hendog

I know. That sucks. All of the sudden your like "Whoa baby I'm back" and then you get serious again and then you suck again (by you I mean me of course). What's funny is I MADE my friends plan skins that day because I just wanted to have some fun. Both the guys I played with are considerably worse than me (23 and 30+ handicaps) so they never want to play any games. I finally said BS, we're playing skins. I gave 1 guy 1 stroke a hole and the other guy 2 strokes a hole and we did a round robin type of skins where each of us had 2 matches per hole against the other guys. Anyway, I was the score keeper and got so distracted just writing down scores and marking skins I didn't have much time to pay attention to my overall score. I didn't even know I had 6 straight pars until I was adding things up. I still lost money but that will keep them coming back for more (bwahahahaha)

I've had what you describe happen to me several times over the last 3 years. Blowup round(s), re-focus, bare down and come back stronger. This time though it felt different. It felt hopeless (over dramatic). It was like that damn DVD that's scratched and every time you watch the movie and get to the good part, it starts skipping and freezing. You clean it off, spray it down, buff it, whatever it takes, put it back and hope but then it starts doing it again and you just realize that you will not get to see that part. So its that time for me. Either skip to the next chapter and enjoy the rest of the movie or hit eject and go find something else to do. I don't think I will quit completely. I love it too much. I just need to separate my love for the game from my desire to be the best at everything (cuz it ain't gonna happen with golf). If I can sever those two emotions then I will be in a great place and I can get back to having fun playing golf. Just wondering if anyone else is as f'ed up as me but found a way to let it go and play the game.

Amen

I am a 7 handicap. I worked long and hard to get there and it was tough. I thought it was just a matter of time before I would be hoisting the FedEx Cup (read sarcasm here) Last Saturday though I shot a 94. 43 on the front with 2 ridiculous 3-putts and 51 on the back with 3 triples and a nice 10 on the par 5 18th (another bogey in there somewhere). I walked away basically never wanting to play again. It was a bucket of ice water in the face. Golf is hard and there is no way that I can continue to improve only playing 1-2 times per week and MAYBE getting to the range 1 time a week. I'm not even sure I can maintain my handicap since I need to shoot at least 10 out of every 20 rounds in the mid to upper 70s (depending on rating, slope blah blah blah). Like it or not though I had a round planned with buddies on Sunday. Front 9 was about as lethargic as it could be. I didn't even give a S. Shot a 45 (par 35). Awesome. The back though for whatever reason picked up. 39 (par 36) with a stretch of 6 pars. WTF!! I feel like I need to almost forget about handicap and just play. Have fun and try to win some cash from my friends. Its either that or quit completely. I'm an all or nothing guy so is it possible for me to play the game purely for fun? I kind of feel like if I can just shoot 85 or better 90% of the time then that will be pretty damn good. Anybody else ever face this moment? Serious as hell but then realize that your spinning your wheels and then find a happy place?

I've done a 3-man scramble before where 2 teams played together. Wasn't that bad time wise. I'd say about normal for a round. The biggest issue is you either have to have 2 guys from different teams in a cart together or you add extra carts to the field which could add up quickly. It was an honest round though. No cheating and still lots of fun. Agree though that 4-man is all about drinking and having fun. Consider entry a donation and forget it. See if you can cheat just enough to win but not so much that its ridiculous. This is the real challenge for the day Closest to the pin and longest drive contests can add some fun to this as well. You may still have cheaters but this is a little more egregious IMO. I can't see a bunch of people just grabbing the long drive sign and moving it way down and putting their name on it although I'm sure it happens. Big tourneys could just sit someone at those holes to watch. I've also seen club pros on a par 3 challenge each group to get it closer to the pin then the pro for some extra cash. All in a days fun.

