duff shots

i'm a 28 handicap average score 120, only broke 100 once on winter greens, played yesterday and scored 121 and at the end of the round realized that i'd had one duff shot on every hole so could have gone round in 103. took my 3 wood out of the bag some time ago as i just could'nt use it but my 5 wood worked well, now thats gone pear shaped as well. even hitting the ground 6 inches behind the ball. perhaps Darren should include a duff shot per round stat.which might focus the mind on the problem.any help gratefully accepted

Interesting comment about not using a club cos of bad experience and the thought that you can't use it.  I have always tried to tell myself not be afraid of any of the clubs and to use them all as the game requires irrespective of the result.  It can be hard within any one round if the driver isn't working but I'll still pick up the next time out.  That said I can't play for toffee at the moment - perhaps I should put them all away for a while!

I suffer from far too many duff shots at the moment.  Carded a round of 109 the other night which included 4 pars and 4 bogies.  If it weren't for the duff's it would have been a low 90's for sure.  Still, that's the game eh.

A lot of mistakes high handicappers make (including me when I first started) is trying to hit the 'miracle shot' everytime.

For example when I first started & I duffed a shot into the woods instead of getting back onto the fairway the easiest way possible I'd try to hit a 3 wood out of the rough through a gap into the trees & over a bunker.

Next time you hit a duff shot just except the fact that in your round you will hit a certain amount of 'duffers' & then carry on. 

It happens to all of us, that's why we don't get paid millions of dollars a year to play. Having said that the pro's still (refreshingly) sling a duffer down every now and then.  Tiger Woods' first shot at the Ryder Cup sliced into the water I seem to remember.  And yes it's just the reduction of the duff shots that gets your handicap down.  My particular bug bear at the moment is 30 to 40 yarders, I tend to chicken out.  Have gone back to little punched 7 irons to restore my confidence wherever possible.

Play the percentage shots. You know (and everybody else knows) that you aren't going to get to the green with that 130yd lob from the bunker.  Chip it out and then go for the green.

If you feel more comfortable hitting three easy seven irons to the green on a par 4 then do it, even if you 2 put it's still a net par.  Then when the confidence returns with your shots change clubs.  Remember, you're only as good as the next shot you play, not the last one.

Paul. You cant be off 28 if you've scored an 83. El bandito.

No matter how bad i play or how many duff's I hit i always try to take something positive from the round.Leave my duff shots on the course and take home what I did for that drive or chip or sand shot etc.

Rarely try a glory shot now - I'm not Tiger Woods so why try play like him...

Some one once said to me:

"Golf is an easy game made difficult by the golfer"...............

Thanks for the comments lads , nice to know i'm not alone.

Andy i'll be putting my 3 wood back in the bag next time and trying again.