Are you playing to win / compete or making up the numbers? Pessimistic?

[Orikoru]

I used to think I had no chance, then one day I shot a personal best 88 and won a medal. I'm still never 'playing to win' though. I'm playing to play. I just want to play well. Then when it's over it's good to see how I've done compared to the other players.

 

[jim8flog]

One of he best lessons I had in my life - I only hit about 10 balls and the rest of the lesson the pro and I just talked about my mental attitude to winning. (I was having real rubbish starts and fantastic finishes).

The main point to come out was that I should stop writing the winning speech before I had even hit a shot.

 

[Slab]

Overall I'm playing solely with the hope of shooting a PB

On the 1st Tee I'm playing to hit the 1st fairway... then its just one shot at a time

Been said but, you cant influence anyone else's game so might as well concentrate on your own

I do enter the odd Open knowing I wont win simply due to the type of players they can attract but that's realism rather than defeatist


Other way of looking at it is, if you hope to win each time then more often than not you're gonna be disappointed... who wants to be disappointed after nearly every game of golf!

 

[jusme]

I play primarily to have fun and enjoy myself. A bonus is striking the ball well and if a decent score comes from that then all the better. Winning is largely irrelevant to me. Most people I meet are competitive, however I missed out on that installation at birth.

What annoys me more is playing very poorly (ball striking wise) yet scrambling a score that indicates you played OK.

 

[Capella]

What annoys me more is playing very poorly (ball striking wise) yet scrambling a score that indicates you played OK.

I know what you mean, but I am cheap ... I'll still happily take it and tell myself that I must have done something right, even if my ball striking was off. What can I say? Golf is a hard game and I suck at it. I desperately need every bit of consolation I can get

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My game is currently stable enough against my handicap so that every time I go out in a comp I know I can win, but I do not go out to win. When it is not so stable I go out to do my best and to enjoy my knock.

 

[bobmac]

I got to the stage where I would have to beat the course record to come anywhere in a medal, that's why I stopped playing in them.

 

[garyinderry]

Tbf the winnings scores have come down a bit these days since the introduction of the ESR.

Still only 2 victories to my name. :rofl:


I tee it up each time with the thought of shooting under par. That soon changes to par then its a case of how close to par I can get.

Am I trying to win on the day? of course I am. Rarely happens but you have to believe you are in with a shout.

All you can do is post the best score you can and hope its good enough. Its all a bit of fun at the end of the day.