A Really Bad Round of Golf – Is It A Slump Or A Bump?

I promised myself I would improve my golf game this year. In the spring, my focus was on dropping my handicap at least three or four points. Hasn’t happened yet. The season here in the northeast is not over yet and my club stays open for golf for at least another three or four months, so there is lots of time to recover… but I seem to be in a summer slump and sinking fast. I thought I might improve as I played. Not happening. At least not so far.

I share my story, not because I am looking for sympathy, though I could certainly use a pat on the back and a gentle note of encouragement… but just to let you know that if you, too, are suffering a summer slump, you are not alone.

Today’s round is a perfect example. We had a thunderstorm come through early this morning, so there was a one-hour rain delay before we could even begin our round. I was partnered with three golfers, each of equal ability to my own. The game: gross + net score – the League Tournament! Why didn’t I know this? (I have to pay closer attention to those little notices hanging on the ladies room walls!) We swapped score cards — as if any of us is bold enough to fudge our numbers… and off we went. Our team was next to last to tee off.

In the bunker—again!I decided to not take a chance with my driver. Without a lot of prep time to warm up and only a few minutes on the putting green, I thought it safer to stick with my three wood to tee off. Surprize! I actually hit the fairway on my first drive. After that, however, everything went haywire. Try as I might I could not hit the ball cleanly. The fairway was soaked from the morning rain and I found myself taking long, deep divots, sending the ball and a mound of dirt flying off in every direction but straight.

Things went from bad to worse… I was racking up some really high scores! But I congratulated myself as we approached the eighth hole that at least I had not yet lost a ball. The two Titleist NXT balls that I had started with were still in my pocket. The thought crossed my mind that even if my score was not my best, a round of golf played without losing a ball, was, for me, a successful round. Of course, as so often happens in this mental game of golf, once I thought about the joy of still having not lost a ball, I promptly lost two of them. The eighth hole on this course is surrounded by all sorts of evil “rough and tumble” and no matter how hard I and my partners looked, we could not find my Titleists. Had to take my maximum score on that hole.

The back nine was a little better. Actually I got a par on one hole and stayed on the fairway on most. But of course as you probably know, having a great drive pretty much guarantees that your chipping and putting will be awful. That was the rhythm of my game today. No sooner did I get off a good fairway hit, my next shot would land in a bunker.

Oh joy! When we finally finished the 18th hole and headed for the clubhouse, the sun had finally come out, the humidity made the air feel like a soaking wet sponge and I was exhausted. It’s times like these I hate to add up my score. Of course, I had to, and then submit the horrid thing to the pro. Needless to say, my total most likely won the tournamnt boobie prize!

The one redeeming thing about the day was my companions. No one of us had a sterling outing. Everyone got in trouble at one point or another. But we had a lot of fun. We kept encouraging each other, offering a bit of advice when it was asked for and pretty much were there to make the round as good as the weather and our golf skill could manage.

All in all it was a good day. What else can you ask for?

  4 comments for “A Really Bad Round of Golf – Is It A Slump Or A Bump?

  1. Dee Dee Grevelis says:

    I feel your pain Pat. I too had a very bad day yesterday with a corresponding HIGH score. Hit several bunkers, had way too many putts but yes, I had one par. As my friend says, “Too bad — so sad!”

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