What am I doing wrong?

[lamebums]

I don't get it. I scaffled and hacked my ball around the course today to the tune of a really ugly 50 (nine holes). I didn't even have a single penalty stroke--I just spent all day getting out of the most unimaginably horrid lies...and then when I get on the green, I can't putt.

I hate putting. I didn't make a single putt outside of six feet today, and I three putted 5 times.

Here's my shot by shot recap:

First hole (long par 4)
1 - Drive down the middle about 280
2 - 8 iron hacked offline to the right from 150-ish, only 3 feet off the green.
3 - Chip it up, only to watch the ball sloooooowly roll all the way off the front side of the green, 30 feet away. (They say they're going to level that green off. About !&$%ing time.)
4 - Chip again.
5 - one putt from three feet.

Second hole (par 3)
1 - Toed the hell out of the 8 iron from 155, 30 yards short.
2 - Chipped it up.
3, 4 - two putt from 10 feet.

Third hole (par 5)
1 - Drive about 250 out, and 150 into the trees on the right
2 - Punch out sideways back to the fairway
3 - Massive slice with the 3 wood (ball below feet) into the trees on the right
4 - Punch out again.
5 - Chip
6, 7, 8 - three putt from 15 feet.

Fourth hole (par 4)
1 - Drive about 300 down the right side, nestles right up to a tree.
2 - towering 9 iron over some trees--think I caught some hosel, because it was short and right.
3 - Chip on.
4, 5, 6 - three putt from 10 feet. I blew the first one ten feet past.


Fifth hole (par 4)
1 - Drive about 270 right in the middle of the fairway...so that I have a downhill, ball below the feet shot.
2 - Skulled the 9 iron over the green and into the trap.
3 - Facing a downhill sand shot, I putted out instead.
4, 5 - two putt from 8 feet.

Sixth hole (par 4)
1 - pull-hooked a 3 iron about 220 into the trees on the left, got a good bounce, kicked out.
2 - pulled the 7 iron
3 - Chipped it up
4, 5, 6 - three putt from 15-20 feet.

Seventh hole (par 4)
1 - 3 wood pulled about 250, left-center.
2 - 8 or 9 iron (can't remember, my memory isn't perfect...) short and right (sliced!)
3 - flubbed the chip.
4, 5, 6 - three putt.

Eighth hole (par 3)
1 - 9 iron from 135. Not sure what I did, but it wasn't good contact and it landed on the front edge.
2, 3 - two putt. I actually made par.

Ninth hole (par 5)
1 - Drive about 280 up the right side
2 - Toed the hell out of the 3 wood and watched it careen about 150 yards into a sand trap on the right.
3 - Left the 80 yard sand shot well short of the green.
4 - chip up.
5, 6, 7 - three putt right in front of 20+ guys watching from the club house. I just tossed my putter in the air and gave up.

I HATE PUTTING!!!

[mddubya]

Ouch, I feel for you lamebuns. I've had more days like that than I'd care to remember.

[Eracer]

That sounds like my normal game, but with good putting. Oh, and everywhere you wrote "chip," I would write:

Chip. Chip again. And again you %&#$@!!!!!

[BrandonM7]

Originally Posted by Eracer

That sounds like my normal game, but with good putting. Oh, and everywhere you wrote "chip," I would write:

Chip. Chip again. And again you %&#$@!!!!!

Same here. I was reading it thinking "where's the bad part?" But then I saw the 12.6 cap in the sig and understood the frustration.

[Adam Pettman]

It appears you cant putt, learn .

[SilverUberXeno]

Perhaps it is time to consider something new.

[SiberianDVM]

Second hole (par 3)
1 - Toed the hell out of the 8 iron from 155, 30 yards short.
2 - Chipped it up.
3, 4 - two putt from 10 feet.

What the hell are you doing trying to hit a 8 iron 155 yards? That's a 6 iron, dude!


Seriously, the pros say the #1 FU they see in pro-ams: amateurs not taking enough club and trying to pound one. Instead, take one more club than you think you need, and put a smooth swing on it.

That said, sometimes in the heat of battle, er, golf, I forget to think about things that do matter and will influence the shot: short or long grass or dirt or pinestraw, slope of the ground, uphill or downhill, wind, where to miss. And then right after I FU I cuss myself for playing it stupidly.

The ball on the turf will not go as far as one teed up. The ball in the rough wil not go as far or as straight as one on the fairway. The ball in the woods will go anywhere except where you want it to go.


