Have you ever had an amazing range session before you go out and play only to go up to the first tee and bogie the first hole? Then spend the rest of the front nine trying to find what you had on the range? Oh and then you go on the shoot even par on the back! I think more of us (mid-low) handicappers can relate to this experience then not. Why do we struggle to translate this good touch and rhythm to the front nine?
I think most of the time when us players are striking a well on the range we keep wanting to strike it well right? So we go about our business hitting the same shots with different clubs with the same lie and getting the same results. Problem is when we get out to the golf course not everything is even and straight forward. For example, you might have a tea box that is slanted slightly or a lie on the second shot that is below your feet. If you don’t make my Knute changes in your set up and just do what you’ve been doing on the range you could hit a bad shot and your mind can play tricks with your game. Case in point, play shots on the Range like you would during a round. Hit those uneven lie shot, work on choking up and biting a ball above your feet. Even better look at the whole designs prior to the golf around and know exactly what you were going to hit off the tee’s and what club but you should be heading into the green. For example you have a 450 yard hole if you are one that hits it to 75 hit a driver and then switch to your one 175 club. Basically if you practice like you play it will translate much better to the golf course. Mentally put your self in the best place before a round and stop hitting those pure even lie shots all the time while practicing and give yourself a chance for failure only from there are you able to overcome obstacles and learn how to take adversity on the front nine. Hope this helps and let me know in the comments if you have any other tips to get past these front nine woes!