Slow starts killing my rounds

[jibbs1082]

Hey all, have been in this annoying funk lately with slow starts just killing my rounds. Shooting 4-5 strokes better on the back then the front, and really just because of stupid mistakes (likely mental errors in executing a shot).

 

Any suggestions, other than the obvious of the range routine.

 

How do you mentally lock right in for a match from the first shot?? Feel like it takes me a couple holes to get my swag going. I dont think I have birded the first hole in months...

 

[angler99]

Really focus on getting a birdie on the first hole.   When you are heading to the first tee, imagine the feeling of picking the ball out of the cup for a birdie or par if it's a hard hole.  On the first tee, visualize each shot you are going to hit to get that birdie or par. Visualize your first shot, the trajectory and where it will land in the fairway and how that is going to leave you a great look at hitting the green on the next shot. Once you are past the first hole, perhaps you'll get your swag going earlier than normal.  Easier said than done. I'm the exact opposite of you. I start fast and start leaking oil on the back nine.

[TobesSC]

Can you explain more on what the stupid mistakes are?  Do you warm up before your round?

 

My initial thought is maybe its a mindset thing.  Not comfortable starting the round and not confident in swing/direction.  Would suggest making point of aggressive swing to conservative targets until you get your feel/flow going.

[ferrispgm]

I have found that for me, starting off the first few holes very conservatively and giving myself a few holes or so to get into the flow of the round helps.  Don't try to be aggressive or pull off any tough shots, just keep it ultra simple and eliminate mistakes. If you have a middle pin on the first hole or two and you can make birdie, great...if not, no big deal.

[jibbs1082]

40 minutes ago, TobesSC said:

Can you explain more on what the stupid mistakes are?  Do you warm up before your round?

 

My initial thought is maybe its a mindset thing.  Not comfortable starting the round and not confident in swing/direction.  Would suggest making point of aggressive swing to conservative targets until you get your feel/flow going.

 

I like this... like aggressive to large target early on.

 

Stupid mistakes would be maybe trying to steer a drive and being a little lazy with the swing and leaving the face a hair open or swiping a little over the top. Irons on approach, just not comfortable with sequence.

 

I do warm up for sure but we are limited to sub 150 at our club... so that's definitely some of it, however I have found even after full bag warmups at other places, it doesn't translate necessarily to the course.

 

If I am self diagnosing, I feel like it is more mental execution and bearing down on a shot and at least getting the proper sequencing that can at least hide some flaws with a tighter dispersion until you get settled in. Probably nerves, of either who I am playing with, or b) trying to come out and post a score that day.

 

Also have found at our course the rough is so nasty this time of year, so even just missing the fairway by 5 yards really puts you in a difficult approach to hold a green in the spots you really need to land it.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2024 by jibbs1082

[ferrispgm]

3 hours ago, jibbs1082 said:

 

I like this... like aggressive to large target early on.

 

Stupid mistakes would be maybe trying to steer a drive and being a little lazy with the swing and leaving the face a hair open or swiping a little over the top. Irons on approach, just not comfortable with sequence.

 

I do warm up for sure but we are limited to sub 150 at our club... so that's definitely some of it, however I have found even after full bag warmups at other places, it doesn't translate necessarily to the course.

 

If I am self diagnosing, I feel like it is more mental execution and bearing down on a shot and at least getting the proper sequencing that can at least hide some flaws with a tighter dispersion until you get settled in. Probably nerves, of either who I am playing with, or b) trying to come out and post a score that day.

 

Also have found at our course the rough is so nasty this time of year, so even just missing the fairway by 5 yards really puts you in a difficult approach to hold a green in the spots you really need to land it.

 

 

Literally the same issues I had....I used to have a goal of shooting low whenever I played and more often than not would play like crap the first few holes and play worse and then on the back 9 come back and play better when I realized the low round is out the window.  That's when I realized that if I had that same back 9 attitude to start the round I would probably play looser/better.  The nerves are tough....For me on the first tee......I tell myself there is no point in worrying about where the ball goes, just trust it, swing, and where the ball goes it goes.  I went from 1 out of 10 1st tee shots being good to being somewhere around 7 or 8 out of 10 being good. That apprehension about a bad shot can ruin you.  It's the same for me on any other "pressure" shots later in the round....I remind myself to just trust it and swing. 

