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**xquFzpNw** · 10-23-2009, 03:46 PM

Has this happened to any of you?

Plated on Monday and had a really good round, shot 7 under my hcp. So, I go out yesterday, feeling all torqued about playing lights out again, and I play just terrible, wild drives, fat fairways, chunked chips and 3 putts, seems like everytime I play well, I follow up with a disaster.

**BariGrootrego** · 10-23-2009, 03:54 PM

Has this happened to any of you?

Plated on Monday and had a really good round, shot 7 under my hcp. So, I go out yesterday, feeling all torqued about playing lights out again, and I play just terrible, wild drives, fat fairways, chunked chips and 3 putts, seems like everytime I play well, I follow up with a disaster.

I call that schitzo golf and it is my stock in trade. A few years ago, I shot 79 on a hard course, followed with a 99 on an easy course on consecutive days.

Keep in mind that with the USGA handicap system, you should only shoot your handicap about 25% of the time. That is just an anomaly in the way the handicap is figured. Shooting 7 under your handicap is a one in a thousand miracle, so your swing probably wasn't that wild statistically.

Still, I feel your pain.

**toreesi** · 10-23-2009, 04:03 PM

I hate when that happens! I find that to be one of the most frustrating aspects of this game. It makes me question whether my good game yesterday was skill or just plain luck.

**sesIgnose** · 10-23-2009, 04:09 PM

This drives me nuts. Ive had the exact same thing happen. Have a good round for me and then follow it up with absolute disaster! Very very frustrating!

**Fruriourl** · 10-23-2009, 04:10 PM

I can relate. You then begin to wonder if you have any real talent for the game. For a few rounds, or that one round, you are playing so well and then you follow it up with a bad round. You say to yourself: same guy, same clubs, easier course...

The only thing I can tell you is to stick with it, and try to wipe it out of your mind. Focus your attention on that good round and how well you did. I know how hard that is to do because I have a lot of trouble doing it myself (LOL) and it happened to me just this past weekend.

Sigh...

**Druspills** · 10-23-2009, 04:20 PM

I hate when that happens! I find that to be one of the most frustrating aspects of this game. It makes me question whether my good game yesterday was skill or just plain luck.

I feel like this everytime I play.......when i play basketball, i know the majority of the time it's skill! Because you can tell by what you score and how many shots you made, but if i do well in golf one day, and then the next i am doing horrible, the next time i'm out there i am second guessing EVERYTHING. It's what makes this game so fun and frustrating at the same time!

**Fruriourl** · 10-23-2009, 04:48 PM

That's why they call it golf, because the other four letter word (dang) was taken.

**doksSirmAdods** · 10-23-2009, 04:48 PM

I've seen this and it makes me crazy. Not just golf, but other sports as well. I'm an billiards junky on the side, lol. Tuesday night I played great, Wednesday found me floundering and all I could do was laugh at myself it was so bad, but last night I was in the zone. I made shots that I couldn't believe.

When that happen's it's like everything is on cruise control. My confidence level is so high I can go for any shot and expect to make it.

**MadMark** · 10-23-2009, 05:17 PM

Happens all the time. I see it more in my short game than my long game. Some days I am dropping chips, and making putts that would be the envy of better players. Other days, it's like "how'd I miss that?" For me it is the difference between a great round, and a so,so round of golf. It's kind of humbling. Main thing is I always have fun, regardless of how I am playing. The only good thing about this type of play is that it happens to everybody. Even all the top 10 pros. Even the "Great One" himself does not win every tournament he plays in. .

**deandrecooke** · 10-23-2009, 06:04 PM

Happens to me but not as much as it use to...I think the true key to a lower handicap is consistency. Now how do you achieve it and what is the reason why you are not in your current game can be any of the following:

1) Full swing skill (sometimes equipment can affect this)
2) Short Game skill
3) Course Management
4) Mental part of the game (I call this attitude)

And so on.... but as we all are very aware to have all of these clicking on the same day is the key to good scores. However, as I have improved in the game I do find that if #1 above is off and after a few holes I find that I do not have my good swing today I try to rely on my course management (club selection based on how my swing feels...for instance maybe start hitting a 3 or 4 iron off the tee and leave the Driver in the bag) and I focus on my short game...and usually have to now becuase I am hitting much longer irons into greens and might not have as many GIR's as I would like. Playing golf on the course to me is a fine balance between the things I mentioned above...some days we do a very good job of it and shoot decent scores...other days we do not manage them very well and our scores are not what we expect...

**BariGrootrego** · 10-23-2009, 06:16 PM

I think Ben Hogan was right....golf is a game of managing you misses.

