Playing better than your score?

[zrumble]

Anybody else ever walk away from a round, add it up and think “how did that happen”. I’ve been hitting the ball fairly pure, but just missing greens, getting up and down fairly well, and driving it fairly well for a month. But I walk away with an 80 or 82, when you feel like you shot a 75/76. Today I even made 2 putts over 40 feet and still walked away with an 85. 
 

What to you guys and gals do to snap a streak of poor scores?

[Letthebigdogshunt]

Many years ago I played with the CEO of our company at his country club. Pretty nervous through the first nine holes and when we stopped for a drink before starting the second nine he told me I shot 39. Never played that course before and it was a course that the PGA played for some years. The bad news was I doubled the next hole and don't even know what I shot on the back nine. I was shocked that I shot that well on the front nine. 

[aerospace_ray]

1 hour ago, zrumble said:

Anybody else ever walk away from a round, add it up and think “how did that happen”. I’ve been hitting the ball fairly pure, but just missing greens, getting up and down fairly well, and driving it fairly well for a month. But I walk away with an 80 or 82, when you feel like you shot a 75/76. Today I even made 2 putts over 40 feet and still walked away with an 85. 
 

What to you guys and gals do to snap a streak of poor scores?

Yes it happens. I asked one of my former instructors about this several years ago. He explained to me about course management. For example I made a comment about hitting my drives nearly straight every hole and he asked me about the second shot, the third shot. I said why? He says think about your next shot. Where would you want to be hitting from that gives me the best opportunity to be on in regulation? Bottom line, I started focusing on how to play the hole and began to plan my approach for each hole. 

I don't know if this could benefit or even apply to you but I just wanted to share my experience. Focusing on course management helped me with consistency round to round when striking the ball well. Of course bad swings negate the best course management and that requires swing tweak / instruction. Good swings go hand in hand with good course management. 

[zrumble]

7 minutes ago, aerospace_ray said:

Yes it happens. I asked one of my former instructors about this several years ago. He explained to me about course management. For example I made a comment about hitting my drives nearly straight every hole and he asked me about the second shot, the third shot. I said why? He says think about your next shot. Where would you want to be hitting from that gives me the best opportunity to be on in regulation? Bottom line, I started focusing on how to play the hole and began to plan my approach for each hole. 

I don't know if this could benefit or even apply to you but I just wanted to share my experience. Focusing on course management helped me with consistency round to round when striking the ball well. Of course bad swings negate the best course management and that requires swing tweak / instruction. Good swings go hand in hand with good course management. 

Great post. Thinking back I haven’t been playing with my next shots in mind as much as I should be. Thanks for the reminder!!

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, zrumble said:

Anybody else ever walk away from a round, add it up and think “how did that happen”. I’ve been hitting the ball fairly pure, but just missing greens, getting up and down fairly well, and driving it fairly well for a month. But I walk away with an 80 or 82, when you feel like you shot a 75/76. Today I even made 2 putts over 40 feet and still walked away with an 85. 
 

What to you guys and gals do to snap a streak of poor scores?

Honestly, I don't walk away thinking I shot better than I did.  Usually just the opposite.  I know when I have a good round going and will be sub-80.  My wife keeps the scorecard, but I know exactly what my score is relative to par throughout the round.  That is with one exception...  When a round starts out poorly and I am 6+ shots over par at the turn, I tend to stop keeping track in my mind.  When we finish the round, I expect my score to be high 80's, but I am surprised that it's only around 83-84.  Sometimes it is high 80's, but I'm always happy to find it less than I expected.  The difference?   I stopped making doubles like I made on the front nine and made a lot more pars.

[CarlH]

2 hours ago, zrumble said:

Anybody else ever walk away from a round, add it up and think “how did that happen”. I’ve been hitting the ball fairly pure, but just missing greens, getting up and down fairly well, and driving it fairly well for a month. But I walk away with an 80 or 82, when you feel like you shot a 75/76. Today I even made 2 putts over 40 feet and still walked away with an 85. 
 

What to you guys and gals do to snap a streak of poor scores?

Like Kenny, I typically know my score in my mind unless I'm really tanking a round.  I do often feel that I scored better than I played or scored worse than I was striking the ball, at times.  And when you look back and reflect on each hole, the putting and chipping tells the story.

[Tom the Golf Nut]

Interesting topic, I usually have the exact opposite results. If I'm missing fairways and greens I think I played like crap and then add up the score and I still scored well. Happened just two weeks ago. I seem to fail to remember the close chips and 1 putt to still pull off a par. The only time I really know what's going on is if I decide to count FIR, GIR, sand saves, and putts. Then it seems like you are always writing something on the score card instead of enjoying  the course and the day. I dont do that very often.  I did it a few times this year just to know, but it seems to take the enjoyment out of the game for me.

