After hitting a bad shot, what’s next?

Use your next shot to get back into position, you are a 23 hcp, no need to try to be a hero. Play for bogey…
Always, always try to avoid double bogey, or worse.

Set yourself up for the third shot. Most importantly laugh at the tee shot to shake it off.

You just shanked a driver, no need to then grab a 3wood and swing out of your shoes, that’s an even more difficult shot than the one you just screwed up.

Take an iron you feel good with, hit a nice solid shot to get back on track, you’re basically playing a par 6 now just take your medicine.

For example, par 5 let’s say 500yds
1 - shank driver 100yds into trees

2 - punch 7 iron back into play 50 yds - 350yds to go

3 - hit your 175 club nice and easy up the middle - 175yds to go

4 - 175 again, maybe lucky and on the green? Maybe up near the green

5 - chip on or putt

6 - try and hope the putt


If you instead try and rip your 3wood 250 yds on your 3rd shot, you’ll likely just end up back in the trees or worse, and now you are scrambling to save an 8

Somebody somewhere has probably hit a worse shot in the history of golf.

Go to the next shot.
Get it back in play in one shot.
Swing within yourself.

Consider some basic lessons.
You may be better than you think with just a few 30 minute lessons with a good teacher.

One thing I remember my uncle telling me when I first sstarted was the best way to drop strokes from my game was to improve from 100 yds in and no matter where I play, what the conditions are or how bad my day is if I have that, it travels anywhere and can always be a fallback.

Driver not working -> start hitting a 3wd, 5wd or ling iron off the tee

Approach game off -> take one less club on every approach shot and miss short rather than pin high or long

Miss badly on a tee shot and need to get back in play -> look to get inside 100 yds as easily as possible

Don't let the first shot turn the hole into a huge disaster. If the driver is offline, play the second shot to get back in the short grass; advance it if that's a safe shot if not punch it out. Play for bogey, trying the hero shot could set you up for triple or worse.

Where I play most often there is a long par 5 with a pond right in front of the green. Even when I hit a perfect drive I know my best 3 wood can't clear the water so I play that hole so my third shot is between 100-110. If my drive goes left, there are some cypress trees that usually block trying to go long to the fairway so I will then play a mid iron draw back into play then have a 6 or 7 to the green.

There’s a guy in my golf league who was a 20+ handicap that learned to manage his game. Always plays within himself. If he was too far from a green to be comfortable, he’d lay up short and wedge on. He’d drive it away from bunkers, water, OB. Even clubbing down if he didn’t feel comfortable. He played for bogey on every hole and treated like a par when he made one. Pars we’re like birdies. He also grinded hard to become a great putter. Even installed a putting green at his house.

2 years later, he’s a 16.4 and owns his game. He’ll probably be a 10-11 in another year or two.

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After hitting a bad shot, what’s next?

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After hitting a bad shot, what’s next?

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"god damnit, you fricking retard"

I played a bad round yesterday. Seemed like I had double on 6 or 8 holes. On 18 I was going to take out my aggression on the tee shot and swung the piss out of it and topped it about 50 yards into some high rough but it set up on top pretty good. Took the driver to it and put it on the green. Sometimes two bad decisions can combine into one good decision. Still bogey'd though. Ha.