Golfers of RedsZone (aka War Stories from the Rough)

[Homer Bailey]

Originally Posted by Redhook

Your swing looks good. Keep it up!

Had the best chance I'll ever have to post another score in the 60's. Played 36 on Sunday at Odyssey Golf Club , and started out just absolutely on fire.

Missed a 10 foot birdie on the first.
Made a 50 foot birdie putt on 2.
Made a 15 foot birdie putt on 3 (after hitting a wedge from the trees to 15 feet).
Parred 4.
Made a 30 foot eagle putt on 5.

There I was standing on #6 at -4, looking at a ten foot birdie putt. Hit a perfect putt, but it lipped out. Mis-clubbed on the next hole (par 3), flew the green, and made bogey. Parred 8 and 9 to tie my career low on 9 holes at 33. Bogied the first three holes on the back to quickly get back to level par. Got on the island green par 5 #16 in two, made birdie, but follwed it with a 3 putt bogey on 17, and a shanked sand wedge approach on 18 that led to a double. Absolute choke!

I'm mental about going below par. I was this way for years in my attempt to break 80, and I always psyched myself out. I've only shot 3 official rounds under par, and can't really explain why there haven't been more. I'm sure there aren't too many people out there that feel bad for me, and I don't blame you, but my desire to improve has never gone away. I'm trying so hard to take my game to that next level, and I just can't get past the mid 70's phase.

[Redhook]

Originally Posted by Homer Bailey

Had the best chance I'll ever have to post another score in the 60's. Played 36 on Sunday at Odyssey Golf Club , and started out just absolutely on fire.

Missed a 10 foot birdie on the first.
Made a 50 foot birdie putt on 2.
Made a 15 foot birdie putt on 3 (after hitting a wedge from the trees to 15 feet).
Parred 4.
Made a 30 foot eagle putt on 5.

There I was standing on #6 at -4, looking at a ten foot birdie putt. Hit a perfect putt, but it lipped out. Mis-clubbed on the next hole (par 3), flew the green, and made bogey. Parred 8 and 9 to tie my career low on 9 holes at 33. Bogied the first three holes on the back to quickly get back to level par. Got on the island green par 5 #16 in two, made birdie, but follwed it with a 3 putt bogey on 17, and a shanked sand wedge approach on 18 that led to a double. Absolute choke!

I'm mental about going below par. I was this way for years in my attempt to break 80, and I always psyched myself out. I've only shot 3 official rounds under par, and can't really explain why there haven't been more. I'm sure there aren't too many people out there that feel bad for me, and I don't blame you, but my desire to improve has never gone away. I'm trying so hard to take my game to that next level, and I just can't get past the mid 70's phase.

Try changing your mindset. Instead of being 3 under and hoping you could end there, try getting further under par to add more cushion. The more under you get, the more you can mess up and still have a great round.

Believe it or not, my comfort level is about 5-6 under par. That's when I'm feeling relaxed and confident. I know if I reach that level I can play aggressive because I could still make a bogey or two and finish in the 60's.

This isn't easy to do, obviously, but it does help. One of these days, you'll keep going when you get to 3 under. You'll get to 4 and then 5 under, and then all of the sudden your round will be over and you'll be in the 60's.

Good luck and keep up the good playing.

[gonelong]

Originally Posted by Homer Bailey

I'm mental about going below par. I was this way for years in my attempt to break 80, and I always psyched myself out. I've only shot 3 official rounds under par, and can't really explain why there haven't been more. I'm sure there aren't too many people out there that feel bad for me, and I don't blame you, but my desire to improve has never gone away. I'm trying so hard to take my game to that next level, and I just can't get past the mid 70's phase.

Something that helped me quite a bit was to just play 3 holes at a time. Try to play the the score you need on those three holes to make the round you want. For me this might be +2 for the first three holes, +1 for the next three, and +1 for the last three. Then +2 on the next 3, even on the next 3, and +1 on the last three. I needed a plan to break 80, and this would give me the blueprint for a 79.