[2puttbogey]

I leave the course with the  "what could've been" feeling a lot. I hit the ball good, but make mistakes on 2-4 holes. I drive home thinking if it wasn't for the lost ball here, or the 2 shots out of the sand there it could have been so good. Every now and then I don't make the mistakes and keep the score lower. Golf gotta love it!

[zrumble]

I definitely have those rounds where I know where I’m at and I have an idea of my score through the round. That’s describes most of golfing “career”. It’s only recently that I feel like I’ve made progress with my ball striking. Don’t miss the sweet spot often, but I’m still missing greens. You get that “I flushed it” feeling then card a bogey...

[Kenny B]

42 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Interesting topic, I usually have the exact opposite results. If I'm missing fairways and greens I think I played like crap and then add up the score and I still scored well. Happened just two weeks ago. I seem to fail to remember the close chips and 1 putt to still pull off a par. The only time I really know what's going on is if I decide to count FIR, GIR, sand saves, and putts. Then it seems like you are always writing something on the score card instead of enjoying  the course and the day. I dont do that very often.  I did it a few times this year just to know, but it seems to take the enjoyment out of the game for me.

I'm the same way.  Occasionally I'll keep track of FIR, GIR, SS, and putts, but those stats rarely change much, and they don't correlate to changes in my score. I can hit every fairway and shoot the same scores.  I don't hit many GIR, but my short game allows me to shoot the same scores.  I don't keep track all the time, because it does take something away from the game for me.  

BTW, I've been to Greeneville, TN many times.  I have a friend that lives off the Erwin hwy on a farm and another that lives in Johnson City.  Loved Stan's BBQ.

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

Like most previous I have a pretty good idea if not exactly in my head hole to hole. Arccos is nice because the score is hidden in the top right and Make a point to not monitor.

when it comes to “playing better than my score” I have had thag maybe a few times where I had a hole or two where I say “why did I do that?!?” Usually I am the opposite “wow I played like crap but scrambling saved me”. Plenty of low 80 rounds where I had minimal decent shots.

[CarlH]

1 hour ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Interesting topic, I usually have the exact opposite results. If I'm missing fairways and greens I think I played like crap and then add up the score and I still scored well. Happened just two weeks ago. I seem to fail to remember the close chips and 1 putt to still pull off a par. The only time I really know what's going on is if I decide to count FIR, GIR, sand saves, and putts. Then it seems like you are always writing something on the score card instead of enjoying  the course and the day. I dont do that very often.  I did it a few times this year just to know, but it seems to take the enjoyment out of the game for me.

I quit trying to keep stats for exactly that reason.  Found I was being too analytical and not just letting the game happen.  Like you said ... takes the enjoyment out of the game for me, too.

[ballplayer002003]

This happens more than I would like to admit.  I simply tell myself, "it's coming."  If I feel as if I hit the ball well then that's the main takeaway I use for my progress.

[WaffleHouseTour]

1 hour ago, CarlH said:

I quit trying to keep stats for exactly that reason.  Found I was being too analytical and not just letting the game happen.  Like you said ... takes the enjoyment out of the game for me, too.

Hmmmm.... food for thought. Also an Arccos user - but that score in relation to par isn’t hidden well enough. I always know how I’m doing in relationship to my goal of breaking 80. And as always my brain gets in the way and I tighten up.  It’s only after it’s out of reach that I suddenly go on a par streak and end up with an83 or something. 
 

seems like I’m playing well but a double does me in. That and the obligatory bounce back bogey after every birdie...

[Chizzle]

I'm the opposite.  I usually think I do worse than I actually do.  Not sure what your hdcp/average score is but I think scoring in the 70s is all about super high GIR% and under 32ish putts per round.  The missed greens will quickly add up over 18 holes. 

As far as tricks to snap a streaks of bad scores, I'd be rich if I knew that answer 

[tehuti]

Even on my good days I have 3 or 4 melt down holes that usually sink me. I feel like I am on the verge of breaking through to lower scores. Unfortunately I don’t play frequently enough to really get there.


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[MDGolfHacker]

9 hours ago, zrumble said:

Anybody else ever walk away from a round, add it up and think “how did that happen”. I’ve been hitting the ball fairly pure, but just missing greens, getting up and down fairly well, and driving it fairly well for a month. But I walk away with an 80 or 82, when you feel like you shot a 75/76. Today I even made 2 putts over 40 feet and still walked away with an 85. 
 

What to you guys and gals do to snap a streak of poor scores?

Yep...some days are like that.  What helps is to take a look as to where you lost those shots.  It may seem inconsequential at the time, but an extra putt here or there, a loose approach shot here or there add up.  Take a look at your stats to see where you can not only improve or become more consistent.

