Lesson 2 of 5
What To Do
Big numbers ruin more rounds than missed birdies. One triple bogey can undo four good holes. Damage control is the skill of turning a bad situation into a bogey instead of a double or worse, and it is mostly a decision skill, not a swing skill.
JJ's strategy for this is to recover between shots: a deliberate reset after a bad shot, which means reaction, breath, next target. In his words, it keeps one mistake from becoming three. The goal after a bad shot is not to get it all back. The goal is to get the ball back in play.
How To Do It
Step 1: Reaction, breath, next target
After a bad shot, take your ten seconds, do one 4-4-4-4 breath, then choose your next target. That is JJ's reset in three parts.
Step 2: Get it back in play
From trouble, your first job is to get the ball somewhere you can hit a normal shot from. Sideways out of the trees to the fairway is often the best shot on the hole.
Step 3: Take your medicine early
The double usually comes from the second risky shot, not the first mistake. When you are in trouble, take the penalty or the chip out the first time. Do not try to be a hero twice.
Step 4: Make bogey your friend
Once you are out of position, bogey becomes a good score. Play for the middle of the green and a two-putt. A bogey you fought for is worth celebrating.
Step 5: Count the doubles you avoided
After the round, count the holes where you were in trouble and still made bogey or better. These saves are proof you can manage a round, and they belong in your Confidence Bank.
Track penalties and saves after each round
Everything you save here is stored in My Playbook.
When To Use It
- After any shot that leaves you in trouble
- After a penalty stroke
- When you feel the urge to get a shot back
Common Mistakes
- Trying to get the whole shot back with one swing
- Taking a second risky shot after the first one failed
- Thinking bogey is a failure
- Forgetting to give yourself credit for the saves
Practical Exercise
Back in Play Breath
Use this when you are deciding how to get out of trouble. Breathe in for 4 and accept where you are. Hold for 4 and find the safe window. Breathe out for 4 and let go of the hero shot. Hold for 4 and commit to getting it back in play.
Pattern: 4-4-4-4 seconds, 2 cycles. The voice counts each second for you.
Ready
Takeaways
- Big numbers cost more than missed birdies
- Reaction, breath, next target
- Get it back in play first
- Never be a hero twice
- Count the doubles you avoided
Reflect
Use It Next Round
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