Total collapse in club qualifier

[exgolfpro]

So, the title says it all.  Played in a club qualifier this weekend and completely lost my game.  Little back story to explain the situation.  Every October there are 14 clubs in southeast Missouri that get together for what is called the SEMO Cup (South East MissOuri).  In the event 12 members from your club play against all the other clubs in a 27 hole all day event.  Like most, our club has qualifiers throughout the year to be one of the 12 members to represent our club.  I have qualified every year for the team, usually with no problems....often finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th is scoring avg out of the 12 qualifiers.  So, we have already has our first qualifier last month.  It was a wet, cold, windy day and noone played very well.  I finished 3rd with a 79 (there were 2-78's as the best of the day). 

 

Well Saturday, we go out paired from our previous round scores.  So, my foursome includes the club pro and the two guys who shot 78 last time, and me.  The pro jokingly called this the 'premier group'.  Our opening hole is a slightly uphill par 5.  I hit a decent drive, decent 3 wood and have 70yds left.  I chunk my wedge, hit a decent chip to 5 ft and miss the putt for par.....+1.  The others in the group went birdie, birdie, par.  Already, I can feel that my swing doesn't feel great.  Not sure if timing is off or what is going on, but just don't feel good about the coming round.  On 2, the pro hits it to 12 ft and makes birdie, the rest of us 2 putt par.  3 is uphill short par 4, all 3 of us hit the green, but I three putt from 40ft to go to +2.  4th hold is 186yrd par 3.  Noone actually hits the green and I have the best chip by far.  Pro 2 putts, other 2 guys both make their 10 footers and I miss my 3 footer....+3 thru 4.  next hole is a short par 5, other guys i'm playing with are longer than me and they can all reach it in 2, I have to lay up and hit wedge in.  I actually hit my best iron shot of the day to 10 ft and make the downhill birdie.  Pro makes birdie, one of the other two guys also makes birdie.  Even though I just birdied, I still feel like the wheels are coming off and I don't know where the ball is going.  #6-im on the fringe in regulation and half scull a chip 18ft past the flag, 2 putt for bogey, +3 thru 6.  Get up/down for par on 7.  Starting to get cold/windy (maybe 55*) at this point.  On #8, a par 3, I come up short in the bunker, decelerate on my bunker shot and chunk it out.  chip on and 2 putt for double, +5.  Scrape it up #9 and somehow make a 12 footer for par to turn in 41.  Pro shot 36, other 2 guys shot 37.

 

#10 tough par 4 back into wind, all 4 of us miss the green, I hit the best chip shot, but still 2 putt for bogey.  One the guys made par.  #11 is 3shot par 5.  I miss the green after almost hitting tee shot OB and fail to get up/down for par.  Long hitter guy in our group makes birdie.  #12-rattle in a 15 footer for par, #13-par 3 make a 18 footer for par from the fringe....now sitting +7 thru 13.  Pro is +1, long hitter guy is even and other guy is +3.  #14 is a 420yds, OB right, hazard left.  Thanks to my long par putt on the previous hole, I am teeing off first...wind blowing towards OB.  Not sure what goes wrong, but I flat out TOP the ball, leftish off the tee.  It 3 hops into waist-high weeds into the hazard.  GREAT!!!!!, I find my ball but can't play it, so drop.  I've got 315yds in out of tall grass and try hitting hybrid....I hit it so-so and have 160yds left to pin.  Hit 7iron to front fringe and 3 putt for a triple.....+10 thru 14.  Next hole is a par 5, I hit a nice 3rd to about 20ft and 3 putt for bogey....+11.  At this point, my game is starting to effect the other guys as they have made a few bogeys as well.  Next hole is a par 3 with a huge 4ft slope in the middle of the green.  Pin is back, I hit the front section.  my first two putts do not make it up the hill and come back down.  My 3rd putt makes it up and goes racing by 12 ft and I make that putt for a double....+13.  On this hole, pro hit a shank off the tee and I feel I was partly to blame for the way I was distracting the rest of the group.  I routine bogey on 17 and an up/down par on 18 puts me in at a 86!  I understand that is not a terrible score by some peoples standards, but I have not posted a score in the 80's yet this year.  Pro shot 75, long drive guy shot 75 and other guy shot 77.  Each of the guys I was playing with hit a shot or two that I feel was at least partially my fault for how I was playing.

