Golf forum

Guys,

My last five rounds have had a noticabley unbalanced scorecard between front and back nines:

1: Front 9 +11 ... back 9 +2

2: Front 9 +11 ... back 9 +5

3: Front 9 +6 ... back 9 +5

4: Front 9 +7 ... back 9 +1

5: Front 9 +8 ... Back 9 +2

Total Front 9 +42 Total Back 9 +15

Its not specific holes either as I have played once of the courses back 9 first.

I definately start each round tense and it probably takes me some time to get the lanky libs and stick thin body synchronised.

How can I sort this out - I might break 80 if I can play the front 9 well at some point.

You are not alone, Mark, I too have been suffering from poor front nines, but I put this down to being lazy by not warming up and hitting a few shos before I start.

I too am looking to break this elusive 80, but perhaps it is not meant to be.

It is because I am fairly consistent in playing to my handicap that I find it difficult to come to terms with these very high handicappers breaking 80.

Me too. You can practice too much before a round though. That's what I did down at your club recently John, and shot 93. The previous time, the famous 79, I just turned up.

I read John Daly's Golf My Own Damn Way recently. It's more entertainment than tuition, but one thing he said about pre game warm ups was interesting.

He only hits a couple of irons, chips and putts, but what he does is he takes the club he would expect to hit his approach to the first with (so a mid iron say) and hits half a dozen of them. Then he hits a couple of chips from just off the green. Then a couple of three or four foot putts. Point is he's practicing the sort of shots he will need to save strokes on the first couple of holes. That rang a bell with me because my drive is usually good but I throw away lots of shots from the fairway in on the first few holes, until I am warmed up. 

throw away lots of shots from the fairway in on the first few holes!!!!!

Only on the first few Stuart

Good point Mr S. I throw shots away on the first 18 holes, but particularly on the first couple!

Smart ass!

thanks for the compliment

its common sense really. does you course have a practise fairway/area. before your next round, get there 45mins early use a sand iron, eight iron and a four iron, just hit balls and get your swing nice and loose.

this works fact!!! how many pro's play around of golf having just stepped out of there car,s? NONE. i notice this with myself.... if i do all of the above,i tend to have agreat front nine... if i,m running late and go straight out it takes me about five holes before i feel happy with my swing!

I do get pretty loose Paul but I think for me its about defending against attacking golf - Its not until a crap score slaps me in the face that I stop trying to defend my way round and start trying to collect pars.

I am sure its mental.

I agree with John P (really i do) I think warming up is vital for good golf but without going overboard.

A good tip for those who don't is setup your 1st tee shot with the club about 2 or 3 inches behind the ball, it compensates for lack of rotation and helps get rid of the 1st tee slice.

As for breaking 80, done it a few times but would be happeir scoring 81 every round!!

Mental ? thanks for that 1980's based insult - perhaps you will be calling me a 'divot' next or heaven forbid a 'Joey' !!

Mark, I get similar mental blocks.  When I was a member at a nine hole course I was averaging 4 shots better on the front nine than on the back which made no sense as they were the same nine holes.

Currently averaging  less than 100 is a barrier I am failing to get past.  I found it useful to score my card to a par of 104 when I was trying to get my scores down from around the 110 mark. However I carried on doing so when my average score went under 104.  Now my scores are stagnating in the low hundreds.  Having read your post I will start scoring to a par of 100 as I think I am being to defensive as soon as I get under par.  If I reduce the par it may bring out a more positive attitude. 

Perhaps you could do the same setting youself a realistic but challenging par to shoot to, say 1 shot below your handicap.

I have been having the opposite problem. In my last two comps i have been 2 under and 5 under after the front nine. Both times i have finished the rounds level to my handicap. My mental game must be extremely poor to have done it in 2 comps!

Any adivice?