[Rbsiedsc]

34 minutes ago, ferrispgm said:

Literally the same issues I had....I used to have a goal of shooting low whenever I played and more often than not would play like crap the first few holes and play worse and then on the back 9 come back and play better when I realized the low round is out the window.  That's when I realized that if I had that same back 9 attitude to start the round I would probably play looser/better.  The nerves are tough....For me on the first tee......I tell myself there is no point in worrying about where the ball goes, just trust it, swing, and where the ball goes it goes.  I went from 1 out of 10 1st tee shots being good to being somewhere around 7 or 8 out of 10 being good. That apprehension about a bad shot can ruin you.  It's the same for me on any other "pressure" shots later in the round....I remind myself to just trust it and swing. 

Well said. On my home course and I get out at sunrise the first tee is always like you describe how you used to be. I need to change my mindset around and hope that helps. Like today, on the front I couldn't buy a par and was living with double bogies. On the back going into 18 I was +3 for that nine. Something about trusting and knowing you can play this silly game. Thank you.

[ferrispgm]

43 minutes ago, Rbsiedsc said:

Well said. On my home course and I get out at sunrise the first tee is always like you describe how you used to be. I need to change my mindset around and hope that helps. Like today, on the front I couldn't buy a par and was living with double bogies. On the back going into 18 I was +3 for that nine. Something about trusting and knowing you can play this silly game. Thank you.

The anticipation of outcome is a killer.....Whenever I start worrying about where a shot will go I struggle.  Every under par round I have shot happens when I don't care about outcome and just trust my swing. Heck, even last week...worried on front because I couldn't get comfortable...shot 39, stopped worrying and shot 3 under on the back.

[me05501]

A lot of courses start out with a "handshake hole" meant to ease you into a round. It should be an easy par or bogey at worst. 
 

This kind of hole can cause you to be lazy with your aim. Instead of picking a really specific target a lot of us just try to hit it "anywhere out there." 

 

It seems like our caveman brains are wired to respond best to very specific targets. Make sure to choose one for each of your first several shots. If there's no obvious target in the fairway you can pick a tree in the far distance. 

[TheDeanAbides]

22 hours ago, TobesSC said:

Can you explain more on what the stupid mistakes are?  Do you warm up before your round?

 

My initial thought is maybe its a mindset thing.  Not comfortable starting the round and not confident in swing/direction.  Would suggest making point of aggressive swing to conservative targets until you get your feel/flow going.

This is exactly what I was going to say - especially the last line. 

[TheDeanAbides]

18 hours ago, ferrispgm said:

Literally the same issues I had....I used to have a goal of shooting low whenever I played and more often than not would play like crap the first few holes and play worse and then on the back 9 come back and play better when I realized the low round is out the window.  That's when I realized that if I had that same back 9 attitude to start the round I would probably play looser/better.  The nerves are tough....For me on the first tee......I tell myself there is no point in worrying about where the ball goes, just trust it, swing, and where the ball goes it goes.  I went from 1 out of 10 1st tee shots being good to being somewhere around 7 or 8 out of 10 being good. That apprehension about a bad shot can ruin you.  It's the same for me on any other "pressure" shots later in the round....I remind myself to just trust it and swing. 

Fred Shoemaker sorted those first tee nerves for me when he asked if we would mind topping the first drive if we knew we'd shoot par that day? Obvious adjust for your own goals. 

[GungHoGolf]

57 minutes ago, me05501 said:

A lot of courses start out with a "handshake hole" meant to ease you into a round. It should be an easy par or bogey at worst. 

 

Must be nice! All four of my club’s courses have very challenging holes on #1. Yesterday I took an OB double on the first, and had to refocus and put it behind me to grind out a 75 (37-38).

Edited July 12, 2024 by GungHoGolf

[ThePaineTrain]

1 hour ago, me05501 said:

A lot of courses start out with a "handshake hole" meant to ease you into a round. It should be an easy par or bogey at worst. 
 

This kind of hole can cause you to be lazy with your aim. Instead of picking a really specific target a lot of us just try to hit it "anywhere out there." 

 

It seems like our caveman brains are wired to respond best to very specific targets. Make sure to choose one for each of your first several shots. If there's no obvious target in the fairway you can pick a tree in the far distance. 

Two similar tips: "aim small, miss small" and "take dead aim". All too often on the first tee the goal is just "put it in play" and "don't screw up".

[GoGoErky]

1 hour ago, GungHoGolf said:

 

Must be nice! All four of my club’s courses have very challenging holes on #1. Yesterday I took an OB double on the first, and had to refocus and put it behind me to grind out a 75 (37-38).