 

Anyway, I thought I would post my round so others can either laugh at my misery or help in some way, if you've ever blown up in an important round. 

 

Even though we have several more rounds to get our averages down, I went from 3rd in avg to T12 (they will fill 9 of the 12 spots off of the qualifier list).  The other 3 spots are filled with 1) the pro 2) the club championship winner and 3) someone voted in by the other 11 players.

 

Edited May 10, 2021 by exgolfpro
edited to add more detail

[rondre3000]

Don't know why you feel that your round performance had any effect on that of your group. It shouldn't at all. I barely notice that my friends are even there while I'm playing unless we're BS'ing on the teebox or shooting the s*** while walking. Once I'm over my shot or lining up my putt, I've totally blocked them out.

[BirdieDoc]

Not a competitive round but I shot 79, 101 back to back days. Same course, same tees this weekend.  It's frustrating to see the swing fall apart so quickly. I went from hitting fairways and 1 or 2 putting to missing 10 fairways and 3 putting 12 holes... So there's that for a pick me up haha

 

Also felt the second day there was something just not comfortable about the swing. Almost wasn't trusting where it was going. I blame a quick warm up and the starter telling me if I wasn't by the tee 10ins before my tee time I was getting bumped. 

[LeftDaddy]

Your round sounds like every one of mine, even down to the score. I’m a 10 cap and realize you must be several strokes better that, so I get that for you this day sucked. Not sure I’m offering much, but I have those days too where it just does not feel right and you hang on for a little while but deep down you know a terrible hole or two is coming. Happened to me about a month ago. I made par on the first two holes but I could just tell it didn’t feel right. I ended up shooting 89, which felt like 100. But (a) that’s golf, and (b) it was bad enough that it led to me working on figuring out why my game had started to falter some. 
 

Ive been researching (and just signed up for) the Decade system. It’s all about bogey or worse avoidance, 3 putt avoidance, etc. The main point of it, to some extent, is that golf is unpredictable and inconsistent by its nature, so you have to play the course understanding how much room you need to not hit terrible shots. I’ve known for a while, of course, that avoiding bogeys or worse is a key to good golf. But who intends to make a double bogey. They just happen sometimes.  Once I figure out how to avoid double bogeys I’ll be sure to come on here and tell you lol. 
 

I guess my point here is that bad days happen on the golf course. You’ll probably find your swing again soon, or shoot your best score the next time you are out. Good

luck with it!

Edited May 11, 2021 by LeftDaddy

[KBong]

7 hours ago, exgolfpro said:

Each of the guys I was playing with hit a shot or two that I feel was at least partially my fault for how I was playing.

 

 

Sorry to hear you sh*t the bed...it happens....you still have a good shot at qualifying IMO....forget the 86 and move on.

 

Based on the skill level of the other 3 players....IMO...if they were affected by your poor play...then they are mental midgets....no way should they have been thrown off....they are good golfers who should and can block out everything except for their own game.

[phizzy30]

You're overthinking it and being way too hard on yourself bro.  Back when I played on my college team, we would play against other schools all over the country.  My best round was 69 and worst was 83.  Was a 2 cap at the time.  s*** happens even to the elite golfers.  I felt like I let the team down at times.  Coach once told me to have a very short memory.  Essentially do a memory wipe after a bad hole.  Took me awhile for his words to sink in but I eventually was able to become mentally tougher out on the course.  These days, I do better most of the time on the back 9.  Remember, you are out there to have fun.  Not like your playing to feed your family. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by phizzy30

[Righty to Lefty]

Keep swinging and stay with your process and the results will come.  

Edited May 12, 2021 by Righty to Lefty

[phizzy30]

11 minutes ago, Righty to Lefty said:

Keep swinging and stay with your process keep that the results will come.  

Agree.  Many amateurs don't realize how important it is to have a pre-shot routine.  Every tour pro has one and they don't deviate from it.  I started incorporating one and staying with it a long time ago.  I feel like it helps me focus on what I need to get done.  

