Why does golf do this to us?

Matt Holbrook reflects on another rollercoaster weekend of golf, from birdie chances and brilliant ball-striking to the one shot that changed everything.

Why does golf give, give, give then out of nowhere...TAKE. It’s like, golf is watching you playing well, hitting the ball lovely and thinks to itself ‘No Matt, not today’.

Of course, its' not golf’s fault, it’s all on me, isn’t it??

I’ve had a weekend on the course, I’ll start with today, in the black tee medal at Felixstowe Ferry – which by the way is so ‘linksy’ right now as the recent warm weather has baked the course out and looking very brown and yellow – just as it should be, in my opinion.

The mini driver was behaving, and despite a poor bogey on the opening hole (Only poor due to the fact I smashed it down the middle of the fairway and was only flicking a wedge in. You aim right of the green, and the ball will roll down on the slope, but just hit it too far right and it stayed at the top. Idiot)

Then regulation pars – fairways and greens – from 2 to 7. A horrid 3 putt bogey on the par 5 8th – which is incredibly frustrating as it's index 3 so having a birdie putt is a good chance to get one back from the course.

Another par 3 bogey at 9 after finding a short-sided bunker – but I was still feeling good and then made par, par, bogey before a nicely holed putt on 14 (stroke index 1) for birdie got me back to +3 stood on the 15th tee.

The mini driver that I had been hitting impressively well (Not my words, my playing partners' words) then decided to leave its face wide open and hit it OOB right. For 14 holes, bar one or two minor errant shots that I am ok with, I have it on a bit of string. So why does it do that? Why does golf behave like this? WHY DOES GOLF HATE ME SO MUCH?!?!?!

I made a 7. Which in itself, was miraculous given where I hit my 3rd shot off the tee in anger. But all good stories have a happy ending. Right?

Well sorry to disappoint, not this one.

Bogey 16 – missed short putt.

Bogey 17 – 3 putts.

Par up the last at least left me not wanting to throw myself off the bank of the course into the sea.

So, 80 (+8) in the medal for a net 75 (+3) isn’t too bad. But oh, what could have been this morning.

The day earlier I had my first ‘proper’ game at Diss as a member. By ‘Proper’ I mean with other members. Again, hit the ball well but scored a little worse – 33 points with 2 blobs, for anyone that cares.

Last week on Thursday afternoon, I had my monthly lesson with Sam. I was keen to get out on the golf course with him this time, instead of hitting balls in the bay. As much as a like that check-in with him, I felt that I have been – and do – hit the ball well on the range, but it wasn’t translating onto the course as I’d like it to. So, we jumped on a buggy and played 10 holes.

We both played, but for me I wanted to talk him through my thinking and process on the course. It turned into a great session. And he pretty much confirmed what I already thought in my own head. I think very well on the course, I make very good decisions, I don’t try and play shots that I don’t have, or practise and all my on-course issues are mechanical. When I make a big number, it’s due to poor technique, not a poor decision or trying to be a hero on the course – see the 15th hole today, for example.

So as I put the lid on another weekend of golf where I’ve come away thinking ‘What could have been’ at least I know that the mental part of the game is in a pretty good position, so back to the range we go……..