Hindsight

I'm sure we've all had horror holes and horror rounds. No doubt as well we've all sat in the bar afterwards recalling how "unlucky" we were or stupid we were. Quite often there will be a " but why didn't you just....." comment in the conversation. So quite an easy science is hindsight.... But how many of us actually take the benefit of hindsight and apply it the next time in a similar situation and thus limit the damage.
E.g. you have a double figure score at a hole, yes it should never happen but it does, do you analyse it to see what you could/should have done differently?? And have you subsequently experienced the benefit of learning from the experience??

Who's got the spectacular examples then??

I hack around off 21. Hindsight is wonderful when i have my stinker holes, which im always going to get. But i will alwys do the same thing next time. Its part of the fun of the game trying to pull a magic shot off like trying to miss the massive tree or branchs when playing a risky shot, instead of bunting it out sideways. Thats why i will probably not venture much further then 21. But thats also because i dont practice and only play once a month at best.

When I first started playing, we had a long par 3(210 yards) with water down one side of the green and bunkers on the other side and in front.

When I tried to play is as a par 3 would end up with a 5 or worse on the hole, then 1 day I tried a 7 iron of the tee knowing I could not reach the green, then chipped on and sank the putt for my first par on the hole, and that's how I played that hole till I got handicap down to below 18, mind you must admit my bunker play improved with the amount of practice on that hole alone

Got a fairly good example I think...

In a recent medal, I was determined beforehand to play it "safe" and concentrate much more on course management etc.

3rd hole at our place is a shortish par5 which curves around gently to the right. Off the tee there is a pond on the first part of the dogleg which the big hitters can go over (but not me). I used to always take a driver off the tee but with my fade (fade on a good day, slice on a bad day), the pond was always a danger to me. So this day I took a 3 wood off the tee which means I can barely reach the fairway unless I hit it right off the screws, but the semi leading up to the fairway isn't penal. Part one of the plan worked perfectly.

Second shot means going around the second part of the dogleg which is guarded by a large hedge. Sadly, I pushed my 2nd shot right into and under the hedge. This is where the meltdown occured; I thought I could chip it out sideways from under the hedge but 3 shots later I'd only managed to get it barely out from under. A hack out of the rough to 70 yards short of the green followed by a semi-shank into a greenside bunker and the misery was complete.

Since then I've continued with the ploy of safety off the tee and mostly avoided the hedge with the second shot too but one game last week I put the 2nd into the same hedge. Remembering the previous disaster I took my medicine (and a penalty drop), dropped far enough back to enable my 4th shot over the hedge to PW distance and got up and down for a 6 (net par).

Lesson learned!

The 6th hole at my place is a par 4 and to get to the tee you have to walk some 50 yards into the forest. The tee shot then has to travel through the 'tunnel' out of said trees and where the trees finish the hole bends to the left.
The hole is quite short, approx a drive and a 9 iron, so should be easy but if you have a fading flight with your driver (as i do) there are trees waiting for you on the right of the fairway and out of bounds if you slice it too much, and that's if you get out of the tree tunnel at all!
If i'm going to run up a 6 or 7 it will always be on this 'easy' hole, which is infuriating.
The other day, for the first time i decided to be sensible and hit 23 degree hybrid off the tee and then 7 iron. Hit the perfect hybrid, even with a bit of draw to it, bang into the middle of the fairway. Pulled out the 7 iron and sliced it into the deep stuff. Took 2 to get out of there. Thinned a chip and 3 putts later i finished with an 8.

Damn it!!!

It's strange that you go for shots when you're not good enough to make them, but when you improve you start to play within yourself (or is that why we improve?).

This is probably a borderline cliche amongst golfers nowadays but it is very true: as Bob Rotella says, "Conservative strategy, cocky swing". You should never have horrific holes with this tactic.

Mercurio wrote:You should never have horrific holes with this tactic.

And yet................

I am sure ryo Ishikawa can give you plenty of examples from today alone!!

Mercurio wrote:It's strange that you go for shots when you're not good enough to make them, but when you improve you start to play within yourself (or is that why we improve?).

