Epitome of inconsistency

Ok, so I'm going to talk about golf again.

I'm sorry, but I can't help myself. It's the one sport I have played (and I have played a lot, believe me) that is at the same time gratifying and frustrating. It is unlike any other sport that I have ever played and challenges you to better yourself, even when things are not going well.

Let me illustrate.

So a few people from the office and I were playing golf at the Bangalore Golf Club (BGC from now on). I had come in on the back of a few good rounds in the last couple of weeks (a 7 over, 8 over and another 8 over at KGA, which is a tougher course), so I felt pretty confident about my game. The confidence showed as I hit my first tee shot which sailed gloriously away to the fairway 250 yards away. But as I walked up to the ball, I saw it sitting in a horrible lie in a bunker with the only option for me to blast it out and then try to make something with the 3rd shot (thank the force for the Par 5). I did manage to get it out, but the next shot and the one after that left a lot to be desired and just like that, I had double bogey.

OK, I say to myself. Shit happens. Move on to the next hole…which I parred. But after a lovely drive down the fairway, I screwed up again and had double bogey yet again. And that was the story for the rest of the front 9. I came into the club house with a horrible 11 over, more in just 9 holes than my entire 18 hole scores for the past 3 consecutive rounds. Needless to say, I was cursing myself.

What changed was all of that cursing to myself made me angrier about making stupid silly mistakes and to focus more on the game. And with that, I played one under for the next 7 holes. I had a couple of pieces of bad luck on the 17th and 18th making me drop a shot each, but I had played the back 9 to just 1 over, finishing the round with a respectable 12 over (something close to my handicap).

Now while recovering on the back 9 felt really good, I was left with the feeling that I have the game in me to shoot the 1 over on both nines, maybe even shoot under. What I lack thus far is the focus thro every shot in the round.

So for the next round, I am going to try something different. I am going to take 5 seconds and just try to shut my mind even before I get to the ball. Then, once I get to the ball, I will take 5 more seconds than I usually do to visualize the shot. I do this already, but I think I need to spend more time on this to will the shot rather than just swing the club.

Let's see how it works out. You will hear about it right here. Wish me luck!