We all make bad shots where we had the right idea, but hit the ball badly. What makes me upset is when I tried something really stupid.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

The ball on the turf will not go as far as one teed up. The ball in the rough will not go as far or as straight as one on the fairway. The ball in the woods will go anywhere except where you want it to go.

I'm going to have to disagree with your police work there, Doc.

A ball in heavy rough may not go as far or as straight, but a ball hit out of light rough (a "flyer lie") will tend to go further and straighter, due to the grass getting between the club and the ball, reducing spin.

As for the "ball in the woods," you're right about that. Add to that the "ball sitting in front of a 40 yard carry over water," and "ball sitting anywhere on the course that is in play for the best round of my career."

[SiberianDVM]

I am referring to the rough that gives me the most trouble: 3" Bermuda. The fluffy shit that swallows your ball whole. If you can even find the ****er, a full blown, gut busting, shart inducing hack-slash with a 7 iron produces a weak dribble reminiscent of Rockford drying to urinate on a -30° day.

You know, the kind of rough the GSGA likes on their amateur tournaments.

[lamebums]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

What the hell are you doing trying to hit a 8 iron 155 yards? That's a 6 iron, dude!

All of my irons are an inch and a half longer than standard, and I've always hit irons a long way. I hit another ball just to make sure I could make it, and sure enough, stuck it to about 15 feet to the right of the pin.

Man up and hit the shorter iron. Every time somebody screws up a shot, instead of saying the solemn "you lifted up, keep your head down" I instead say "Hit it harder."


I think the answer is a new putter.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

I am referring to the rough that gives me the most trouble: 3" Bermuda. The fluffy shit that swallows your ball whole. If you can even find the ****er, a full blown, gut busting, shart inducing hack-slash with a 7 iron produces a weak dribble reminiscent of Rockford drying to urinate on a -30° day.

You know, the kind of rough the GSGA likes on their amateur tournaments.

LOL - Oh, you mean the "Where's my frickin' weed-eater, hell just give me a machete, I've swung six times and I'm sure I'll see the ball eventually, oh there it is - wait, that's a featherie (?!), oh screw it I'll hit it anyways, OUCH I think I just broke my wrist" kind of rough. Wouldn't know anything about that.

[Nemo]

Originally Posted by lamebums

I think the answer is a new putter.

So, how much for your Yes!?

[lamebums]

Originally Posted by Nemo

So, how much for your Yes!?

Trust me, you don't want her.

Looked so great on paper, you know? 36-24-36, and for the measly price of $150 I could enjoy her for many, many years.

Well, the first 36 was in fact fake, and they deflated. 24 became 40 or so, and the other 36 never existed. She became really, really bitchy and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't fix the situation. I get so mad at her that one day she'll run off with the car, all the money, and even the dog. And just to add insult to injury she'll take my bag and throw it in the lake.

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

a full blown, gut busting, shart inducing hack-slash with a 7 iron produces a weak dribble reminiscent of Rockford drying to urinate on a -30° day.

[rubber314chicken]

don't worry terribly about the putting. the goal of putting from more than 6 feet it to get it by the hole, not it. If you aim to get into the hole (mentally, not physically) then you are setting yourself up for a disaster because most pros don't make puts further than 6 feet on a regular basis.

just learn to read greens, and judge the speed. Its hard, but once you can putting is a lot easier.

[swingsmooth]

Sounds like by the time you were done hacking your way up to the green you were too frustrated to make a putt. Dial it back a bit. If you can hit your driver 280 up the middle then distance is not your problem. From the description of your round, the problem sounds like inconsistant ball striking. One shot you're up the middle, the next your slicing it into the woods. Go to the range and hit chips until you can hit 10 solid chips in a row. Then hit 3/4 swing wedges until you can hit ten in a row. Then hit full wedges until you can hit ten in a row. Then change to a 9 iron. Hit a few 3/4 nines then hit some full nines. Keep working your way up the longer clubs until you become inconsistant. Maintain a smooth tempo every time and don't try to swing hard. Work on the shorter clubs until you are unaware of any lack of confidence. Then work up to the next longer club. Ball striking occurs from a foot behind the ball through a foot behond the ball. Hit thousands of chip shots and your ball striking will improve. The guy who taught me said "a drive is just a big chip shot". His handicap was 0.

Most of all have fun!!!