Back Nine, stamina

[Chas]

Do you find that developing mental and physical stamina through the back nine is a part of the game, perhaps often overlooked?

[limpalong]

Originally Posted by Chas

Do you find that developing mental and physical stamina through the back nine is a part of the game, perhaps often overlooked?

You will see unceasing discussion (argument) over whether or not golfers are athletes. The mental and physical aspects of this game can most certainly be overlooked.

Mental: This game is 90% mental and the other 10% is all in your head. To score well... to see significant positive change in your handicap... you must win the mental war. Each and every shot MUST be thought through. Each shot must then be put behind you so you can properly analyze the next one. And, this must continue from tee to fairway to green to putt... hole after hole after hole! One let up... one brain fa*t... and your entire round can go down the tubes. One slip of the mind can result in that triple which ruins your chance to card a decent score.

Physical: I'm too old, too fat, bad knees, bad back... I am NOT an athlete. I have never been an athlete. Yet, at 60 years old, I can still play a respectable game of golf. Will I ever be a scratch player? Of course not! Will I ever become a whole lot better than I am today? Certainly not! I'm on the downhill side of this game of life. I'm coastin'. There are only so many strokes left in this body that the Good Lord will allow me on this earth. Yet, the physical attributes... the stamina that the years have taken away from me emphasize the importance of physical conditioning. I love my driver. I hit that driver well... quite well... for 11 or 12 or the 14 driving holes. Yet, as I near the end of the round and the body tires... I better go to a 3-wood or I'll tank one and there is that triple mentioned earlier. Stamina... physical conditioning will keep you stronger off the tee, will keep you steadier over putts, and will translate to lower scores on your card. It is important that you work on conditioning... on stamina... if you really want to take your game to the next level!

Stamina is not to be confused with muscle mass. There are many muscular, well conditioned people out there who can't hit the ball out of their shadow. The muscle building regiman has developed mass without flexibility... has developed mass without timing. Running... cardiovascular conditioning is much more important (in my opinion) to playing this game well than is simply putting on muscle mass.

Whew! After a lengthy tirade, I realize I could have simply answered your question with a "Yes".

[sandwedge]

I usually get better on the back 9. By that time I have already wrecked my score and settle down and don't worry about posting a good score.

Also after wearing down a little my swing tempo seems to be more smooth and I stop trying to kill the ball.

[emc]

I used to get tired coming down the stretch but nowadays I'm fine. It certainly saves shots because you're thinking about the shot a lot clearer and you have a better chance of executing the shot correctly.

[Bravo]

I have played some of my best rounds when tired or hungover and some of my worst when I feel great.

I think when I am tired, I am more mentally conscious of trying to make a good strike on the ball and play conservatively...on the other hand if a player is genuinely in bad physical condition, I think there is no doubt it will have a bad effect on their game consistently.

Therefore I agree that it is mostly mental....

[warbirdlover]

Back nine is always my best nine. Never fails. And I'm old and out of shape.

[Rockford35]

The best thing I ever did for my back nine scoring was get a pull cart. Sounds lame, but carrying is hard on your body. Being as fresh on 18 as I was on 9 is a great feeling.

Call me an old man or a woman, i'll take a 76 over an 83 any day of the week.

R35

[twogreen]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

Back nine is always my best nine. Never fails. And I'm old and out of shape.

I have the "old and out of shape" in common with you. However, it is usually a tossup as to which will be my better nine. The one consistency that I have is never shooting good on both nines during the same round.

[JEFF4i]

I used to have a big problem with my back nine being best, and front nine being almost all warmup, it seemed.

I.e. School Regionals: Freshman year, front nine: 47, back nine, 37.

Now I am much much better about it though.

[Sandpiper3]

Most of the time now i have a better back nine. I used to have that problem, but got it taken care of, i was just getting mentally exausted and couldnt focus. Now my problem is getting aggressive out of the gate. I HAVE to play more conservatively from the start because i try and get birdies and "give myself" strokes to work with. By the back nine im more sharply focused on just hitting simple shots, i have to just keep it more simple from the start and keep myself on my game.

Last tourney of the year; 41-37- 78, 36-38- 74. Just that first 9 i just kept making bogeys... still finished 2nd, but still, it was that dissapointing bogey streak..

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by sandwedge

I usually get better on the back 9. By that time I have already wrecked my score and settle down and don't worry about posting a good score.

Also after wearing down a little my swing tempo seems to be more smooth and I stop trying to kill the ball.

Yep. I'm usually so jacked up to play that I try to whack the bejeesus out of the ball for the first holes, end up being seven over after three, and settling down after that. I usually play better on the back nine. Plenty of water throughout, and a powerbar on the 6th and 12th holes are part of my routine.