What do you do after a bad shot?

[Hacker60521]

It’s still too cold out to be on the course, but I was working on my wedge shots at an indoor simulator. Things were going along well when “out of nowhere” my swing failed me and the ball shot straight right (like 22 degrees open). Instinctively I reset and tried again — although now slightly panicked. Same thing. Of course then I started over thinking and feeling even more pressure to get my swing back. It took more than a handful of shots for me to settle back in again. 
 

My question to the group is what do you do to “reset” after a bad shot so it’s only one bad shot and not several?

[Michael.Sandoval33]

I am trying to play back the bad shots from today's practice. At the range, I'll take a step back and fully regather from the start if the shot is terrible, otherwise a quick reset. When my shots are bad on the wedges, I am typically quick to reset my feet and take a couple of practice swings. When I send a bad putt, I stare at the line longer than necessary. On the course, I start walking toward the next spot, already moving on from the previous shot. I guess I am an "on to the next one" type of guy.

[GolfSpy_APH]

For me it is simple. The next shot is the next shot. I allow myself a few minutes or seconds to thinking about what I did wrong or should have done. Take my learnings and move on. 

I don't dwell on things for long and find it easy to move on. 

[Rugbymick]

I can run hot so I am doing my best to take a few deep breaths, let it go and start thinking about the next shot.

[buckpillar]

Well, I used to throw clubs, balls and bags, but once I realized that doesn't help, I live with the bad shot and make the next one better.. more or less, s*** Happens and just let it go!

[buckpillar]

4 hours ago, Hacker60521 said:

It’s still too cold out to be on the course, but I was working on my wedge shots at an indoor simulator. Things were going along well when “out of nowhere” my swing failed me and the ball shot straight right (like 22 degrees open). Instinctively I reset and tried again — although now slightly panicked. Same thing. Of course then I started over thinking and feeling even more pressure to get my swing back. It took more than a handful of shots for me to settle back in again. 
 

My question to the group is what do you do to “reset” after a bad shot so it’s only one bad shot and not several?

Deep breath and try to move on in your mind, its easy to say but tuff to do. Try to remember a good shot and focus

[shanksforthememories]

I have really struggled to let bad shots go like a "be the goldfish" from ted lasso. What I do is retake the same swing, visualise what I wanted to happen and then put the club in the bag. Retaking the swing helps me identify if I did something wrong technically it with my setup and putting the club in the bag is my mind letting go off the experience and a physical end that lets me reset psychologically. 

[Josh Parker]

I don't dwell on bad shots.  I will take a step back and make a few practice swings or motions after a bad shot to get the right frame of mind and then move on down the course to make my next shot.  

 

[TJ Hall]

I try not to dwell on the bad shot and really focus on the one in front of me.  Bad shots happen, but don’t want it to ruin a round and have that “blow-up hole” and compound an issue.

If I’m riding with someone, sometimes will skip the cart ride and walk to my ball just to take some time to get it together.  Take some deep breaths.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

I used to let a bad shot potentially implode the next couple holes I was playing. Kind of a “oh great here we go” moment. I have done much better at getting away from that. If I hit a poor shot, I diagnose what was bad about it in my head, take maybe one or two “feel” practice swings, and then it’s on to the next shot. 

[Bortery]

As someone with a lot of bad shots due to lack of playing time/getting back into the game after a 25+ year layoff. Two points, one is when I’m on the range I try to shake it off and just set up for the next one (like others have said on this thread). And two, on the course the first few bad shops during stroke play. I just shake it off, but if it continue. Then I usually cuss out loud . Thankfully I quit throwing club like in my youth. Guess in my old age I have learned some restraint. 

So I guess in a final though/my opinion to your question. Do what’s best for you, but remember that clubs cost good money and they are not getting cheaper. So hold on to them during a bad shot . 
 

Thanks for asking a great question. 

[Dead Solid Bogey]

Years ago, younger me, would have cussed, opened or finished a beer, and taken a few hard draws on a cigar. Back then I would have had NO idea of what I had done wrong in hitting the bad shot. The current old as dirt  me, is usually just grateful to be on this side of the grass and able to hit a bad shot. I am not happy about the bad shot by try not to let it infect the whole round. I endeavor to just let it GO. 

[Bad Golfer]

I used to let a bad shot ruin the hole that I was playing. I would quietly cuss and wonder why I spend so much time practicing and playing this game. Now I just shake it off and try to figure what I did wrong. Usually it is a small checklist of either I swayed off the ball or stood up in my down swing. I also take far fewer chances after making a bad shot and try to get back out to the fairway. If I get too aggressive I usually end up hitting a tree branch or a root and it adds more strokes to the hole.

[Hacker60521]

Thanks to all who have replied. I think all of you are right that I have to get out of my own head.  @shanksforthememories I forgot about the Ted Lasso “be the goldfish” line. 

[TJ Hall]

Interesting article came up this morning…quite fitting:

https://golf.com/instruction/short-game/what-to-do-when-you-hit-poor-chip-play-smart/

[Rob Person]

I know everyone says to reset, breathe,  move on. Sometimes it's not that easy or that simple. 

First you have to realize that not every shot will be a good one.  Yes some are absolutely horrid compared to others.  Most tend to remember their worst shots as well. If you try to flip that mindset, and after every decent shot say "that was a good shot" or some other positive affirmation,  you can possibly push past the bad ones a little easier?