I was regularly shooting 84/85 and had a number of 80-82 rounds, but had never shot below 80. Once I started doing this I was able to bust through my previous low score multiple times, shooting below 80 become rather common for me.

GL

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by Redhook

Try changing your mindset. Instead of being 3 under and hoping you could end there, try getting further under par to add more cushion. The more under you get, the more you can mess up and still have a great round.

Believe it or not, my comfort level is about 5-6 under par. That's when I'm feeling relaxed and confident. I know if I reach that level I can play aggressive because I could still make a bogey or two and finish in the 60's.

This isn't easy to do, obviously, but it does help. One of these days, you'll keep going when you get to 3 under. You'll get to 4 and then 5 under, and then all of the sudden your round will be over and you'll be in the 60's.

Good luck and keep up the good playing.

My goal has been to break 90 this summer. I realized how daunting of a task that can be when I started out my round playing really well, though not putting well. I started off with 5 bogeys, and felt like I was hitting the ball as well as I could. But after I made I think a double bogey on 6, I realized how much I really needed a par or even better a birdie to give myself that cushion. By the end of the round, I had lost my ability to hit it straight, but had started making putts and I shot in the mid 90's.

I'm probably a bit too passive when I'm trying to shoot for a lower score.

[Redhook]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

I'm probably a bit too passive when I'm trying to shoot for a lower score.

Being passive can lead to being tentative. An analogy for this would be laying up on a par 5. What you want to do is choose a conservative club and swing aggressively instead swinging conservatively with an aggressive club.

When it comes to your game, play aggressive, but within your capabilities. Choose your spots when you can attack and know when to ease back and play conservative. What that means is attack when you have a wedge in your hand or you're confident you can hit a good shot. Be conservative when you have a more difficult shot so you guarantee you make no more than a bogey.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by Redhook

Being passive can lead to being tentative. An analogy for this would be laying up on a par 5. What you want to do is choose a conservative club and swing aggressively instead swinging conservatively with an aggressive club.

When it comes to your game, play aggressive, but within your capabilities. Choose your spots when you can attack and know when to ease back and play conservative. What that means is attack when you have a wedge in your hand or you're confident you can hit a good shot. Be conservative when you have a more difficult shot so you guarantee you make no more than a bogey.

I agree with that. In general it's not a matter of laying up or going for it, but rather honing in on targets. For instance, At pretty much every par 3 I play, my goal is "somewhere on the green," I never try to get specific and tell myself to try and be in better position on the green.

In that last round, I think I three putted the first few holes for bogeys, but after I realized that breaking 45 on the front was not going to happen, I started making all the 5-6 foot putts. Because I was trying to make them rather than trying not to miss them.

[mash3024]

I guess this is the place for this question. I haven't actually figured my handicap for quite a few years but I'd guess i'm somewhere in the 8-10 range and was wondering if anyone here ever played or talked to anyone that has done the Golf Channel Amateur Tour around Cincinnati? I've been debating on whether I want to give it a try once I hang up the softball cleats this year.

[SunDeck]

I never found that focusing on a particular score helped me to improve. Rather, I used to take notes during a round to show where my weaknesses were so I could focus on them. I realized that a green in regulation is not always realistic, but reducing putts is. For instance, on a lot of par fours, I'm not on the green, but I'm usually around it. So, I worked and worked on chipping around the green, trying to turn two putts into one. Pretty soon I found myself about 5-7 strokes lower per round.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by SunDeck

I never found that focusing on a particular score helped me to improve. Rather, I used to take notes during a round to show where my weaknesses were so I could focus on them. I realized that a green in regulation is not always realistic, but reducing putts is. For instance, on a lot of par fours, I'm not on the green, but I'm usually around it. So, I worked and worked on chipping around the green, trying to turn two putts into one. Pretty soon I found myself about 5-7 strokes lower per round.

I read all the Harvy Pennick books years ago. They are fantastic books if your a golfer and pretty much every story hits close to home. There was one that has always stuck in my mind about a guy whose wife wanted to pick up golf. He gave here a 7 iron, PW, SW, and putter. Told her that if she wanted to learn how top play the game she was only to go to the putting green for the first season she played. Its not glamorous and its not exactly thrilling practice work but its where you shave the most strokes.