I have many flaws no doubt. Patience is an interesting one. Its not that I am impatient though, its that in the exhibition of that patience I over think, over analyze and basically get in my own way. I played baseball for many years to a pretty high level and there is little time to think when a 90 mph fast ball is coming at you or a hot shot is hit up the middle. You just react and your mind and body work to accomplish the task. I guess that is what I am conditioned for and I try to replicate that with my golf pace. As for the calculations above: I'd say in one of my quick pace rounds, I take 15-20 seconds per shot and probably 10 seconds per putt. So if 80 is the number with 32 putts (good average for me) then we are talking about 20 minutes of actual club swinging. Let's just say 30 minutes to cover the high end. On a 6500 yd course (again good average for the courses I play) in a cart going about 12 mph, you could drive the whole course in 20 minutes (I used 7000 yds to account for a little zig zag and distance between holes). Let's again say 30 since you would not drive 12 mph the whole time when actually playing. So you are talking about 60 minutes of drive and swing time. I have never played a round in 60 minutes, but I've been close before. So the argument of COULD you is not really a question. The argument is SHOULD you. That is what most of the discussion is about and on this I say to each his own. My endless need to get to the next shot and suck in the ecstasy that is hitting a golf ball may not be your cup of tea. However your desire to take in nature and just enjoy 4 hours of no work and no chores is not always my desire. I am using "you" here in a generic sense and not referencing anyone in particular. Sometimes I love just enjoying the day and spending time with friends or even just the peace and quiet but sometimes I am hell bent on getting to that next shot. Heck I may go right now (7:44 pm central) and hit balls at the driving range I'm so fired up :)

You will get no argument from me on this. I would love to play in a regular group as opposed to by myself all the time but for many many years I have not had that luxury. I have branched out more lately and play a lot more in tournaments or regular games at my club and sometimes I play well and sometimes I do not. I just love challenging myself and golf is great for that. Its not me vs you are anyone else. Its me vs the course and ultimately that means me vs me. Mental issues were mentioned above and that is what I am always working on. Overcoming my temper, controlling my emotions and staying focused and determined. When I do that whether by myself or in a tournament I am satisfied.

Lots of good responses. I'll address as many "OP" questions/comments as possible here. Getting a cart as a single on an open course is far from lazy for me. I grab a cart for 1 of two reasons and maybe both. First, I play quite often. My wife is very understanding but if I go out after work to play and its open, I want to get a full round in and minimize the time away from home so I get a cart so I can finish in 2 hours. Second, I have a slight case of plantar fasciitis and if I walk too often my feet will hurt and my game will suffer and subsequent energy level at home will be zero. I am a fast player. I don't chit chat a bunch or at least do so between shots or even while I'm hitting (I can carry on a conversation right up to my trigger and then right after contact). I get a distance, take in the variables (wind, elevation, trouble etc which I usually already have figured out before I get to the ball), decide on my shot (cut, draw, punch whatever) and then go. I LOVE playing golf. I don't LOVE being in nature and taking my time. I like those things and they are a big part of my golf enjoyment, but I am there to play golf so I get to it and get it done. I've played in 1.5 hours before. Yes this includes jogging from cart to green and back and hustling on and off the tee box. I love hitting golf shots so I want to get to the next one as quick as I can. When I slow down, or am forced to slow down, I completely agree that it is mental. I OVER think things during my wait, tense up and start leaking oil. That then leads to frustration and then its a downward spiral from there. I am working on it. Finally, you wold be amazed in the amount of golf that someone could play in the time it takes many people to just get their head cover on. Add up the time for the extra 15-25 strokes (accounting for ranges of 90s to 100s) people take over me, the searching time for bad shots, the time wasted on inefficient pace strategies (I'll watch you hit and you watch me hit instead of you going and hitting your shot while I go and hit my shot) and the endless time spent reading putts only to miss by 6 feet and then start all over and I will be in the club house before they make the turn. I don't even mark my ball unless it is muddy or I'm in someone's way (and by myself there is no one's way to get in) I'll close with an example: I played Sunday. 2pm tee off with a buddy, in a cart. It was wet and thus cart path only. We played in 2 hrs 15 minutes. We had a good time. Chatted, checked the NFL and Ryder Cup scores, etc but when it was time to hit we hit. We didn't watch each other hit other than on the tee box and if he was walking up to the green after pitching on then I putted out and then replaced the flag for him to finish. I shot an 84 (not great but I didn't warm up and started slow) but it was my best day of driving the ball in 3 months and my ball striking was awesome. So it can be done. I'm not saying you should play that quick, but I don't agree that it is analogous to the 300yd drive

I love to walk but here in Houston it gets really hot and humid and by the end that also starts to affect me. Its getting cooler though so I may start doing just that.

I play a lot by myself and its often late afternoon when no one is on the course. I can play 18 holes in about 2 hours. When I do this I play great. Roll up, get distance, grab club, hit shot, move on. My problem now though is that when I play in a normal group at a normal pace I start to struggle. Its not a slow pace so I can't push people but its slow for me. A great example was yesterday. Front 9 was about an hour. 2 rough holes to start but then 7 straight pars. On 10 it bogged down with a group in front of me (I played 7 holes to their 2 on the front). I then doubled 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18. Obviously I've got some mental issues but does anyone have any advice? I'm thinking maybe next time I just sit in the cart and not pay attention until its my turn and then jump out and play quick like I would if I just pulled up.

