Forgetting the Bad Hole
 

It has happened to all of us at one time or another. You are playing well, and all of a sudden the wheels come off for a hole or two. You post a few big numbers, lose your focus and the rest of your round is pretty much done, and in the tank. If this has not happened to you yet, it will.

So, my solution involves my score card. I make my own on my computer, and print them out on some heavy paper. One of the things I do is to shade in every other group of 3 holes, which leaves 3 holes unshaded in between. What I am doing is playing 18 holes of golf in groups of 3. I have given myself 6 starting, and 6 ending points If I have a stretch of bad holes, I can always regroup and start over on the next group of 3 holes. It's a mental thing, and it works for me.

This is not my own idea. I have read about it on other forums, and have even heard some of the touring pros doing something similar. Some even play 18 holes is 3 groups of 6.

How do you handle a a bad hole or two?

I used to have a huge problem with getting angry with myself after making physical mistake that I would then compound with a series of bad mental mistakes and end up carding a huge number. I would totally lose my focus, my anger at myself would translate into all sorts of bad physical changes and my swing would go straight downhill.

I am getting much better. First, I try not to compound my swing error that got me into trouble by trying to do too much with the next shot. Old adage...when in trouble, get out first. Secondly, I tell myself that it is only one hole out of 18 (a little over 5% of the total holes) and I can play well and make up for it. I forget about it before I step on the next tee whereas before I would have brooded for holes, or maybe days.

I played a week ago with a couple of customers and I had 2 really bad holes in the first 3 and I was facing a huge overall score if I didn't gain control of myself. I was 9 over after 3, 3 over for the next 6, and 2 over for the next 9...total 85 and I ended up beating both the other guys who fell apart on the back. It reinforced for me that maintaining my cool and not giving up works.

I still have a hard time recovering after a particularly bad hole. I'm too tense after a blow-up and therefore my next hole won't be very good. Maybe I need to drink on the course...http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...es/biggrin.png

Read this somewhere that a tour pro after a bad hole would retie his shoes tighter than they were and play the next hole that way to take his mind off the bad hole. Have had to try it a couple of times and I found that all I want to do is play that hole better than the last one, so that I can loosen the shoes back up.

Also did this in a couple of tournaments when things were not going the way that I wanted them too. After a bad series of holes and being 7 over par after 8 holes, I set a goal for myself of breaking 80.

+1 http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...lies/clapp.gif

I'm afraid I'd be crippled after the first few holes....http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/rofl2.gif

I know I am probably going to have a couple of pretty bad holes in a round, so most of the time they don't bother me. But if I get one early, especially a first hole blowup, that one will stay in my mind a while.

I've been blessed with a short memory. I think its helped me with family, friendships, and golf.

Now what was this thread about? http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo.../confused2.gif

after i have a bad hole i give myself until i put my glove back on to have a rant at myself,once the glove is on its,gone,over and forgotten

I forget about a bad hole as soon as I step onto the next tee. I dont dwell on my bad shots or blowup holes because I cant go back in time and undo my mistakes.
I do my best, accept the results and move on.