A couple of things that I try to concentrate on when playing is to avoid the double bogie. A bogie isn't going to kill you because a birdie erases it. A double bogie requires to birdies to erase. I also focus on keeping the tee ball in play. I am a relatively long hitter but with that comes some inaccuracy with the driver. I would much rather hit a driving iron off the tee, give up some yardage, but have an iron in my hands instead of an interesting second shot. It is easier to score with a wedge in your hands instead of an 8 iron, buts its much easier to score with an 8 iron in your hands than a punch shot from the trees.

[SunDeck]

Great stuff- I remember that story from the Little Red Book. I rarely use a driver and while my friends hit whopping 270 yard drives out of bounds, I'm 230 in the short grass.

[Homer Bailey]

I'm trying to put into words what I just did. Doubt anyone cares, but heres the abridged version.

I'm standing on the 15th tee, 2 under on the day. Hit one to about 40 feet, and three jack it. Par 16, and I'm looking at a 20 foot par putt on 17, needing it to in to stay under par. I nail the putt, I'm jazzed up. 18 is a 420 yard par 4, but with a creek that crosses. My adrenaline is pumping, so I crank a 3 iron 255 yards down the right side, have about 170 to the flag. I've got a helping wind, I hit a 9 iron left of the green. Hit a gorgeous chip up to 2 feet. Should have just gone up to and knocked it in. I marked it, let my buddy putt out, lined it up, putted it.

Missed it. Didn't even touch the hole. Just an absolute choke. Haven't broken par in probably 7 or 8 years. I'm still numb right now.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by Homer Bailey

I'm trying to put into words what I just did. Doubt anyone cares, but heres the abridged version.

I'm standing on the 15th tee, 2 under on the day. Hit one to about 40 feet, and three jack it. Par 16, and I'm looking at a 20 foot par putt on 17, needing it to in to stay under par. I nail the putt, I'm jazzed up. 18 is a 420 yard par 4, but with a creek that crosses. My adrenaline is pumping, so I crank a 3 iron 255 yards down the right side, have about 170 to the flag. I've got a helping wind, I hit a 9 iron left of the green. Hit a gorgeous chip up to 2 feet. Should have just gone up to and knocked it in. I marked it, let my buddy putt out, lined it up, putted it.

Missed it. Didn't even touch the hole. Just an absolute choke. Haven't broken par in probably 7 or 8 years. I'm still numb right now.

Sorry bout your luck Homer. That's rough. Keep playing well, you'll get there.

I played the absolute worse round I've played in the last 2 years.

In general I don't hit my driver. Off the tee, I can hit a 3 iron about 200 yards and straight which almost always leaves me in a better spot than trying to hit my driver and spraying it all over the course.

In the from about holes 14-17, I couldn't hit anything. I was picking my head up, hitting behind the ball, on top of the ball, couldn't do anything right.

On 18, I said "Screw it, I might as well hit driver," and unleashed the most frustrating 255 yard dead solid perfect drive I've ever hit. BAH! Even when I do right I do wrong.

[Redhook]

I hit a ball off the wrong tee at Miami Valley CC today in a tournament. I've never done that before. Not even close. This error cost me a 2-shot penalty. The 10th and 16th tees are close to each other and I was pretty unfamiliar with the course. After playing #9, you pull up a hill and arrive to #16. I simply didn't see the #10 tee box and my playing partners didn't notice in time. I shot a pretty good 70 considering, but that experience flat-out stunk.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by Redhook

I hit a ball off the wrong tee at Miami Valley CC today in a tournament. I've never done that before. Not even close. This error cost me a 2-shot penalty. The 10th and 16th tees are close to each other and I was pretty unfamiliar with the course. After playing #9, you pull up a hill and arrive to #16. I simply didn't see the #10 tee box and my playing partners didn't notice in time. I shot a pretty good 70 considering, but that experience flat-out stunk.

That sucks Redhook. Bad break for you.

[Homer Bailey]

Finally!