How to Get Over a Bad Round of Golf: 6 Pro Tips Amateurs Can Use to Bounce Back

Not everyone can just shake it off. A bad round can ruin your day or even your week, so we all want to do whatever it takes to limit the number of bad rounds throughout the season.

This is a unique aspect of golf and something that should be taught at the junior level. Being able to overcome a bad round is a skill everyone can learn and will help every golfer, even those who just play recreationally.

Golf is supposed to be fun, so let’s keep it that way by implementing these pro tips on what to do immediately after a bad round.

Do these things and you’ll have more fun while also lessening your chances of scoring a bad round in the first place.

Key Takeaways

If you just carded a bad round but don’t have time to get into a full practice session, then check out these key takeaways to help you feel better and prepare for your next round.

• Always practice with a goal in mind, and work on specific aspects of your game
• Evaluate and optimize your course management strategy
• Work with a local pro and/or Hackmotion to identify problems and get personal remedies
• Create a detailed practice schedule
• Take a cold plunge

How to Reset After a Bad Round

A bad round isn’t the end of the world, especially if you are in a multi-day tournament. Even the pros have bad days, but their skill and experience quickly get them back on track.

Follow the pro tips below to put a bad round behind you and refocus your efforts on bouncing back.

Practice with Purpose

Bad rounds are usually created from facing too many uncomfortable shots.

Most golfers will feel awkward hitting any shot that isn’t on a perfect lie because the few times they did practice were on perfect grass or a mat.

Always plan ahead when you visit the range, whether for a pre-round warm-up or a marathon practice session.

You don’t need a whole 8-week golf tournament practice plan unless you have an upcoming event, but a focused training program will go a long way.

• Choose two aspects of your game to focus on
• Choose one short game and one long game (eg, short chips and mid-irons)
• Always choose a target and go through pre-shot routine to mimic on-course play
• Keep a journal of what you worked on and how many reps
• Video swing or record swings with Hackmotion to track progress

Re-evaluate Course Management Plan

Bad rounds aren’t always caused by poor mechanics; sometimes, poor decisions can lead to high scores.

Many amateurs overlook this aspect of the game, but the truth is, it’s never too early in your golfing career to prepare a well-thought-out course management plan every time you play.

If you had a bad day, chances are you didn’t have a plan, and if you did, then it’s important to identify why your plan didn’t work and adjust it before your next round.

Course Management Checklist:

• Know your tees—Check the yardage and rating of the tees you will be playing. This will help you determine how aggressive or conservative your shots should be.
• Identify tough holes—Choose the three holes that you think will give you the most trouble and plan for bogey. This will prevent frustration and give you a boost of confidence if you do par.
• Limit Risk—On all holes, decide where the worst and best places to miss your drive and approach shots would be. Hopefully, the worst and best spots are not close to each other. This is a huge difference between professional vs. amateur golf course management.

Work with a Professional

Instead of getting mad, it’s nice to have someone to talk about the specifics of what made your round go bad.

A professional can assess your shots from a third-party point of view and point out things you may never have noticed.

A Hackmotion can also act as your coach when on the driving range, as it will identify small movements that are hard to detect on your own.

After a bad round, visit the range to recreate the poor shots so Hackmotion can evaluate and suggest solutions.

Develop a Practice Schedule

Once you’ve determined which areas of your game have let you down, you can create a plan that addresses those specific issues.

Short Game

Many rounds have been ruined by decelerating wedge shots, inaccurate pitches, and/or wristy chip shots.

This is a great way to utilize the power of Hackmotion, as it gives players concrete feedback as to how they are hitting the ball.

Long Game

Missing fairways and greens is a surefire way to turn in a bad round. What’s worse is that this kind of play can cost you money if you lose golf balls.

Use Hackmotion’s ‘Motorcycle Drill’ to develop a consistent swing through impact that will keep your club face square for longer. 

Putting Game

Too many three-putts will ruin a round and possibly give you nightmares.

While it may not be glamorous, working on your short putts is a great way to prevent another bad round from occurring.

Stop wishing the ball in the hole and put with confidence using the Butch Harmon drill that all the pros use.

Have a Memory Like a Goldfish

If you’re a golfer who plays a lot and just happens to have an unusually bad round, then the best advice is to forget about it and move on.

Sometimes, thinking too much about a round and dissecting every shot and decision will do more harm than good.

Jack Nicklaus is famous for using this technique to the extreme. Even when reporters ask about some of his famous losses, he swears he doesn’t remember. 

“Focus on remedies, not faults”, Jack Nicklaus.

Take a Cold Plunge

Golf may not be as physically demanding as other sports, but it can still get your heart racing.

This can lead to quick or irrational decisions, which cause scores to balloon if you don’t get a handle on it. When this happens, take advantage of the newest fitness trend, cold plunging.

Aside from regular health benefits, it can help shock your system to calm down and re-focus your mind.

A cold shower can also have the same effect as long as you stay under the water long enough to cool your jets fully.

FAQs

Do All Golfers Have Bad Rounds Sometimes?

Yes, all golfers have bad rounds sometimes; the key is to minimize the frequency and the severity of those bad rounds.

Of course, what a pro considers a bad round will be much different from an amateur’s bad round, but the mindset and procedure to overcome will be the same.

What Should I Do Immediately After Finishing A Frustrating Round?

Immediately after finishing a frustrating round, you should calmly assess your biggest weakness. Don’t say “I didn’t do anything right today”, instead ask yourself “What area requires the most attention”?

Then, develop a practice routine that focuses on that and works towards improving it to gain confidence for the next round.

Should I Practice Immediately After A Poor Performance Or Take A Break?

If you can calmly assess your round weaknesses and have the time and daylight, then definitely practice after a poor performance.

If you need some time to reflect, then do so. Sometimes it’s best to attack the problem with a clear mind. It all depends on your experience and how bad your round actually was. 

How Do I Identify What Went Wrong With My Game?

You can easily identify what went wrong with your game by strapping on Hackmotion and comparing your current swing with past successful practice sessions.

It will show you exactly how you’re impacting the ball differently and what you can do to correct your swing.

What Are Some Simple Ways To Relax And Shake Off A Tough Round?

Some simple ways to relax and shake off a tough round are:

• Create a practice plan that directly addresses specific faults
• Evaluate current course management plan
• Use Hackmotion on the range immediately after the bad round
• Enjoy another hobby or spend time with non-golfing friends and family
• Take a cold plunge

How Do I Keep Golf Fun, Even After Playing Poorly?

You can keep golf fun even after playing poorly by focusing on how far you’ve come since your first day. While today might have been your worst score, you surely didn’t hit all bad shots.

Choose a few shots that didn’t harm you and appreciate that you have good golf in you; it’s just a matter of bringing it out more often.

Final Thoughts

Bad rounds will happen if you play long enough.

Every golfer needs to develop a plan for when it happens and how to prevent it from happening again. Practice is your best friend, and the less uncomfortable shots you face, the lower your scores will be.

A Hackmotion can help you identify and fix problems that most golfers miss.

Whether you have a short temper or just a lack of experience that causes high numbers, you can rely on Hackmotion for unbiased feedback and specific training suggestions to move forward positively.