For me, on the range, if I hit 3 skulls, shanks,  toppers, etc in a row, I switch clubs. It may be a 1 up or down selection,  or it may be a completely different range of club to focus on a different swing thought process.

On the course, I just move on to the next shot. What's done is done!

 

[Randall Robbins]

First, I swear at myself, then step back and refocus.  Then get set to hit the shot to save the hole or take no worse than a bogey if possible, always trying to stay positive.

[jbern]

I try to focus on my address (where the ball position is, where my feet are positioned, my spine tilt, etc.) on the shot after a bad shot. That mental check is usually enough to allow me to just make a swing. 

[tdroma98]

I was one of those who erupted after a bad shot. With all the practice, hitting the ball well at the range, how could this happen? Oh the bad luck! Whaaa.   

Recognizing this was unhealthy & was a negative & a hinderance for my game, I tried to remedy it. It wasn't easy.  Looking back, my golf buddies were extremely tolerant of my antics.  

I read the books to try and change my mental game. A couple of books did have an impact (Every Shot Must Have a Purpose), not to mention a retired NFL QB (May he RIP) changed my mindset, especially on approach shots. So you didn't hit it inside of 10ft, you have a 20 footer for a birdie.  In your case, the worst case you walk away with a par.  He was right.  It was that simple. 

Now I look at the bad shots as a challenge.  How do I recover from the poor approach? from a plugged bunker shot?  from a pulled drive?  @TJ Hall very good article & correct, watch how the ball reacts past the hole for a hot chip around the green. That is something I do religiously.  I'm going to try & save par, tell myself I made a good chip. You're not perfect. 

Show patience in getting out of trouble.  You're not Tiger, you're probably not going to pull off hitting a 6 iron out of a bunker over water & trees from 210 yds. What are the options to give yourself a chance to save par or make a bogey at worst, then move to the next hole?

[AndySP]

I think one thing that I haven’t seen mentioned is to remember that the game is hard and that “bad” shots are inevitable. I laugh them off as part of the round and just move on to the next shot focusing on it with the same (not more/less) attention as before.  I have gotten better at not getting too attached to the “perfect” outcome so that whatever comes out isn’t a surprise or reflective of my entire game.

Raymond Prior is a Psych who talks about this a little for what it’s worth. 

[Rob Person]

A friend of a friend of mine came out to play with us.  He brings a few rat balls (junk) and if he has having a bad day, he will drop one and whack it into the woods to help reset himself. Said it helped him get the bad juju out...  

[ParFore74x]

A lot of great advice in this thread already but I’ll add mine. If I’m at the range and hit a couple bad ones in a row I will do just as @Rob Person stated, switch clubs. This seems to help change things and get that “reset” that I’m looking for.

If I’m playing a solo round and no one is behind me, I’ll drop another ball and get that bad swing back out of my head. This works for me quite well. Yes, I still continue to play the first ball but my head is clear of the poor shot and I pick the ball from the good shot back up. 

If I’m playing with others, I suck it up and move on. The next shot is usually with a different club so it seems to reset most of the time. Sometimes it’s not easy to get that bad shot out of my head right away but, that’s post off the challenge of this great game. 

[Bossfan]

Hit the next one . Maybe that one will be better.

[Tom the Golf Nut]

If at the range I’ll just switch clubs. But during a round my pre-shot routine sort of limits my bad shots. You know sh&t happens but this is what I do.

I use a line on my ball for tee shots and putting. On the tee, I get behind the ball and align the line on the ball with my intended target. Then at address I back up two steps and take a full practice swing looking for the club to go over a specific blade of grass. 
Then step in and pick a specific blade of grass right behind the ball. Rear back and let the club fly making sure my swing path is parallel to the line on the ball and over the blade of grass. Focusing on a smaller target makes the ball seem huge.

In the fairway I just focus on a piece of grass just in front of the ball. I let the ball get in the way of the club. 

I never let a bad shot carry over to the next shot. It’s a new opportunity that shouldn’t be wasted due to carry over stress.

 

[Dweed]

@shanksforthememories and @Bortery, welcome, welcome to the forums. Thanks for your sharing and I hope you get lots out of it. Welcome aboard.

[Another Steve]

When I was younger, I used to get really, really, really hot after a bad shot… shaft snapping and helicoptered driver type hot. when playing hockey I was able to channel the anger from mistakes back into the game….. cannot really do that with golf. 
 

After getting an “attitude adjustment” from my mentor I adopted a more zen like attitude and resigned from “club throwers of america”….. I embraced the challenge of developing creative recovery shots. As long as I didn’t solely focus on score I enjoyed the round while learning to make creative shots. Didn’t matter that I slopped out a 92…. I did run a 100 yard 4 iron punch shot under the trees and onto the green to help save par. I successfully hit the hero flop shot over the tree onto the green, or played an intentional 5 wood bananna ball slice around the dogleg after unsuccessfully trying to cut the dogleg and having it bounce out of the trees to the edge of the fairway directly back towards the tee and on the inside of the dogleg…… yes, there were shots where I took my medicine and just chipped out to the fairway. It made rounds that were not competitive really fun. Drove my mentor nuts though cuz he was always all about “just limit the damage and take your medicine”. Ironically he would be pizzed and on a slow burn the rest of the day if he had a bad round where I could leave it at the course  

On the range, there is no bad shot, just data… If the ball doesn’t do what I am expecting I step back and replay the shot in my mind to determine why. Then I hit it again.