Ego taking a battering

[Oggie41]

So me and a few mates decided to join a new golf club (Bondhay Golf Course) recently, as it's a great course and they'd temporarily waived the joining fee (used to be over 1k). I'm really liking everything about the club - course in great condition, drainage really good, top quality greens, decent clubhouse and practice facilities, great atmosphere around the place etc. The one problem is the course is so bloody difficult!!! It's over 1000 yards longer than where we were playing before, and there is literally trees/bunkers/water everywhere. Miss the fairway and you'll be chopping out sideways from the trees; hit the fairway and you'll probably be in a fairway bunker!

I'd started to hit low 80's around the course I was playing, and was knocking on the door of the 70's. Now I'm really struggling to break 90 . We played the PGA course at the Belfry a couple of weeks ago, and we all scored better than we do at this new course. I've actually felt like I've played some really good stuff at times, but have walked off with some terrible scores, finishing very low in the comps I've entered. Even though I can see the positives of this new club, I'm finding it utterly demoralising every time I walk off the course. My head is telling me we've made the right decision changing, but my ego is telling me otherwise. Time to read some Rotella I think...

 

[birdieman]

The SSS should sort the difficulty aspect in relation to handicap so gross score is irrelevant really. 90 gross round an SSS 74 is the same as 85 gross round an SSS 69 course.

Personally open easy courses bore me to tears, would far rather be in your situation and have a really hard course as my home course. Hard courses are visually stimulating and make you use your brain all the time with position off the tee, exact lay-ups, must be correct side of hole etc.

Hard courses are ultimately more rewarding, you can't fluke your way to a good score, pars have to be earned.

Nothing worse than endless drive/wedge, drive/wedge holes.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I agree that when you score well you know you'll have played some top drawer golf. Not much fun for me playing a course where you can spray it left or right and still have a shot in from the adjacent fairway.

It sounds like your new home is a real thinkers course. Maybe the problem is you haven't learnt it yet and just don't know which hole to leave driver alone etc. Stick with it.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Like Birdieman says, the SSS should take care of the difficulty. You just need to get your head prepared for the challenge knowing that once you start shooting your old scores at the new course you can shoot them anywhere. If your like me, you're playing golf to improve and what better place to improve than a tough course.

Forget about comparing your old scores to your new ones and start judging them against the difficulty of the new course

 

[pokerjoke]

I.M.O. Course management is the key to tight courses,try plotting your way around im sure your scores will tumble.

 

[Sam]

the SSS should take care of the difficulty

accent on the word should and often doesn't

 

[shagster]

totally agree with birdieman and homer, a corse where you think, and play short is more rewarding. played my home course wednesday, still on winter tees stareted on 12th with a birdie, but using 5 wood and 4 rescue off the tee most of the time,and shot a 71 par 72, sss67 off the winters, but playing full shots into the greens. only took the driver out on 6 holes, and did not need it that many times in reality.
enjoy your new course, learn all the quirks and your scores will come down

 

[JustOne]

the SSS should take care of the difficulty

accent on the word should and often doesn't

100% agree, some very tough tracks don't have the SSS right as far as I'm concerned.



To the original poster...

If the new course is tough then you have to see it as belonging to a more challenging course... not the one those other wimps belong to... and an even better test when it's windy!

In the long run it'll make you a better golfer.

 

[CrapHacker]

Yup, I agree. I'd much rather join a tough course than an easy one.

You wont get bored with a toughie.

You can compete with anyone on their track.

You will often hammer people who play an away game on your track.

My local course is an easy / short beggar. I haven't joined it coz I can't see me getting value for money out of it.

Keep it up on your course and wait for the ego boosting glow that'll happen when you start hitting those low figures in months to come.