Golf Is Hard

[Larry The Golfing Doc]

What a silly sport we all love. Played a round yesterday morning with my dad. I had one of my best ball striking rounds ever and I shot a 90. I usually play bad in wind as I hit the ball high. 20mph in my face means I might hit a 5iron into a green from 140, which is typically a 9iron for me with no wind. Not yesterday. I hit fairway seeking lasers with my driver and I consistently was all over the pin with my irons. This should have led to a good score, I should have sniffed par. Should...

 

Then I had to putt. I'm not going to add it up but I think I had 14 3 putts. In my only defense these greens are crazy. Hardest greens in this area and there is no close second. I had 2 3 putts from 6ft. How is that even possible? I'm not usually a bad putter, it's certainly not my strength but I can hold my own. I've always struggled to read greens, sometimes I'll play the putt to have 4ft of left break and it goes 4ft right. This is the main reason I score much better on courses I'm familiar with. I know what the greens are going to do. Courses in the infrequent circuit tend to go wrong real quick for me. I'm still a bit shell shocked. I found myself putting defensively from 4ft. I didn't hole a single putt from more than 2.5ft. Ouch.

 

Following that round I took my kids out and played 12 holes on a different course, one that I'm much more familiar with. I expected the trend to continue, I.E. great ball striking and horrible putting. Wrong. I struggled to control direction on full shots and I putted lights out. Go figure. Golf is hard.

[Z1ggy16]

It's a sick game. For me... I just can't have a good long game, short game AND putting all at once. Pick 1 or 2 of 3.

[sdandrea]

It's the lure of The Golf Gods. They allow us enough quality shots to remind us of our true ability, yet curse us with enough bad shots to keep us humble.

[Larry The Golfing Doc]

Same/same. It rarely comes together. I'll have a great round tee to green then stink putting. Or vice versa. Good times.

[DON SVO]

Like I've told a few of my buddies when one of us is smelling it up, "if this game was easy, we'd all be on TV."

[DavePelz4]

Larry welcome to the site. Have enjoyed your posts!

[Z1ggy16]

Like I've told a few of my buddies when one of us is smelling it up, "if this game was easy, we'd all be on TV."

Not only are the guys on TV good in all 3 major aspects, but they can do it under extreme pressure. Take the best golfer you've ever met who has never been on tour... put him in the middle of a huge televised event, and there's a very good chance he will either dunk a few into some hazards, or miss some very easy putts, simply because of the intense pressure.

[MrJones]

I played a quick 9 yesterday evening and was barely missing greens. Had 7 up and downs. I hit 2 greens and three putted both of them :dntknw:

[cardoustie]

golf is VERY hard

 

I've had 68 and 86 within a 24 hour period. Same course, same conditions

[JerseyBoy]

I'm actually pretty consistent. Consistently bad. Shoot about 120 every time I go out, LOL!

 

Incredibly hard sport. Especially for the newbs like me. Still love it and look forward to every round and range session, though. True insanity!

[Jack Pearsall]

Everyone noticed his swing being very nice, clean drives with terrific irons in heavy wind, but man, JP putted like a one legged armadillo.

[Hook'n'Loop]

Golf is hard. They should make it easier.

 

[Larry The Golfing Doc]

Golf is hard. They should make it easier.

 

I agree. I've taken steps to make it easier for me by practicing and playing better equipment. I also am much more realistic with myself and will club based on what I think will actually get there and not hitting a 7i because either I once got there with a 7i or because it's a par 3 and everyone else played 6i or more. It's still hard. Particularly when you can't read greens. No amount of practicing will help that. Playing a course multiple times will help but when you have no idea of the ball is going right or left, there is no hope. Golf is hard.

 

I also want to share that a day removed from a 13 3 putt day that my putter is still alive. I feel good about this positive step in my mental game. In years past it wouldn't have even had a chance to get there. 5 or so 3 putts in and it would be in two-or more-pieces or sleepin' wid da feeshes. It made it through the day intact although tomorrow will find it waking up to a new owner. I did swing a couple MPH's faster then usual on a few tee shots yesterday but I otherwise kept my emotions mostly in check. I even wished it luck and that it liked its new home. I'll point out that I didn't sell it either. I just wanted it gone. I asked a guy at work if he wanted it and he said yes. Bye.

 

I also went just went through and officially added them up. I'm a sucker for liking to suffer. I only 3 putted 13 times. I had 2 1 putts and 3 two putts. I shot a 90 with 47 putts. I'm not sure of what's more amazing, that, or having 13 3 putts and no 4 putts. Almost all of the 13 included a tap in for the third since I was so off I was lagging 4 footers without being aggressive enough to try to make them. Sure I wanted them to go in but I also wanted the bleeding to just stop. The two One putts were due to excellent pitches that left me at tap in range, certainly not because I actually made any putts yesterday. Golf is hard.