I've seen discussion on here about moving back a tee to help get your handicap down. Higher rating and slope but perhaps not much difference in how you score equals lower differential. Certainly a course by course strategy but logical nonetheless. What about moving up a tee? Lower rating and slope mean you have to score lower, but perhaps the shorter course allows you to do just that. I recently played a course from the white tees (up for me) and it played 5900 yds. Rating was 67.8 (par 72) and slope 121. Since the course was so short, I hit 3W and 5W a lot and left my self a lot of short irons and wedges to the green. As a result I scored really well and finished with a 76 (75 ESC). The differential was 6.7 which is under my 7 handicap. Note I also had a bad triple. It seems like a decent way to lower my handicap but perhaps a cheap way also and ultimately hurt me since I would get use to easy golf and struggle when I got to a 6500+ yd course. Thoughts?

4-Man scrambles are fun when its for charity. Prizes are usually a free round or some clubhouse "bucks" to buy an overpriced hat or something. It all comes down to who can cheat just enough to win but not so much that its obvious. "What did you shoot?" "What did YOU shoot?" "65" "OH, got ya by 1, "64". Plus in charity events they always sell "mulligans" to make more money. Has anyone ever taken ONLY the EXACT amount of mulligans they bought? If its a serious tournament though with some serious prizes, these little annoyances become major issues. I would not play in one if not for a charity. 3-Man is as much as I would do since you could have 2 teams per hole. You declare your mulligans if any. The other teams writes them down and confirms purchase after wards plus track your score. This is as legit as you can get with this format and mulligans. Otherwise its BS. Par-3 with putter only? I wouldn't do it. What's the point? For this story though? The question is why weren't YOU getting drunk. That's standard 4-Man scramble etiquette.

Lately I've had some wild inconsistencies. 76 one weekend. 87 the next (and took 2 birdies in last 3 to get there) Upon reflection I notice that there are two things that seem to fluctuate: Focus and Relaxation. Here is what I have found: Relaxed & Focused = 70s Relaxed but NOT Focused = 80-83 NOT Relaxed but Focused = 84-87 NOT Relaxed and NOT Focused = 87+ These are rough estimates based on about a months worth of golf (5-6 rounds) and obviously match my game right now but from this I deduce that being relaxed is the most important thing. Add some focus in and I can go low, but simply being focused is not enough. I believe at times I get too focused which leads to tension and stress and things go bad and then other days I seem to be able to stay focused but relax and have a good time and then I do something great. It seems to be very much related to the group I am playing with. Playing with guys I know but are not great friends with seems to be the best formula. I am relaxed because we all know each other but at the same time I want to play well and impress so I focus. Playing with guys that I am really good friends with seems to cause me to lose focus because we are goofing around and talking about everything but golf so while I am relaxed, I make some dumb mistakes like forgetting about a trap or not taking the wind into consideration. Playing with guys I don't know at all causes me to stress a little and while I might be focused I struggle. I'm sure everyone experiences this like starting out horribly because you are trying too hard and then after being 8 over in 4 holes you say "F* it" and start relaxing and low and behold you go +2 over the next 8. So in the end my brilliant conclusion is that I need to relax but stay focused. The trick is figuring out how to do this. Anybody have any equally brilliant advice?

I tend to agree with this. Short game is huge no doubt but if you are shooting 110+ then you were sunk well before you got around the green. I still focus a lot of attention on my tee shots even though there is no direct correlation between fairways and score. I know that I have to put myself in a good spot off the tee or par is gone after 1 stroke. So people should spend as much time on figuring out how to get off the tee in good shape and hitting decent second shots as they do on their short game. When you add up the penalties and the recovery shots you don't have to take then all of the sudden 10 strokes can disappear.

How bad of shot does it take to find a hazard? That is my only question in this situation. I am fine with hitting into a bunker and I am fine with being around the green even if its in the rough. But I will not cost myself a penalty stroke when a layup and wedge could have gotten me a par at most and maybe a birdie. If it takes a miss of 30 yards any direction to find a hazard then I will go for it because if I hit a shot that bad then I deserve a penalty. As that number decreases I start weighing the odds, considering my common miss, taking into account my game that day and my score (solid round going? why screw it up; crappy round? why not). You have to have confidence in your short game to be a regular risk taker like this.