This is probably a borderline cliche amongst golfers nowadays but it is very true: as Bob Rotella says, "Conservative strategy, cocky swing". You should never have horrific holes with this tactic.

Been reading quite a bit of Rotella's stuff since i've not been able to play, there is a lot to be learnt from his books and matra that simply no amount of work on the range can do for you. I've picked up a lot from his books that I will try to impart on my own game and can be of use to a lot of players especially those that have certain frustrations they cannot overcome despite no untold amounts of practice.

As for hindsight. One day i'll have the foresight to say to myself before playing our 4th hole that last week in when looking back in hindsight as I do every week, hit the 3wood not the driver

Ishikawa is 15 over through 14 holes?!
What the hell is that about??!

MustPuttBetter wrote:

Mercurio wrote:You should never have horrific holes with this tactic.

And yet................

Indeed - I've only ever played one round where I've scored no worse than a bogey on each hole. Granted, I play a tricky course but, still, I should do that more often.

I wouldn't say a double was horrific, mind, but a few of them would be.

Hi Jas~good topic.

It always pays to reflect on your round.
My last but one game I thought my putting was so so but had in fact taken 27 putts.
My last game I thought I had played the inward half so so and got out of jail with a decent score. On reflection I had only hit one poor shot.

I am 'soft coaching' my regular playing partner who 2 years ago was a grip it and rip it merchant. Got him thinking about 'chess golf' and playing to his strengths. His strategy has improved greatly but it is interesting to see the gradual improvements in his swing and tempo without any real swing coaching.

I've been fortunate enough to knock it around Wentworth's West course a few times in the past year and each time I have been there I've stood over every shot and taken the most aggressive play. This was partly to do with having young caddies off around scratch and feeling the need to show some childish bravado in front of them and partly to do with wanting to hit spectacular shots to say "I reached that green in two" or "stuck it close there" or "carried that bunker" etc.

I played there a couple of weeks ago and decided to completely change my focus and just try to take it easy around a really tough "driving" course. I managed to shoot a 74, 5 shots better than my previous best, and did that with a birdie birdie finish without going for either green in two. I always find that playing at a course that's a bit more special to your norm can make you play shots that you really shouldn't be playing but am now convinced that playing a course the way that is meant to be played and not the way that you want to play it can make a huge difference, regardless of how good the course is.

I was expecting this to be a thread about Rory McIlroy's wrist injury!

Been stuck behind the same 4 inch wide tree twice, with the 'tiger' line just to the right, but just to the left would also work.

First time I did what I always do, and aim for the tree expecting to miss it. SLAM, right out of the meat into the centre of the trunk, the ball just missed me on its way back.

Last Tuesday, almost the identical spot, took the baffler this time instead of the 4 iron. SLAM, I gave it everything, next thing I know, my ball has hit the tree again and rebounded 50 yards onto the practice ground and OOB.

I really should learn the meaning of the term percentage golf!

oldshanker wrote:Been stuck behind the same 4 inch wide tree twice, with the 'tiger' line just to the right, but just to the left would also work.

First time I did what I always do, and aim for the tree expecting to miss it. SLAM, right out of the meat into the centre of the trunk, the ball just missed me on its way back.

Last Tuesday, almost the identical spot, took the baffler this time instead of the 4 iron. SLAM, I gave it everything, next thing I know, my ball has hit the tree again and rebounded 50 yards onto the practice ground and OOB.

I really should learn the meaning of the term percentage golf!

Why is that given 100 balls and asked to hit that tree you would probably struggle but try to miss and you can guarantee a direct hit?!? The law of sod in golf...

I wonder if Rory is wishing he had the benefit of hindsight right now? A sideways chip out might have been a better option

I was marking the card of someone doing really well in the monthly medal several months ago. He was plugged under the lip of the greenside bunker for 2. I really wanted to say to him; 'look just take an unplayable in the bunker, you're still in good shape. Just drop it on a flat point in the sand and try and at least give yourself some chance of reaching the green.' After 4 shots he finally hacked his way out. He just didn't get it when I quietly mentioned the option after the round. I think a lot of us would be better off taking a drop when the slope is so severe, you can hardly stand up for falling on your back into the bunker with a ball right under the lip.