue since it's in play for 3 holes in a row with the par 3 being the 2nd of the 3.
 
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