Golf forum

It's in your head Dave. You've already said you've accepted you'll play a bad shot so all your body language etc will follow.

If it's a short Par 4 can't you try a 5 iron or something just to get you in play & think of it as a par 3??

Nice little tip I read in this months GM. Focus on the three best shots you have ever hit off that tee. You know you have played it well in the past. Focus on those attempts rather than the "how will I mess it up this time" thoughts.

IMO if you try to adjust your strategy by taking a shorter club etc that's just an admission to oneself there is a problem - when in fact there probably isn't. If you know you can excute a good shot off that tee then step up and do it. No other thoughts necessary pre or during shot. 

Dave,

Try taking your 7 or even your 8iron just to get it in play and kill those demons.

Chris, just read your post, great minds think a like eh?

Serves me right for not reading all the thread first!

I had a hole on my home course in NZ that did the same to me.  It was stroke index 18, par 4 (bad indexing IMHO)

Below is the description:

No. 6

Should I go for it?  If you are driving your ball very well go for it but remember you will need carry the large lake which is approximately 240 metres from the tee.  Alternatively hit an 7-8 iron short of the fairway bunker and lake which will set you up for a short iron over the water.  Our signature hole.

My old man always used to play this hole 8 iron, wedge and walk away with par or better most times (he is off 5).  I used to play it 8 iron, wedge into the lake, drop 3rd, wedge on green/near green/in lake again and walk off with double or worse.

I changed to driver off the tee and taking it on, have made eagle a number of birdes , pars and some much worse but it broke the hold he hole had over me. I always figured driver in the lake with a drop 2nd then 3rd on the green was better than second.  I found if I hit driver in the lake it was vary rare to hit my second there as well.

 Other times I would play a 5 iron around the side of the lake (much more difficult second but you don't have to play over the lake)

After that I could play the 8 iron/wedge or driver depending on conditions and how I was swinging but the bogey hole was gone.

I guess what it did for me was to challange the hole and get agressive, an appraoch I followed with some success at rugby as well! (actually change hole for opponent for rugby....)

Dave,

I had 2 holes at my course that when playing in a medal would kill my card. Off the whites the tee is about 50yrd back & makes it treelined for the 1st 150yrds. I was intimidated by this & tried to 'steer' my tee shot. The last 3 months I used the tip you gave me which was to drive my lower body through the ball & be agressive. The 2 holes are now easier to play & most times I make par or bogey.

Forget all the trouble off the tee & just play it like any par4 & BANG it down the middle

I seem to have the same problem on the Abbotts course at my golf club!

It's OOB's on the left and there are trees down the right hand side of the fairway, so you have two choices, straight down the middle or a big slice over onto the 18th fairway and come in at the green from that angle.

It does sound like you have it in your head now that you are not going to play this tee shot well, so try and relax, don't hit a full shot, hit a 70% one.  OK, you might be thirty yards further back from where you would have been, but you'll be on the fairway.

The other thing is check the tee box, is it pointing straight down the hole or is it ever so slightly off in one direction?  You know what these course designers are like at playing with our heads!

Next think is practice, get down there when it's quiet and just hit a few balls from the tee.  Maybe do as suggested and play a seven iron and build up to your driver.

The other thing is to imagine you are playing a different hole, pick a hole on that course (or even another course if you want) and play your normal shot for that hole.

Now I know that you probably have already thought of all these but I'm only trying to help.   If I have given you a good suggestion I'll expect a cheque soon....      

Russ

If none of the above help start at the second tee!

Russ

Sounds obvious, but do you warm up and prepare properly?

Can you hit some balls on the practice ground or into the practice net prior to tee off? It  helps no end to get the stiff warming up shots out of the way.

I also find if I have rushed to the tee and rumaged around for tee, ball, glove, club etc and not had a nice relaxing start, that I tend to pull it or mis hit it.  It's difficult to put a proper turn and nice smooth dwing on it.  I bet 95% of the golfing population have this same battle on the first tee-so you aren't alone

It sounds patronising I know, to a single figure player, but it's mostly all mental.  You need to be organised, relaxed, warmed up and have a positive mind set about what you are trying to achieve.  Know exactly where you want to hit it and have a hole plan-be more positive than "I just want to hit it and not top it last week, that was so humiliating with all my mates watching"-how many people think like that.  i know I do sometimes.

SIMPLE, BUT A LOT HARDER THAN IT SOUNDS!  Hitting a mid iron twice is a great idea-particularly if its a short hole you will only need two 7 irons or similar.

Dave,

If all else fails you could always do a Happy Gilbert

Thanks for the replies guys some good points raised. Matt  not patronisng in the least some truths there I don't warm up properly before team games, being Captain I'm usually a bit stressed with organising and that everyone turns in .I tend to just do a bit of chipping and putting and on to the tee and I always play last man. I think this then splills over into my medal rounds even though I have time to and do warm up. So that would be the mental block . Cheers.

Proper golf tomorrow JP playing Pennard.

Last few rounds I had the same issue with my 4 iron, which is normally my trusted club. Ive been pulling it/hooking all over the right (where there is a lake).

Last 3 rounds I have taken driver and smashed it down the middle leaving SW to the green.

I would agree with John, mental attitide is a major factor.

David,

You could probably excuse the ones where we teed off about 5:30am!!

Dave L,

I don't know what your thoughts are or what you swing like but there is a trend for Golfers around your Hcp to get into a run that you discribe.

Its the 1st Tee in a Comp and you want to get off to a good start. "A nice smooth swing will do it" you think, but forget to commit to the shot and the timing goes a little off and you get the bad result.

It's difficult I know but commit and don't worry about a Duff shot.

TheLyth

You are very lucky, Dave, you  only have one tee blues, I have the blues on every tee.

I cannot understand why that last hole caused so many problems. 36 players and 30 balls in the water.

I was close with my guess then with 32 balls!!!

I can't understand why that hole caused so many problems either, I hit a smooth 9 to 4 feet & then holed it for a birdie

John well done mate

Dave, it's bad when someone won't even give you a ball

Well said John, I'll keep mine back for the 36 hole Open at Conwy on the 26th then

I know what you mean John F, I was baffled...

A (not so) smooth gap wedge and a two putted par. Mind you, my Hydrophobia helps, shame it wasn't catching!!!

As a gay rocker used to say "under pressure"!!!!

you might not think it but your putting pressure on yourself.