Yeah I play some courses where the first few holes are ready to take your lunch money 

[SNIPERBBB]

2 hours ago, me05501 said:

A lot of courses start out with a "handshake hole" meant to ease you into a round. It should be an easy par or bogey at worst. 
 

This kind of hole can cause you to be lazy with your aim. Instead of picking a really specific target a lot of us just try to hit it "anywhere out there." 

 

It seems like our caveman brains are wired to respond best to very specific targets. Make sure to choose one for each of your first several shots. If there's no obvious target in the fairway you can pick a tree in the far distance. 

We used to have that on our course.  All our par 5s parallel each other. #1 was the left middle one. 18 to the left and 12 left of that across a big ditch. I've made par from 12 after hitting it so bad off the toe I'm not sure how the ball even left the tee.

 

They flipped the 9s and a way yard drive , you need to make one great shot just to make bogey.

 

As for the slow start thing, just lean into your tendencies for those holes. No point fighting them unless you are just chunking it up the fairway. That's one of the keys to lower scores, play for your tendencies, not what you want the ball to do.

[Pepperturbo]

I approach a "game" or tournaments differently from regular golf.  For me to focus on the 1st tee knowing I have my swing, I must hit a small bucket before teeing off, then I can trust my game from the start.

 

No bucket, I walk onto the first tee, knowing I have to find my swing on the front nine, which usually has a cost.  Also, I might get mentally lazy, which is brought about by playing an easy wide open course, so errors result; but then around 8 to the turn I realize my swing is back, and I am in the game.  From there I usually finish the back 1 under, even or 1 over par.

Edited July 12, 2024 by Pepperturbo

[ahelix]

out-of-left-field idea: try to play the back 9 first and see if anything changes. if anything, it might mentally help you shake the pattern of starting off slow if you start off on holes you've been playing better lately.

[jibbs1082]

On 7/12/2024 at 2:40 PM, ahelix said:

out-of-left-field idea: try to play the back 9 first and see if anything changes. if anything, it might mentally help you shake the pattern of starting off slow if you start off on holes you've been playing better lately.

 

Oddly enough one of my best rounds this year was an event that we started on #10.

 

[ahelix]

35 minutes ago, jibbs1082 said:

 

Oddly enough one of my best rounds this year was an event that we started on #10.

 

 

haha nice!

 

also, i know you said you didn't want range advice but try "playing" the first hole in your head at the range right before walking over to the first tee (like really visualize each shot etc.).

 

i have to laugh bc i'm a 19 HCP trying to give advice to a 7.5 HCP... lol. do as i say, not as i do! i only get to play about twice a month so i'm just realistic with where my game is gonna be for a little while (3 kids 6yo and under, wife and i both work full-time.

[Rbsiedsc]

hit me again today, except my first 4 holes I actually started decent, hit a slump and then perceivered through on the back.

[naval2006]

You need to find the flow for the day on the first holes, whether your warmed up or not.  It often takes great part of your mind during the early holes so you're likely to lose focus.  There's no miracle pill for this, you need to bear with it and learn to cope with these first 3 to 6 holes.  If you try to play too defensive or too agressively you're likely to mess it up. When in competition,  I'm always conservative at the beginning of the round, like studying how my game's going to come out for the day.  It's pretty easy to make one or two doubles from the fairway at this stage if you're not on the look out.  Sometimes I bump into an early birdie, but it's not that often.  

[iutodd]

What kind of round pre-planning are you doing?

 

I think this is an underrated thing.  Do you know what you're hitting off the first tee?  The second?  Do you have an idea of which holes are "hard" and which are "easy"?  Do you have a notion of where your birdie/par opportunities are?

 

Often on the first hole, especially if I've not had any warm-up, I'm just thinking: "OK - give myself a look at par inside 15-20 feet."  A bogey isn't going to kill my score, but doubles and triples are absolute killers.  If I've had some warm-up and I've identified the first hole as somewhat gettable (as in I'm hitting 9-iron or less into the green), then I change to thinking: "OK - I want a birdie putt inside 30 feet here."  And you can just work backwards from there as you play the hole. 

 

Also - like - golf is hard enough.  Be able to give yourself grace.

[Mobert19]

Did this today. Started bogie-double-double-bogie en route to a 46.  Crushing a ball down the fairway only for it to run into a bush and be lost. Driving ball blocked out by trees and hitting branches trying to get out. Dumb stuff. 
 

Shot one over for a 37 on the back. It’s just annoying to know you’re low score is ruined for the day after those first five holes.