On days when I am not swinging well, I try to leave the ball where I have a chance to get up and down, aiming away from trouble, trying to leave the ball in the fat of the green, etc. Sometimes that works and sometimes not. When it does and I limited my bad score, I feel like I have accomplished more than if I was swinging well and shot an average score.

**Opening-auto** · 10-23-2009, 06:32 PM

I don't worry about my score too much, unless I am in a tournament or have some bets going. Obviously the total score shows how well I played as a whole, but I could have made every shot up to the green and putted like crap that day, but otherwise I had a fantastic day. Likewise with iron shots, driver, short game, etc. When I keep score I note the number of putts, chips, etc. so I really know how well I shot that day.

It's just like Woody Austin said one day last year I think it was when he played against Tiger. He said he played better than Tiger that day, even though he shot a higher round. Everyone was confused by that remark. But if you look back at both rounds, he had more GIR, less putts, more fairways hit, etc. He just had 1 or 2 holes that he had a worse score that did him in.

**kesFockplek** · 10-23-2009, 07:15 PM

Par is 72. The average amateur shoots 103. Par for the course is supposed to be what a player of normal ability can shoot. You can shoot it. All of you have. What's missing is they forgot to tell you that just because you can do it, you will probably never do it 18 times in a row.

In one single round you are brought to victorious highs and you are crushed with defeating lows but man did you ever feel more alive. Golf's a journey! Enjoy the ride! Ha!

**HaremShaih** · 10-23-2009, 09:37 PM

I start every round with a clean slate. Since I have no idea who, if anyone, will show up each day - driver girl, iron girl, chipping girl or putting girl - I never know how it will go. I don't really care as long as I'm having fun. For that matter - I try to start each hole that way.

**Spisivavona** · 10-24-2009, 12:52 AM

We all have our ups and downs. I have my rounds where Im easily a single-digit handicapper and I have other rounds where youd swear Id never played golf before in my life.
I go out with the mindset of Im just going to try my best and have fun, without really worrying about the score.

**BuyCheapest** · 10-24-2009, 06:44 AM

Has this happened to any of you?

Plated on Monday and had a really good round, shot 7 under my hcp. So, I go out yesterday, feeling all torqued about playing lights out again, and I play just terrible, wild drives, fat fairways, chunked chips and 3 putts, seems like everytime I play well, I follow up with a disaster.

Absolutley Borgel, It seemed everytime I broke 100 this year (so far) I've followed it up with a 105 or 106 (more around my normal round) a couple times in a row. This is interesting, with the exception of 1 time this year the other 11 times I have broken 100 were on wed's when I was golfing by myself my mental game will get sharper with time I believe. I think I have graduated to the point where improvement in chipping and putting will enable me to start moving into "breaking 90 neighborhood".

**BariGrootrego** · 10-24-2009, 07:06 AM

I start every round with a clean slate. Since I have no idea who, if anyone, will show up each day - driver girl, iron girl, chipping girl or putting girl - I never know how it will go. I don't really care as long as I'm having fun. For that matter - I try to start each hole that way.

I thought Miss Kitty always showed up???

**Sleedyhex** · 10-24-2009, 01:08 PM

Has this happened to any of you?

Plated on Monday and had a really good round, shot 7 under my hcp. So, I go out yesterday, feeling all torqued about playing lights out again, and I play just terrible, wild drives, fat fairways, chunked chips and 3 putts, seems like everytime I play well, I follow up with a disaster.

This is part of the beauty of golf. If you got the same results every trip out, golf would become boring. Funny thing about golf - you have to adjust to changing conditions day to day, and to how your body feels day to day. Add to that the vagaries of luck in the game - you can have two great ball-striking rounds in a row, but in one of these rounds a bad hop, a couple of dicey lies, and a couple of unfavorable pins can lead to a score many strokes higher. Personally I am glad it is different every time out - the degree to which you learn to manage those differences reflects your skill at golf.

**HaremShaih** · 10-24-2009, 04:13 PM

I think I have graduated to the point where improvement in chipping and putting will enable me to start moving into "breaking 90 neighborhood".

That's great. I was wondering if you were going to set a new goal.

**kesFockplek** · 10-24-2009, 11:06 PM

Personally I am glad it is different every time out - the degree to which you learn to manage those differences reflects your skill at golf.

word...if it was real easy what fun would it be. This way the challenge will last us a lifetime.