I think that people take the same personality they have in life to the games they play. I am highly competitive and do not accept second best in anything (not saying I am the best at everything but simply that I am always looking to be better no matter what I am doing). Thus on the course I am working to be better everyday and when I don't play up to my capabilities I get mad and refocused on what I am doing. Others may have similar personalities but be able to turn it on and off better. I certainly have matured with age in that regard. So I don't take it seriously in that my happiness in life depends on it, but it is a game I have committed myself to and thus I allocate the appropriate amount of seriousness to be successful. Ultimately my goal is to get to scratch. I know that is lofty but I will keep working at it and if I don't get there I will at least get close and that will be pretty darn good.

Holy Crap. I never realized this. Looking at 3 regular 18 hole scorecards certainly confirms this. Would be nice to know how to handle the last part (which side are the "odds" and which are the "evens") but this certainly solves my problem for this round.

If they make a movie about Cristie Kerr, I think Virginia Madsen should play her.

I had a thread on the Golf Talk page so I hate to repeat but it seemed more fitted to this page 2 questions: 1 - Played course where a par 5 was playing as a par 3 due to a flood. It had temporary tees about 120 out. There was no adjusted CR/Slope posted and after speaking with them they have none. How do I proceed? (option being considered to treat it like a hole that was skipped and take Net Par) 2. The option above leads to additional question. This course has 3 nines. Each has its holes handicapped 1-9. CR/Slope is listed for all 3 combinations but when played together, how do I know what holes are the 10-18 handicaps? Thanks.

So since I played 17 of the 18 holes, I just need to figure out what my NET par is on this one altered hole. Normally I would take my course handicap (8 for this particular day) and check the handicap for this hole. If listed as handicap 1-8 I would get a stroke, otherwise I would not. The problem is the handicaps are listed as 1-9 for the front 9 holes and then 1-9 for the back 9 holes. How do I know what the handicaps are when they are combined? This particular hole is the #1 handicap on its particular 9 so I would ASSUME it would be 1-8 when combined but that seems wishy-washy. Also my playing partners are all much higher in handicap than me and figuring it out for them is less obvious (do they get 1 or 2 strokes for example.) Sadly it was not a good round and will not have a direct impact on my handicap although it will count as a score and thus could knock off an old score and indirectly affect my handicap that way. This is by far the most difficultly I have ever had in trying to post a score :(

This does seem like the only option. Now however I am looking at the score card and see that they handicap the holes PER 9. They have 27 holes and CR/Slope for all 3 combinations but for each 9 the handicaps are 1-9. How would I know the number of strokes I get on this hole?

I don't mean to hi-jack this thread but it looks like it is complete. I have a thread about a round with a hole that had temporary tees and NO adjusted CR/Slope. Par 5 played as a Par 3. The only option I see is to pretend I did not play that hole and take a Net Par. Is that accurate?

When people tell me to "Not take it so seriously" and "Just have fun" what they don't understand is that taking it seriously and playing good IS fun for me. I won't disappear into my shell if I am playing bad (primarily because I've learned to grind it out which means letting it go and moving on) but I am not going to be a bundle of joy and pretend I am not pissed off when I miss the green from 100 yards and plug it in a bunker. Most of my regular playing partners get this and give me some space after a bad shot because they know I will be right back to myself once I deal with it and let it go (before the next shot of course). As for me dealing with others who are getting pissed off, rather than telling them to "relax" or "let it go" I try to take their mind off of golf for a few minutes. Ask them how their kids are doing or talk about something I know they are interested in and get them laughing or having a good time time. Its definitely not fun to play with someone who is miserably upset the whole round.

I did the no look putting thing for a while when I would play practice rounds and was focusing on tee to green but for whatever reason I didn't feel like taking a bunch of time on the green. I would just step up and putt using that vague read. I also found that my putts were much better and started to insert that into my game but much like mdl said, take time to get a read, but then step up, look and go. My putting has gotten much better and the longer I take over the ball the worse I putt. Nerves I guess. Tension that causes me to be unable to hold my line. I'm basically down to a grip and rip approach but for putting.

Walk 9 Ride 18 Will walk 18 in Fall or early Spring when its not 95-100 (plus Houston humidity). Basically I walk for my practice rounds and then ride for full rounds. Walking gives me time to think. Sometimes about golf and sometimes about other stuff. Regardless it is peaceful and quiet and that is what I enjoy the most. With friends though on the weekend, I need a cart to put the beer in.