How you THINK you're playing as opposed to how you're ACTUALLY playing...

[mcanadiens]

It usually only happens when the score is much better than I think. Never the other way. I usually wait until the end of the round to add up the whole thing so that I don't spend too much time thinking about the actual score. Being a pessimist, I sometimes figure I'm doing worse than I actually end up doing when I scratch in the final number.

[uitar9]

With my wife, Been hitting balls since spring 2014, last winter indoors, took lessons, bought new clubs, play weekly, got maybe 40 rounds in, plus 10 or 15 times at the range. Totally hooked.

The wife summed it up yesterday-she went from being a 6-8 shot per hole girl to a 5-8 shot per round girl. No par holes to some par holes.

Thats the same for me, managed to break 100 a few times and 90 twice.

Reality check-we took up golf late in life,and getting two or three strokes off regularly per round, is a lot of work.

I gotta play with what I got. Play a smart short game and strive for bogey golf.

Gonna take some time off this winter, do some cardio, light weights and get back to it in February. Let the old body recover.

[phan52]

I played two rounds over the weekend and shot decent scores (for me) but I was disappointed because it could have been so much better. The guys I played with made a point of saying how well I played and I just kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to sound like I couldn't take a compliment, but I just think the scores could have been better. I don't know, maybe I expect to much but I would rather be that way than be content with hitting some loose shots.

[lowriderjim]

I played last week and doubled the first four holes.  When I finished the the front nine my wife, who was keeping score, added the score and wrote a 45.  I thought she missed a hole because I started at 8 over.  When I looked at the score I had shot the last 5 holes in one over and the first three holes of the back in two over.

I am coming back from a five year break from golf for medical reasons so these bogey type scores are are good for me as I am happy with bogey golf.

[Fairway_CY]

It's definitely frustrating.  I got to play against yesterday at a course we're gonna be playing for our next tournament in a few weeks.  Now, the greens had been punched and sanded the day before, so I knew putting wasn't going to be the best, but... I started out triple - triple - quad.  When I got to the 10th tee, I added my front side and I had shot a 54.

This score was only 4 strokes worse than my 50 on Saturday... but I had a horrific start.  There was something about hitting 5 of 7 fairways on the front side on Saturday that had me feeling like my score was going to be significantly better than it was.

On the plus side, I went par - par - par - birdie on 9 through 12 yesterday before falling apart for the rest of my round.

CY

[dave s]

Great story and I literally got a chuckle from some of your recollections of your round. We all make similar mistakes and take our lumps on the card.

Here's what I know:  a) one bad shot per hole USUALLY costs you two strokes on the card; b) we MUST take advantage when good things happen like making that birdie putt, or stake a wedge or short iron from the fairway when the opportunity exists; c) No scoreboard watching--this just provides the opportunity to play 'woulda, coulda, shoulda; d) just play your best by trying to forget about what just happened and focus on making the next shot as good as you can make it.

A great story about the guy who caddied for Tom Watson and FORMER caddie for Greg Norman.  And I'm going to paraphrase from an article I read in Golf Digest on the difference between the two players.  When Greg Norman's ball landed in a sand-filled fairway divot he would complain to his caddie about having the worst luck in the world and that these things only happened to him.  When the same thing happened to Tom Watson he'd say, "oh yeah, well watch THIS!"   Guess who hit the better shot from the same lie every time?

How I process that story and play happened last night during our final Thursday league round.  No. 8 is a 200+ yard par three.  Last night it was playing 227 yards into a breeze and right into the setting sun.  I hit a 3-wood that came up short and right and into a naturalized area which we call 'happy grass.'  Happy grass, because when you're in it, you're NOT happy. Anyway, my partner helped me locate my ball and I had a pretty good lie.  He says, 'good luck with that one.'  I say, 'yeah, well watch this!'  Opened my 58* wedge, swung through it like a bunker shot, sent out a cotton ball 30' in the air that landed on the green and rolled inside 10'.  Missed the putt for par, of course, but it could have been a lot worse with a crappy attitude.

Keeping the score down.  I play conservatively and would much prefer carding a bogey than playing hero shots I have no business playing and ending up with triples.  Last night I missed a 12' birdie putt and 2 more putts inside 6 feet and carded a 40 even.  40 is a really good score for me so I'm not looking back over the card and agonizing over missing a few putts.  They usually go in for me but usually after hitting the ball like crap all the way to the hole.  It all evens out in the end, I guess.  And we are what we shoot for the most part.

dave

[Dave2512]

I always know my score relative to par. But some days it doesn't matter how good or bad I play the ball kind of does what it wants. Unfortunately playing affordable public course most means all that comes with it. I hit great drives and roll up to find my ball on a bare spot nestled between little scrubs of coarse grass. Other times I am could be striking the ball really bad and get a bunch of lucky bounces. But mostly I play Groundhog Day golf, it's like I am stuck in a loop of the same shots this season. Hole to hole my scores are pretty consistent every round it's weird.