10-23-2009, 03:46 PM	#1
xquFzpNw Join Date Nov 2005 Posts 501 Senior Member	Managing Expectations Has this happened to any of you? Plated on Monday and had a really good round, shot 7 under my hcp. So, I go out yesterday, feeling all torqued about playing lights out again, and I play just terrible, wild drives, fat fairways, chunked chips and 3 putts, seems like everytime I play well, I follow up with a disaster. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 03:54 PM	#2
BariGrootrego Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 500 Senior Member	Has this happened to any of you? Plated on Monday and had a really good round, shot 7 under my hcp. So, I go out yesterday, feeling all torqued about playing lights out again, and I play just terrible, wild drives, fat fairways, chunked chips and 3 putts, seems like everytime I play well, I follow up with a disaster. I call that schitzo golf and it is my stock in trade. A few years ago, I shot 79 on a hard course, followed with a 99 on an easy course on consecutive days. Keep in mind that with the USGA handicap system, you should only shoot your handicap about 25% of the time. That is just an anomaly in the way the handicap is figured. Shooting 7 under your handicap is a one in a thousand miracle, so your swing probably wasn't that wild statistically. Still, I feel your pain. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 04:03 PM	#3
toreesi Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 595 Senior Member	I hate when that happens! I find that to be one of the most frustrating aspects of this game. It makes me question whether my good game yesterday was skill or just plain luck. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 04:09 PM	#4
sesIgnose Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 433 Senior Member	This drives me nuts. Ive had the exact same thing happen. Have a good round for me and then follow it up with absolute disaster! Very very frustrating! Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 04:10 PM	#5
Fruriourl Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 452 Senior Member	I can relate. You then begin to wonder if you have any real talent for the game. For a few rounds, or that one round, you are playing so well and then you follow it up with a bad round. You say to yourself: same guy, same clubs, easier course... The only thing I can tell you is to stick with it, and try to wipe it out of your mind. Focus your attention on that good round and how well you did. I know how hard that is to do because I have a lot of trouble doing it myself (LOL) and it happened to me just this past weekend. Sigh... Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 04:20 PM	#6
Druspills Join Date Nov 2005 Posts 353 Senior Member	I hate when that happens! I find that to be one of the most frustrating aspects of this game. It makes me question whether my good game yesterday was skill or just plain luck. I feel like this everytime I play.......when i play basketball, i know the majority of the time it's skill! Because you can tell by what you score and how many shots you made, but if i do well in golf one day, and then the next i am doing horrible, the next time i'm out there i am second guessing EVERYTHING. It's what makes this game so fun and frustrating at the same time! Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 04:48 PM	#7
Fruriourl Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 452 Senior Member	That's why they call it golf, because the other four letter word (dang) was taken. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 04:48 PM	#8
doksSirmAdods Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 638 Senior Member	I've seen this and it makes me crazy. Not just golf, but other sports as well. I'm an billiards junky on the side, lol. Tuesday night I played great, Wednesday found me floundering and all I could do was laugh at myself it was so bad, but last night I was in the zone. I made shots that I couldn't believe. When that happen's it's like everything is on cruise control. My confidence level is so high I can go for any shot and expect to make it. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 05:17 PM	#9
MadMark Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 491 Senior Member	Happens all the time. I see it more in my short game than my long game. Some days I am dropping chips, and making putts that would be the envy of better players. Other days, it's like "how'd I miss that?" For me it is the difference between a great round, and a so,so round of golf. It's kind of humbling. Main thing is I always have fun, regardless of how I am playing. The only good thing about this type of play is that it happens to everybody. Even all the top 10 pros. Even the "Great One" himself does not win every tournament he plays in. . Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 06:04 PM	#10
deandrecooke Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 493 Senior Member	Happens to me but not as much as it use to...I think the true key to a lower handicap is consistency. Now how do you achieve it and what is the reason why you are not in your current game can be any of the following: 1) Full swing skill (sometimes equipment can affect this) 2) Short Game skill 3) Course Management 4) Mental part of the game (I call this attitude) And so on.... but as we all are very aware to have all of these clicking on the same day is the key to good scores. However, as I have improved in the game I do find that if #1 above is off and after a few holes I find that I do not have my good swing today I try to rely on my course management (club selection based on how my swing feels...for instance maybe start hitting a 3 or 4 iron off the tee and leave the Driver in the bag) and I focus on my short game...and usually have to now becuase I am hitting much longer irons into greens and might not have as many GIR's as I would like. Playing golf on the course to me is a fine balance between the things I mentioned above...some days we do a very good job of it and shoot decent scores...other days we do not manage them very well and our scores are not what we expect... Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 06:16 PM	#11
BariGrootrego Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 500 Senior Member	I think Ben Hogan was right....golf is a game of managing you misses. On days when I am not swinging well, I try to leave the ball where I have a chance to get up and down, aiming away from trouble, trying to leave the ball in the fat of the green, etc. Sometimes that works and sometimes not. When it does and I limited my bad score, I feel like I have accomplished more than if I was swinging well and shot an average score. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 06:32 PM	#12
Opening-auto Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 376 Senior Member	I don't worry about my score too much, unless I am in a tournament or have some bets going. Obviously the total score shows how well I played as a whole, but I could have made every shot up to the green and putted like crap that day, but otherwise I had a fantastic day. Likewise with iron shots, driver, short game, etc. When I keep score I note the number of putts, chips, etc. so I really know how well I shot that day. It's just like Woody Austin said one day last year I think it was when he played against Tiger. He said he played better than Tiger that day, even though he shot a higher round. Everyone was confused by that remark. But if you look back at both rounds, he had more GIR, less putts, more fairways hit, etc. He just had 1 or 2 holes that he had a worse score that did him in. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 07:15 PM	#13
kesFockplek Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 642 Senior Member	Par is 72. The average amateur shoots 103. Par for the course is supposed to be what a player of normal ability can shoot. You can shoot it. All of you have. What's missing is they forgot to tell you that just because you can do it, you will probably never do it 18 times in a row. In one single round you are brought to victorious highs and you are crushed with defeating lows but man did you ever feel more alive. Golf's a journey! Enjoy the ride! Ha! Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-23-2009, 09:37 PM	#14
HaremShaih Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 422 Senior Member	I start every round with a clean slate. Since I have no idea who, if anyone, will show up each day - driver girl, iron girl, chipping girl or putting girl - I never know how it will go. I don't really care as long as I'm having fun. For that matter - I try to start each hole that way. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-24-2009, 12:52 AM	#15
Spisivavona Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 552 Senior Member	We all have our ups and downs. I have my rounds where Im easily a single-digit handicapper and I have other rounds where youd swear Id never played golf before in my life. I go out with the mindset of Im just going to try my best and have fun, without really worrying about the score. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

