How to get rid of "Blow Up" Holes
 

Hope everyone had a great weekend!
So I played Saturday/Sunday and for the most part I played solid. The best "I" could. BUT each day I had a blow up hole. My question is, how do I mentally get rid of that? Or even, where does it come from?
Without those blow up holes I could've finally break 80's

Take your medicine. If you hit a bad shot, play the next one to eliminate the large holes.

What's a blow up hole? I always make par...http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...ilies/wink.png


Tapping and crashing with the new updated/downgraded Tapatalk.

Another beer! http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...es/biggrin.png

Yeah, it's something I struggle with as well. And J.B. is right. Take your medicine and maybe play the next few shots with a safer objective in mind. You begin to press after you bogey, double or triple a hole. And every shot starts to feel like, "oh, I have to make up those three shots, I need to be perfect here", instead of just playing a shot you are comfortable with and executing.

What was the reasoning for the blow up holes? I would venture to say that course management can eliminate a good portion of the blow up holes, for me at least....

keep this mindset, the next hole after you scored a righteous birdie, play the next hole conservatively. By playing conservatively, I mean play that club you know you always play pure off the tee, it doesn't matter if it's a 3 iron or a hybrid or a 5 wood, just play the next hole conservatively. Also if there is a specific hole that you are afraid of do this as well. There is one hole at my course (#10) that I hate and fear. It's a 398 yard dog leg right hole that I can easily get within 75 yards of the green on my drive but the lie there makes it impossible sometimes so instead i hit a fairway wood and then hit a mid iron right onto the green, this is easier for me and I know I can do it

It probably is course management. Those 2 blow ups, they were reach-able par 5s. One was 490 and the other was 460. Both had lakes for 2nd shot. Both holes I chunked them into the water.
The crazy thing is I've reached both of those holes on 2 plenty of times before.
I just don't get it.

take your medicine. If you miss your second shot into those par 5s, take your drop and aim for the middle of the green on the next. I know that my scores are dramatically better if I aim for the center of greens, and not for the miracle shots at the cup. Also, pitching out sideways is boring golf, but it's a lot better than playing the rest of the hole from trouble.

maybe I need to stop telling myself they're "eagle" holes. Maybe I'm putting way too much pressure on myself to score on those.

The best advice there is.

That might be part of the issue. It's a mental thing. Think of them as birdie holes and pars at worst. When you start thinking about eagles, that's when big numbers happen. (like I would know)

The odds would be better for you to hole out your chip/approach shot for eagle on those holes than hitting a shot that left you a realistic/makeable putt. Conduct an experiment. For 90 days, every time you play golf, lay up to a # on par 5's. Keep up with your scores and statistics and let's see the difference.

Well, nerves get the best of us some times when you can taste the birdie but see that water in front. Honestly, I would look at your scoring averages for those holes when you "go for it" vs "laying up". Chances are you can still make birdie by laying up and just about guarantee that you eliminate the double or triple.

Comes down to what % of the time you can execute the shot. Is 60% of the time enough to go for it? Not in my book. Is 80% enough? Probably so....

If you want to eliminate blow ups then you should never go for it on par 5's. Eliminate trouble by playing the safe shot. Take your medicine when you hit a bad shot and always remember that bogey isn't at all bad. I have issues with this also and I keep telling myself that the best rounds I've played are the most boring ones so I don't go after "hero" shots.

Another thing that will help you stay in a mindset is to play a "practice" round by playing from the furthest forward tees possible, which allows better chances to get birds and even eagles on every hole and force yourself to know what it's like to constantly be in intense mode.

So the 490 one, I hit a 280 drive (thanks wind behind my back), 210 left which is a easy hybrid. I chunk it. Instead of dropping by the water, I told myself that I've made this shot numerous times so I hit the hybrid again from the same spot. chunked it again. So it took me 6 to get on then I two-putt for a triple. I think I'm stupid.

The proof is on your score card. Dial it back especially with the threat of dunking a ball in the pond.
A Par is far better than going over.
Like Cookie suggests course Management.
Short Par 4's and Par 3's stick it close and score.
Good Luck in busting the 80's

What? How does playing from the farthest tees make eagles more likely?

that's a great idea. I'll do that for sure.