 

MDGolfHacker

[MDGolfHacker]

4 hours ago, CarlH said:

I quit trying to keep stats for exactly that reason.  Found I was being too analytical and not just letting the game happen.  Like you said ... takes the enjoyment out of the game for me, too.

The brain gets in the way.  Happens to me every time.  I'll be playing really well and then I'll start thinking of what in my swing is working really well...next thing you know I'm thinking of the mechanics of my well working swing then my swing falls apart the second half of the round .

3 hours ago, WaffleHouseTour said:

...that and the obligatory bounce back bogey after every birdie...

Ain't that the truth

 

MDGolfHacker

[Middler]

12 minutes ago, MDGolfHacker said:

The brain gets in the way.  Happens to me every time.  I'll be playing really well and then I'll start thinking of what in my swing is working really well...next thing you know I'm thinking of the mechanics of my well working swing then my swing falls apart the second half of the round .

Ain't that the truth

+1. Wednesday I was 2 over after 13 holes (my best round ever?), then 6 over for the last five holes capped off with a brain dead double bogey on #18. Idiot (me)...

[LeftyRM7]

Good topic, I use this feel vs real to manage expectations. When I first started playing, I got in the habit of not adding up scores mid round to keep my focus and not think about it. Now that I use shot scope, it’s really easy, I never have to give it a thought and I don’t know until after my round. I’m huge into stats, I also use strokes gained, but on course I’m very feel based. I’ve seen some interesting results, for the longest time I had a pretty good feel for my score. Recently I’ve started seeing some results after a plateau in improvement and my feel is all messed up. Played yesterday and felt like I was struggling for a bit and thought I’d be about average until I checked after my round to find I matched my best score on that course. The mental aspect of golf is really fascinating. Hard to manage expectations when you’re mental and physical performance are in different places.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CarlH]

9 hours ago, WaffleHouseTour said:

Hmmmm.... food for thought. Also an Arccos user - but that score in relation to par isn’t hidden well enough. I always know how I’m doing in relationship to my goal of breaking 80. And as always my brain gets in the way and I tighten up.  It’s only after it’s out of reach that I suddenly go on a par streak and end up with an83 or something. 
 

seems like I’m playing well but a double does me in. That and the obligatory bounce back bogey after every birdie...

I was a member of Yellowstone CC many years ago and the assistant pro had played on the LPGA tour for a few years (daughter of head pro).  I was desperately trying to break 80 and time after time, I'd fail.  Lots of 80-83's but I couldn't meet that goal of 79 or better.  I asked Pam what I had to do to break 80 on this course?  Her reply was a simple one.  She simply said "What are thinking about on hole #14?"   The next round I went out with the intent of not focusing on my score and shot 78.  The mind has that tendency to get in our way if we allow it.

And those darn doubles still seem to creep into my game on a regular basis.  

And yes, the dreaded ABFU.  Ya gotta love this game!

[Tom the Golf Nut]

14 hours ago, Kenny B said:

BTW, I've been to Greeneville, TN many times.  I have a friend that lives off the Erwin hwy on a farm and another that lives in Johnson City.  Loved Stan's BBQ.

Next time you out this way let me know and we can go play a round together.  Sad to tell you that Stan's  BBQ closed down. 

[zrumble]

8 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Next time you out this way let me know and we can go play a round together.  Sad to tell you that Stan's  BBQ closed down. 

I don’t know what Stan’s BBQ is, but any time I hear good BBQ get shut down it’s a tragedy. 

[TR1PTIK]

I'm another one that pretty well knows when I'm doing well and when I'm not; I also tend to have a decent understanding of where I'm losing strokes and why. Yesterday, I missed several short putts that would have saved par or made birdie, I hit a couple of bad drives that required a recovery shot, and on one of those recovery shots I hit it poorly and had to hit a second recovery shot. Aside from that, I had two wedges that I bladed from a confident distance simply because I was playing through a group and trying to hurry out of their way. 

In relation to course management as mentioned above... One thing I've started doing to help me reduce scores is I started tracking "errors". An error simply occurs when I ignore sound strategy and better judgment - i.e. not taking into account wind or elevation when selecting a club or simply playing a risky shot when it isn't required, etc., etc..

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

10 minutes ago, TR1PTIK said:

I'm another one that pretty well knows when I'm doing well and when I'm not; I also tend to have a decent understanding of where I'm losing strokes and why. Yesterday, I missed several short putts that would have saved par or made birdie, I hit a couple of bad drives that required a recovery shot, and on one of those recovery shots I hit it poorly and had to hit a second recovery shot. Aside from that, I had two wedges that I bladed from a confident distance simply because I was playing through a group and trying to hurry out of their way. 

In relation to course management as mentioned above... One thing I've started doing to help me reduce scores is I started tracking "errors". An error simply occurs when I ignore sound strategy and better judgment - i.e. not taking into account wind or elevation when selecting a club or simply playing a risky shot when it isn't required, etc., etc..

2nd paragraph is my downfall on ALOT of rounds. Saying “but if I just hit this 9 iron we’ll I don’t need the 8 even though there is elevation” happens all the time (better about it this year but still not as often as I need to) and the. It causes a 2-3 hole speed bump. Absolutely brutal 

[Pandaman]

16 minutes ago, TR1PTIK said:

In relation to course management as mentioned above... One thing I've started doing to help me reduce scores is I started tracking "errors". An error simply occurs when I ignore sound strategy and better judgment - i.e. not taking into account wind or elevation when selecting a club or simply playing a risky shot when it isn't required, etc., etc..

I like that idea, I will give it a try.

I reckon a lot of beginners could benefit from that too.

[chisag]

... Crazy game. Everyone has rounds where everything is just clicking, some more than others. But most of the time golf is a game of misses. How good your misses are on any given day goes a long way to deciding your score. Did you hit a 6 iron thin that felt like sh!t but managed to roll onto the front of the green? Or did you thin a 6 iron that rolled into the water? There really isn't any difference between puring a 6 iron to 12 feet and just barely missing the putt for par or mishitting a 6 iron, then getting up and down for par. Of course one feels much better than the other and when striping the ball it is easy to wonder why you didn't score better just like hitting it poorly but getting up and down or making a few long putts makes you winder how you scored so well. 

... I had a round this week where my swing was working so well and I was making excellent contact but for whatever reason I was missing a lot of greens. When my swing feels that good and I am dead centering the ball, that is very rare for me. But that's golf and you work with what you have on any given day. The irony is I shot 72 but felt great about playing because it was effortless, while I also shot 70 but was fighting my swing the entire round. The 72 felt like a much better round. 

[zrumble]

6 hours ago, chisag said:

... Crazy game. Everyone has rounds where everything is just clicking, some more than others. But most of the time golf is a game of misses. How good your misses are on any given day goes a long way to deciding your score. Did you hit a 6 iron thin that felt like sh!t but managed to roll onto the front of the green? Or did you thin a 6 iron that rolled into the water? There really isn't any difference between puring a 6 iron to 12 feet and just barely missing the putt for par or mishitting a 6 iron, then getting up and down for par. Of course one feels much better than the other and when striping the ball it is easy to wonder why you didn't score better just like hitting it poorly but getting up and down or making a few long putts makes you winder how you scored so well. 

... I had a round this week where my swing was working so well and I was making excellent contact but for whatever reason I was missing a lot of greens. When my swing feels that good and I am dead centering the ball, that is very rare for me. But that's golf and you work with what you have on any given day. The irony is I shot 72 but felt great about playing because it was effortless, while I also shot 70 but was fighting my swing the entire round. The 72 felt like a much better round. 

Been doing some reflecting and this is exactly what I’m feeling. I missed most of the greens, and typically had a downhill chip, the other day. So I “felt” like I was swinging great, but missing in bad spots. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

So I just couldn't stop myself from noting  my FIR, GIR and Sand saves today. I wanted to compare against last week. Same clubs, same ball. Last week,  12 FIR, 11 GIR. 1 Bird and 2 Bogeys. All around I felt I played well. Shot 72

Today I felt I played poorly but drove the ball well. 10 FIR, 9 GIR, 1 sand save. 1 bird and 3 bogeys. Shot 73

So based on the statistics I didn't play as well this morning. I thought my drive was good but after adding up the numbers, obviously not as good as last week.  My irons were a little off by being short into the greens. But in the end I was only one stroke different from my last round.

So this goes back to my earlier post in this thread. I score better than I think I did.

What a freaking fun game!   

[zrumble]

59 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

So I just couldn't stop myself from noting  my FIR, GIR and Sand saves today. I wanted to compare against last week. Same clubs, same ball. Last week,  12 FIR, 11 GIR. 1 Bird and 2 Bogeys. All around I felt I played well. Shot 72

Today I felt I played poorly but drove the ball well. 10 FIR, 9 GIR, 1 sand save. 1 bird and 3 bogeys. Shot 73

So based on the statistics I didn't play as well this morning. I thought my drive was good but after adding up the numbers, obviously not as good as last week.  My irons were a little off by being short into the greens. But in the end I was only one stroke different from my last round.

So this goes back to my earlier post in this thread. I score better than I think I did.

What a freaking fun game!   

Sounds like a good couple rounds in my book. Starting to compile enough rounds to be statistically relevant, and I hit 56% of fairways but 44% GIR. But I have been hitting my irons flush and just missing the green long and a bit left on average. If my short game is on fire I score well, and if not or I’m playing a course with difficult slopes around the greens I score poorly.