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10-24-2009, 06:44 AM	#16
BuyCheapest Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 625 Senior Member	Has this happened to any of you? Plated on Monday and had a really good round, shot 7 under my hcp. So, I go out yesterday, feeling all torqued about playing lights out again, and I play just terrible, wild drives, fat fairways, chunked chips and 3 putts, seems like everytime I play well, I follow up with a disaster. Absolutley Borgel, It seemed everytime I broke 100 this year (so far) I've followed it up with a 105 or 106 (more around my normal round) a couple times in a row. This is interesting, with the exception of 1 time this year the other 11 times I have broken 100 were on wed's when I was golfing by myself my mental game will get sharper with time I believe. I think I have graduated to the point where improvement in chipping and putting will enable me to start moving into "breaking 90 neighborhood". Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-24-2009, 07:06 AM	#17
BariGrootrego Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 500 Senior Member	I start every round with a clean slate. Since I have no idea who, if anyone, will show up each day - driver girl, iron girl, chipping girl or putting girl - I never know how it will go. I don't really care as long as I'm having fun. For that matter - I try to start each hole that way. I thought Miss Kitty always showed up??? Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-24-2009, 01:08 PM	#18
Sleedyhex Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 396 Senior Member	Has this happened to any of you? Plated on Monday and had a really good round, shot 7 under my hcp. So, I go out yesterday, feeling all torqued about playing lights out again, and I play just terrible, wild drives, fat fairways, chunked chips and 3 putts, seems like everytime I play well, I follow up with a disaster. This is part of the beauty of golf. If you got the same results every trip out, golf would become boring. Funny thing about golf - you have to adjust to changing conditions day to day, and to how your body feels day to day. Add to that the vagaries of luck in the game - you can have two great ball-striking rounds in a row, but in one of these rounds a bad hop, a couple of dicey lies, and a couple of unfavorable pins can lead to a score many strokes higher. Personally I am glad it is different every time out - the degree to which you learn to manage those differences reflects your skill at golf. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-24-2009, 04:13 PM	#19
HaremShaih Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 422 Senior Member	I think I have graduated to the point where improvement in chipping and putting will enable me to start moving into "breaking 90 neighborhood". That's great. I was wondering if you were going to set a new goal. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

10-24-2009, 11:06 PM	#20
kesFockplek Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 642 Senior Member	Personally I am glad it is different every time out - the degree to which you learn to manage those differences reflects your skill at golf. word...if it was real easy what fun would it be. This way the challenge will last us a lifetime. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote