Hackers: What handicap would make you not embarrassed about your handicap

[revkev]

I want to be clear that I never once thought that RP would be anything but a gentlemen on the golf course. Tournament golf is so different from casual golf it's fun like playing a trumpet recital is fun or riding a roller coaster is fun (I'm scared to death of heights.) I've found over the years that the more normal me I stay in a tournament the more I'm likely to play well and the more I treat it differently the less likely (totally unlikely) I am to play well. I actually to enjoy finding out how I hold up under pressure - to me that's fun ----

 

At any rate a person is what he or she thinks of himself - if you're worried about your handicap before you step on the first tee then that's who you are - if you see yourself as a golfer stepping onto the first tee then that's who you are - doesn't matter if you're a scratch or a 22.

 

Oh and I actually got another phone call about my aforementioned friend last night from a group of people at his club wanting me to talk to him about his pace of play for this upcoming year. I noticed that he left his range finder in his bag when he was a here a few weeks back - He's coming back next month - it may "break" while he's up north. Damn dog and cat I can't seem to keep them from rough housing around his clubs.

[BK in TEXAS]

 

 

Oh and I actually got another phone call about my aforementioned friend last night from a group of people at his club wanting me to talk to him about his pace of play for this upcoming year. I noticed that he left his range finder in his bag when he was a here a few weeks back - He's coming back next month - it may "break" while he's up north. Damn dog and cat I can't seem to keep them from rough housing around his clubs.

LOL....if all else fails..... slap one of those GPS watches on his wrist.

[Tyk]

I used to prepare for and play tournament golf differently, I tried to bring a bit more intensity that day, tried to get myself to concentrate more and thought that interacting less with opponents would help that.

 

I don't think it does, at least not for me. In golf, you really just have to be able to focus on the shot at hand for a brief moment. It shouldn't matter what has gone on before that moment or after. As critical as that moment is, as critical is the ability to choose the right shot at the right time. To know when to take a risk and when to avoid it and to mostly know what I am capable of and to correctly gauge the percentages of making an acceptable shot vs. not. I am trying to approach tournament rounds as being mostly impacted by my shot selections and my ability to execute that day. I believe that when I am playing well I am going to pose a challenge for pretty much anyone I am likely to run into, the onus is on me to play well and stay out of my own head.

 

If I'm playing match play, either single or foursomes, I might engage in a bit of gamesmanship, nothing to the point of being unsportsmanlike or rude, but I might make a comment, try and get in the other guy's head a bit, more just for fun than anything else. To me, that is just part of head to head competition. To be honest, it usually backfires, which is also fun!

[revkev]

And you guys will laugh that since I posted earlier today - I got yet another call about my buddy. The problem is my other college roomate and I know he's a great guy, we've spent many great life moments with him off the course and so we overlook a lot - others aren't so kind - my other buddy told me that his club said he can't invite our mutual friend to his member guest this year - so I have guys from my friend's club and my other college roomate calling me to say his club is banning him.

 

Guess I know why my wedding in the Dominican was delayed for four months -

 

Should be a fun round in March - I'm hoping for a rainout and lots of scotch so I can get er done.

 

And again I'd say to any of my middle or higher handicap friends don't stress it - I'm playing with a 14 and a 20 today and will have a great time, they won't bother me, I'll help them with club selection, I'll compliment their good shots, they'll compliment mine, we'll have some cigars - they'll have a few beers (I can't because I'm on call) and we'll go home happy.

[sparnar]

Richard, thank you very much for your very kind words earlier in the thread.

 

I always do my best with sticking to the rules, but the one rule I don't always enforce is the stroke and distance penalties. I can probably justify it by saying that I do this because of pace of play mostly, but that wouldn't be 100% truthful. I should probably start hitting some provisionals, where my tee shot has a chance of being lost\OB. Alot of this was because I have struggled with my tee shots during the last 12 months, but this has improved alot recently, so I really should stop making excuses, and play the right way.

 

I never, ever take gimmies. I think I have only taken one gimmie in my last 10 rounds, and that was when I hit a bunker shot that hit the pin, with ball coming to rest a foot and a half from the flag. Before I was able to rake the bunker, my playing partner picked up my ball, and threw it to me.

 

I always putt out, and this has actually led to a few missed short putts, that at times have kept my scores just over 100, instead of just under.

 

I never better my lie, unless the lie will cause serious damage to my clubs. I won't intentionally damage my clubs, just because of a rule. This doesn't happen too often.

 

Now, this definitely makes it hard to improve on scores, and to better one's handicap. But there is no better feeling than reaching a milestone (in my case breaking 100), and knowing that one did it the hard way. Not taking any short cuts. That feeling is incredible. I have still only managed it once, but I know that I will break 90 this year. And I will do it the hard way. What does taking gimmies, and shaving 5 strokes a round really accomplish in the long term? It will most likely make you a worse putter, in my opinion.

 

It takes a bit of discipline, and sometimes I play with guys playing to a different set of rules, and at first it is tough when someone claims to have beaten you, when they really wouldn't have if they played the same rules. But that is where the whole 'playing against yourself and the course alone' mentality comes in.

 

I don't really play competitive rounds, so I am not at all concerned whether or not my playing partners adhere to the same rules. As long as they are having fun, and enjoying the round with me, I am not really concerned if they use the old foot wedge, or take a free drop. They pay to play, same as I do, they are entitled to play the game the way they like, as long as they stick to the general rules, and don't waste unnecessary time.

 

I went off on a bit of tangent there. My point is I like my rules, but I won't force it on anyone else in a casual round. So my HC might be a little worse off than someone else's, but that doesn't bother me.

 

I will say that if I was playing competively more often, I might have different feelings on the subject. But that wouldn't be against the vanity handicappers, they are shooting themselves in the foot.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

Woo hoo! One small step closer to my personal "respectability" level! Today's GHIN email showed my index dropped to 14.4, and now I have a course handicap of 16! I've decided I want/need the CH 14 to feel "good" about it. Of course, never satisfied, will strive for lower, but I want the 14 level.

[Tyk]

You are right about the "never satisfied", but you have to have goals to strive for to keep you motivated and make it fun!

[JSHIBONE]

IMHO, as long as you can keep up with scratch player, you shouldn't be embarrassed.

For that, I would say bogey playing should be fine telling someone that they "enjoy" playing golf.

Anybody with 18 or under HC should be fine. More than handicap, its players' attitude and etiquette

that matters more. When you are on competitive course, you can't be leisure player. Vice versa, you

can't be competitive player when everyone is leisure players.

 

I've personally played with many cpga players and scratch players. My HC is right around 10-12 and

we all had great fun. I also played with many 18 and over HC players and had great fun.

 

Depends on your audiences and spectators, when you are around 18 and under HC, you should be fine to play.

Then again, I am punishing myself everyday practicing to go down to single digit. How ironic eh?

 

Gotta stop my mumble.

 

Salute~