Edited May 12, 2021 by phizzy30

[Righty to Lefty]

1 minute ago, phizzy30 said:

Agree.  Many amateurs don't realize how important it is to have a pre-shot routine.  Every tour pro has one and they don't deviate from it.  I started incorporating one and staying with it a long time ago.  I feel like it helps me focus on what I need to get done.  

That one thought alone had me playing the best golf of my life last summer.  I became so focused on my routine and giving every single shot its full respect and attention that I would only add up my score after the round. The previous shot or score on a hole has no bearing on the shot at hand as the same with future holes.  I would " snap out of it" after the last putt was holed and then I would see how I performed. 

 

I will never forget that level of focus as it was huge for me. I went through a 3 week period where I shot 7 over or better in 15 of 17 rounds of golf.  I literally felt no different making an eagle or double bogey because the next shot was in it's own compartment and given the same importance as any other.  It was amazing how much detail I noticed when I became fully immersed in that shot and that shot only. I was still able to socialize and enjoy the round but when it was my turn I was oblivious to what was going on around me as it also calmed my emotions because I may react at the shot that I just hit, but it was gone by the time the next shot's preparation began, which is on the walk to the next shot.  It was an experience that I will always carry forward with me. 

[SNIPERBBB]

Club championship several years ago...I had a case of the S's with wedges in the first round. It was so bad I started to put the ball 2" off the toe of my wedge at address. Ended up shooting 89. 2nd round in the afternoon I came back with a 74 to get back to 5th place so I had an outside chance to get in the money which was top 4. 

[ZA206]

Don't worry OP. We have all BTDT.

I'm a 3 cap and haven't gotten out of the 80's in my last 5 rounds. I'm a disaster right now.

 

I've had tournament rounds at my club where I was so out of sorts, I was basically 3-putting anything over 15 ft. I was completely psyched out mentally and all sense of feel on the greens was GONE... It was horrible. I've also had tournament rounds where I got every terrible break imaginable, even when I was hitting the ball amazing (hit the ball like I'm playing even/under par and wound up shooting an 85 or something).

 

The struggle is REAL man!

 

-ZA

Edited May 12, 2021 by ZA206

[getitdaily]

It happens man. My last 2 tournament rounds were both -3. I played in a tournament Saturday and felt like I

 

- had no idea what shot to play

- had no idea how to putt

- had no idea how to chip 

- cracked my driver on the range or within 2 holes 

 

Was +5 thru 6. Couldn't right the ship. Turned in 42, bogey on 10, gave up mentally. Posted 82.

 

Haven't shot above 80 in about a year. 

 

2 day tournament coming at end of may. I'll prob shoot -2 to -5 for the 2 days...

[GAGolfer1]

If those guys are that effected by your play they should just join the Tour—they won’t have that issue there. 

[fronesis]

The OP’s story is nothing more or less than the story of competitive golf. It’s a totally different game, and when it goes bad, it can go REALLY bad in a hurry.

 

The most vivid memory I have of my high school golf “career” was the final tournament my sophomore year. I had been improving quickly and played solid golf in the 2 to 4 slot on my team all year. For the last half of the season my stroke average was about 81, but I was never above an 83. That last round it ALL went wrong: I think I shot 97, but it could have been 99. I know it was really close to 100 without being triple digits. The next year I had a 76 stroke average. I actually learned a lot about my game during that torturous round.

[STL_Baller]

We've all done it at one point or another.....and usually its 100% mental, focusing on the outcome rather than the shot at hand.  I've played what I would call competitive golf for a long time.  I've also competed in a few other individual sports at very high levels (D1 college tennis and Professional Target Archery) and have done the equivalent of the above story in both of those sports as well.  Every time I reflect on what went wrong, usually on the long drive home, I have always come to the same result of worried too much about the outcome rather than the process at hand.  

 

As stated above competitive athletes have to have a short memory when it comes to what's happening in front of them, and a good process when it comes to the next shot, next point, next arrow....once the ball leaves the face you can't have it back.  You and you alone know what you are capable of, forget the bad stuff, work your process and the results will be there at the end.