Frustrating Game

Is it me or is golf one of the most frustrating games going ?

I mean round to round, hole to hole and even shot to shot can have such a huge variation. One minute you're playing like a pro, the next it's like it's the first time you held a golf club.

Take today for example, and probably last Sundays round as well, front 9, both times, some of my best golf ever. Last Sunday went out in 38 (3 over par). Pretty damn good for a 13 handicapper. Today, how about this one, 36, one over (again the same 13 handicapper). And I missed a couple of really good birdy chances !!

Now you can probably guess where this story goes next. Last Sunday, back in 49, that's 11 shots more for 9 holes. More than 1 shot more per hole worse. Insane yes ?

Ok, now today. So out in 36, back in, wait for it, 52. Yep 52. 16 shots worse for 9 holes. An average of almost  2 shots worse a hole. Obviously I don't expect to come back in a gross 1 over par like the front, but you'd expect some kind of continuation of form front to back would have seen me coming in at 41, maybe 42 at worse. You;d at least expect a sub-80 round, wouldn't you ?

And the really annoying thing. I have no idea why. Missed a few putts I probably shouldn't have, few chips that probably should have got closer and probably 1 bad drive OOB on the 16 (again !!!!!).

It almost feels like a lack of concentration on the back 9, just silly mistakes costing me. But the flip side is I don't want to over think things and put pressure on myself. I usually play best when, well, I just play. Don't think about it. Just pick my shot and hit it as well as I can.

But the plus side is I know I've got it in me to shoot low, and I mean really low. I don't actually feel that a level par round is completely out of the question if I hook everything up for 18 holes.

Now I wouldn't have been saying that a few months ago.