[Duff McGee]

Never give up unless you know you are just screwed, then just have fun and take risks you normally wouldn't and have fun with your shots...it's just a practice round by then. :) But back to never giving up. I've had rounds where I've shot upper 40's on the front or even 50 and still broken into the 80's.

[Lihu]

Never give up unless you know you are just screwed, then just have fun and take risks you normally wouldn't and have fun with your shots...it's just a practice round by then. :)

But back to never giving up. I've had rounds where I've shot upper 40's on the front or even 50 and still broken into the 80's.

+3 on the back? Nice!

[Duff McGee]

6 under on the back? Must be nice!

? I said breaking into the 80's, not breaking 80. Edit: haha I see you edited. Yeah I sometimes shoot under 40 on one side. Wish I could do it on both. It's just weird how you can shoot high 40's on one side and turn around and shoot under 40 on the other side. I actually started a thread about it the other day.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

6 under on the back? Must be nice!

? I said breaking into the 80's, not breaking 80.

Even nicer, but I edited my post when I realized the errors of my ways.

[Duff McGee]

I wish I could shoot -6!

[Lihu]

I wish I could shoot -6!

Same here! I'm sure there's a physical limit, though, for a best score. For me, it's not even possible. . .

-6 on 9 would take maybe an birdie or eagle on the par 5, par or birdie on the par 4, and par or birdie on the par 3. If you could hit perfect straight 280 yard drives, a straight and towering 230 yard 3i and commensurately good other irons, you might have and chance. . .I think the current record is 55 on 18 holes . I guess they are considered " perfect round s"?

[jcjim]

For me golf is getting all 4 cylinders working at one time...Tee shot one cyl. approach shots second cyl. around the green third and putting four....One day tee shot are fine but not good enough to put me in the position for quality iron shots to get it close..so on and so on..For me Hogan was right the tee shot sets up everything..If I'm driving well I have a far better chance to a lower score...if not it's going to be a tough day...

[Dave2512]

Same here! I'm sure there's a physical limit, though, for a best score. For me, it's not even possible. . .

-6 on 9 would take maybe an birdie or eagle on the par 5, par or birdie on the par 4, and par or birdie on the par 3. If you could hit perfect straight 280 yard drives, a straight and towering 230 yard 3i and commensurately good other irons, you might have and chance. . .I think the current record is 55 on 18 holes. I guess they are considered "perfect rounds"?

Couple years ago I played the middle three holes on the front -4 eagle birdie birdie. Relevant to this thread I knew exactly where I was at standing on the7th tee -3 (bogey on the 1st). It had the opposite effect on me than just cruising. I played conservatively, or tried to anyway, thinking I'd play 7-8-9 +1 and turn -2. Thinking about it got me into trouble and I played the last 3 holes +3 to close out the front even. It was still a good day and I learned a lot from it.

I always know exactly what my score is out there. I don't think numbers just how much over and sometimes under par. For me it now helps to stay in the game and I tend to not sweat in league and tournament play from putting a little pressure on myself in casual rounds. I enjoy standing on a tee knowing exactly what I need to do to keep things together. Last night my goal was to break 80. Standing on 7 tee I was +2 so I knew I had a chance since my goal is always 40 or better on the front to break 80. I bogeyed 7 and 8 but it really didn't crap me out because I know barring disaster 9 being a par 5 is a par or better almost always.

I had a makeable birdie putt I missed but made par. Which made it easy on the back so as the occasional bogey happened I ticked it up in my mind thinking okay now I am +5 and so on until finally I was on the last hole knowing I'd reach my goal even if I made bogey. Playing this way helps me retain focus. But it also sucks when I know the goal is out of reach. But I still use those rounds to try and finish strong.

[DrvFrShow]

Well I was on the 45 - 56 or 56 - 45 program for quite a while, then one day got on the 45 - 45 program. It's strange how this happens. Earlier this season I shot a 43 on the front 9 and looked like I was on track for a great back 9 but then shot a snowman on a par 4 (dunked 2) which ended that and wound up with a 46 totaling 89.

[Lihu]

Well I was on the 45 - 56 or 56 - 45 program for quite a while, then one day got on the 45 - 45 program. It's strange how this happens. Earlier this season I shot a 43 on the front 9 and looked like I was on track for a great back 9 but then shot a snowman on a par 4 (dunked 2) which ended that and wound up with a 46 totaling 89.

Nice job breaking 90!

[tefunk]

I feel like I'm playing worse than I am, lately. Probably because I've been scrambling so much, but still scoring well