[thug the bunny]

It's totally nuts how putting can be so on or off. It's not like you are pulling the club back over your head and trying to make square contact at 100mph. It is a 1 - 2 ft backswing, clubhead speed is all of 2mph, and you miss by 2ft and roll past 5ft. And as they say a 12ft putt counts the same as a 270 drive. Weirdest game ever invented by man.

[JerseyBoy]

Golf is hard. They should make it easier.

 

I kinda like it just the way it is. Just imagine trying to get a Tee time if they made it easier!

[Conrad1953]

They actually have made golf easier.......just don't know who they made

it easier for.

[Soupy94]

So is hockey :taunt:

[Larry The Golfing Doc]

I can't think of an easier sport than hockey. Firm footing, soft equipment, and warm temps with sunny skies make it a slam dunk. Easy.

 

:)

[wildcatden]

The golf menu 2-item daily special. Choose two:

 

1. Great driving

2. Great Iron shots

3. Great putting

[uitar9]

Near the end of this season I started to see a relationship between keeping it in the fairway and having all three areas come together more often. Crazy game.

[Jack Pearsall]

If he manages the course thoughtfully, it can seem a much easier game. Lately, he has returned to managing from green back to tee with a clear focus on nailing the green center. It’s a great theory.

[Sean2]

Yes Larry, it is! I take nothing for granted in this game. Nothing.

 

I've shot a 92 and a 68 (same course/tees). For the past few months I have been more consistent, but "consistent" is a bit relative, especially as it relates to golf. lol

 

I have learned to accept what the game gives me on any given day. Even professionals struggle at times...and if golf gives them a hard time, I can't get too upset when it gives me one too. :-)

[Larry The Golfing Doc]

The golf menu 2-item daily special. Choose two:

 

1. Great driving

2. Great Iron shots

3. Great putting

 

Ain't that the truth. After 13 3 putts I put all my money on #3 for my latest round. It worked! I also had my worst ball striking round in over 2 years but I putted lights out. PTL the posting season is over as I shot my worst score in 2 3/4 seasons. 94 on a relatively easy course, 8 penalty strokes/re-tees. On 4 of those holes I made bogey which would have been birdie if I'd have just hit that one the first time. The new putter seems to be a winner though, Versa #2 (IIRC) with a 5.0 Superstroke. I thought it had the #3 when I ordered it as that's what was stated. I was disappointed when I saw the fatso, but so far I'm not with the results. The other positive of the fatso, I'm pretty sure my putter will float. If I try to drown it at some point I should be able to pick it up on the shore later in the round. Golf is hard.

[Larry The Golfing Doc]

Yes Larry, it is! I take nothing for granted in this game. Nothing.

 

I've shot a 92 and a 68 (same course/tees). For the past few months I have been more consistent, but "consistent" is a bit relative, especially as it relates to golf. lol

 

I have learned to accept what the game gives me on any given day. Even professionals struggle at times...and if golf gives them a hard time, I can't get too upset when it gives me one too. :-)

 

Extremely and excruciatingly hard. The course I just shot 94 on I've also recorded a 65 on. Not this season but it's not a "94" hard course. Every hard hole has a bail out so there's really no reason to blow up on it. Well... there is one reason.... Golf is hard. Giving up 16 strokes on the tees by having to re-tee 8 times tends to bring out the ugly on the end results. I was a little surprised when I added them up and it was ""only" a 94. Felt like about a 200. Golf is certainly hard most days.

[DivinDave]

Golf is hard.

I guess I will just have to live with the fact that unless you are super talented, with the mental toughness of Dr Spock, it will remain so.

 

the last several rounds Ive played really well (at least for me), and was feeling great about my game. After yesterdays round though, Im back, looking of the magic cure.

[Sean2]

Yes Larry, it is! I take nothing for granted in this game. Nothing.

 

I've shot a 92 and a 68 (same course/tees). For the past few months I have been more consistent, but "consistent" is a bit relative, especially as it relates to golf. lol

 

I have learned to accept what the game gives me on any given day. Even professionals struggle at times...and if golf gives them a hard time, I can't get too upset when it gives me one too. :-)

 

Extremely and excruciatingly hard. The course I just shot 94 on I've also recorded a 65 on. Not this season but it's not a "94" hard course. Every hard hole has a bail out so there's really no reason to blow up on it. Well... there is one reason.... Golf is hard. Giving up 16 strokes on the tees by having to re-tee 8 times tends to bring out the ugly on the end results. I was a little surprised when I added them up and it was ""only" a 94. Felt like about a 200. Golf is certainly hard most days.

 

I was paired up with a twosome a couple of weeks ago. We are all about the same age, (60s). The one fellow says he is relatively new to the game. I asked, "Why did you take up golf?" He said, "My life is so great and stress free, I needed something to aggravate me."

[Man_O_War]

golf is VERY hard

 

I've had 68 and 86 within a 24 hour period. Same course, same conditions

 

looks like you had a mirror in the wrong place is all.