Is score the most important thing to you? If so, you might want to rethink this game.

[Pete]

I'd rather beat my handicap and lose than win with a poor 18 hole score. 

bottom line is, I keep score whenever I play. For me, that is the whole point of playing and everything else (being outside, good company, hitting memorable shots etc) is a nice bonus. 

I often say that I'd happily be a scratch golfer and never win a single tournament.

[sjduffers]

I voted yes. Most of the time, the score is what matters more to me.

They are exceptions, such as match play: I don't care whether I win a hole with a 7 or a 3. Or in a team event, say best ball. I don't care if I took a 6 as long as my partner got a 4 and beat the other guys' team score of 5. In other words, I don't carry my failure forward and instead enjoy the moment, even if my individual score sucks right then and there. Another exception is when we are having a party more than a golf game, but those cases are pretty rare (they include charity scrambles and the like). 

[JonMA1]

The score is the most important thing to me, but I'd like to get to the point where it is a little less so.

[Buckeyebowman]

When I was in my late teens and early 20's, and maybe a little further on,  the score was the most important thing. As time went on I discovered just how much I truly enjoyed "playing golf"! The score was still important, but it wasn't the only thing that mattered.

Just being out in the open air and warm sunshine with your friends became more important. Yes, we'd still compete, but it wasn't the all encompassing thought of the day! We'd enjoy our opponents hitting good shots, and the needling and all that!

I guess the closer you get to the "big dirt nap" the more this idea impresses itself on your mind!

[golfintheworld]

10 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

I actually find perverse pleasure in finding a bad drive that someone thought was OB or whatever, putting it on the green and making birdie or par. 

I could not agree with you more. The ability to create something out of nothing brings me back.

[DaveP043]

10 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

When I was in my late teens and early 20's, and maybe a little further on,  the score was the most important thing. As time went on I discovered just how much I truly enjoyed "playing golf"! The score was still important, but it wasn't the only thing that mattered.

Just being out in the open air and warm sunshine with your friends became more important. Yes, we'd still compete, but it wasn't the all encompassing thought of the day! We'd enjoy our opponents hitting good shots, and the needling and all that!

I guess the closer you get to the "big dirt nap" the more this idea impresses itself on your mind!

This is really the thing.  Some of us will prefer to shoot low scores, no matter how we do it, some of us will get more satisfaction from a day of great ball-striking, no matter the score.  But there will be at least a few days where you hit the ball poorly and shoot an awful score.  I still enjoy myself, on the worst days, for the chance to be outside with friends.

[caniac6]

I don't take golf too seriously, and I really enjoy myself when I play, but score is the most important part of the game for me. I can enjoy a good ball striking or putting round, but, for me, the object of the game is to get around in the lowest number of strokes.

[CCC]

I'm really surprised how so many of us are saying that the score is 'The Most Important' part of playing golf for them.

I know of good players that quit playing golf, because they could not break 70, or 80, or 90 or 100. The score was so important to them. Otherwise, the game was not worth playing. What is going to happen when you can't break 90? From the forward tees?

Like most things in life, you get what you give. Unless, it's about your body's metabolism. No matter what you do, you will not lose 25 pounds. At least not for very long.

This week, I played 9 holes. I managed to break 50. Hey, the year is early. Yes, I would liked to have scored better. I hit a couple of great drives. My only pure iron shot was a 9 iron to 14" of the hole and I sank the putt.

That one perfectly hit, great sounding, pure sweet spot 9 iron shot is what brings me back to this game. Not the score.

It's known as the golf curse. I have it.

 

 

 

 

 

[David in FL]

10 hours ago, CCC said:

I'm really surprised how so many of us are saying that the score is 'The Most Important' part of playing golf for them.

I know of good players that quit playing golf, because they could not break 70, or 80, or 90 or 100. The score was so important to them. Otherwise, the game was not worth playing. What is going to happen when you can't break 90? From the forward tees?

Like most things in life, you get what you give. Unless, it's about your body's metabolism. No matter what you do, you will not lose 25 pounds. At least not for very long.

This week, I played 9 holes. I managed to break 50. Hey, the year is early. Yes, I would liked to have scored better. I hit a couple of great drives. My only pure iron shot was a 9 iron to 14" of the hole and I sank the putt.

That one perfectly hit, great sounding, pure sweet spot 9 iron shot is what brings me back to this game. Not the score.

It's known as the golf curse. I have it.

Score is relative.  You're a higher hcp golfer, and breaking 50 represents a decent score for 9 holes.  As I age, and my handicap and scores rise, I'll still be focused on scoring well relative to whatever my current ability is....and hopefully still beating my buddies on occasion.  Such is the beauty of this game, and the handicap system.

Congrats on your nice round this week!  

[DaveP043]

10 hours ago, CCC said:

I'm really surprised how so many of us are saying that the score is 'The Most Important' part of playing golf for them.

I know of good players that quit playing golf, because they could not break 70, or 80, or 90 or 100. The score was so important to them. Otherwise, the game was not worth playing. What is going to happen when you can't break 90? From the forward tees?

Sometimes a single line gets lost as a thread gets longer, but @Lihu narrowed down his focus a bit:

On 2/8/2017 at 0:44 PM, Lihu said:

Yes, the skills are for scoring better, but what I wanted to get a gist of is how many people are willing to take a crappy game that scored well over a well played game with a mediocre score.

And that's where I mentioned my personal preference for a low score (by hook or by crook) over a so-so score with good ball-striking.  But many of us mentioned the other facets of golf that we enjoyed, factors that could outweigh both ball-striking and scoring on any given day.  I imagine its the totality of golf that brings most of us back.  

 

[Hacker James]

27 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Score is relative.  You're a higher hcp golfer, and breaking 50 represents a decent score for 9 holes.  As I age, and my handicap and scores rise, I'll still be focused on scoring well relative to whatever my current ability is....and hopefully still beating my buddies on occasion.  Such is the beauty of this game, and the handicap system.

Congrats on your nice round this week!  

so, the premise is to lower your expectations in order you may surpass them. I feel better already.

[DaveP043]

18 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

so, the premise is to lower your expectations in order you may surpass them. I feel better already.

If you read through this thread, you might have realized that many of us hold unreasonably high expectations.  I agree with @iacas, having goals that can be achieved at least some of the time is a key part of enjoying the game.  Success breeds enthusiasm. even to confidence, and those are good things.

[Hacker James]

50 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

If you read through this thread, you might have realized that many of us hold unreasonably high expectations.  I agree with @iacas, having goals that can be achieved at least some of the time is a key part of enjoying the game.  Success breeds enthusiasm. even to confidence, and those are good things.

Yes, I would go along with that. Achievable goals are noteworthy.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Having fun is most important. But, as long as we're keeping score, I might as well try to have the lowest score I can.