Have you ever wondered why a strek of poor play is continues without any logical reason. We will be playing well, then suddenly we cannot hit the broad side of a barn from 3 feet away. Then as quickly, out swing returns and we are on the right track again. I case you were wondering, you caught a case of the threes!
When I catch a case ot the threes, I generally shoot a double or triple. If ill be playing well, then suddenly then dreaded double rears its ugly head.
For example, I am playing well for 13 holes, I am confident that I can continue my good play. Then suddenly, I miss hit my drive and pull it left on this dog leg right hole. Without a real shot at the green, I choose to the smart play and aim to hit up to 25 yards tonthe green. As I make contact I realize that I am hitting fat from a fairly decent lie. This has not happened all day.
Now, I am 60 years from the green sitting directly behind a huge sand trap. Thinking I can still make par, I select my sand wedge and proceed to thin my shot into the lip of the trap. Fortunately it did not plug and rolled down to the bottom on the trap.
With an eight foot uphill shot, I steel myself and hit a smooth clean shot to about 12 feet from the pin. I was extremely happy with this recovery shot considering the last three strokes. After a lip out first putt, I walked off the green with a dreaded double because I caught a case of the threes!
Unfortunately, the above scenario happens more often that want or expect. The case of the threes is something many amateurs are prone to without any notice. There is no cure, we just have to raise our chin and play through it. It is something I hope I never experience again, but unfortunately this is just a hope. Have you ever caught a cases of the threes?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
There are three things I really hate to see in my game. Three putts, doubles, and following one bad shot with another which tends to cause doubles. But we can do something all 3. The three’s can most assuredly be stopped. Maybe at 2, maybe at 1. It just depends on how tough our mental game is. How hard we make it on ourselves to reboot after every shot and take the next one fresh and with confidence.
I had two skulls in a row earlier this week. I believe I mentioned them. My mental game failed. I let a tight lie against the grain get into my head and worse, I let the first bad shot influence the next shot. But the third shot might have been the best of the day. I did the mental reboot. I stood over that ball until I was sure I would hit it well. It may have helped that it wasn’t an easy chip like the other two. This time I was in a buried lie with a big thick tuft of grass brushing the back of the ball, and I was short sided with a green that was running away downhill from me. No other shot all day took that long to get comfortable over. But it came finally and I hit it only after it did. And I got up and down. I stopped it at two that time. I should have managed it after the 1st, and in fact, should have waited until I had full confidence before hitting that first skulled chip. But I erred. Twice. Two mental breakdowns that cost me a double that time. But I stopped the pain. Not quite soon enough maybe, but before I got to three. It can be done.
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Kevin,
Yes, it can be done. You are right that it is all mental. It is something that I will always work on and know that I have lots of work ahead of me. However, it will be fun and if nothing else, it is all part of my journey.
Cheers Jim
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