Handicap has tumbled so now what?!

karlcole

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Hi all just received my second ESR of the season. 11 weeks ago I was off 14 and I'm not off 8.3! Slightly worried that this is not playable for me. I did put the work in over winter with plenty of practice etc. Just wondering should I try to maintain this for the rest of the year due to it dropping so quick or should I look to push on again. Anyone experienced such a fast dropping of handicap? I've got mixed emotions about the whole thing ha
 
haven't had a fast dropping handicap since my first season, I would just take things as it comes, if it is too low it will go up again if not you may come down a little more.

Congratulations for reaching single figures! you must be chuffed about that.
 
Congrats you are obviously able to play to it or else the HC would not have give it to you. I dropped from 16 to 8 in 4 months and then went on to go lower. Once you have the confidence it is amazing what you can achieve.
 
Give yourself a big pat on the back, relax and enjoy going forward.

Great achievement, congratulations.
 
Consolidate
You can play to it, you need to believe you can.
You'll struggle for a while but you'll get used to not having those extra shots and don't be too disheartened if you go up a shot by the end of the season.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that now you have to hit good shots all the time - you won't....
At the end of the day, your handicap is just a number and it will be what it will be.
Enjoy the game, hit it, go find it, hit it again ....
 
To get to 8.3 you will have to have played better than 8.3. Stop worrying and go out and enjoy the new challenge. And when you get to 7 & 6 & 5, keep pushing on.
 
In my experience, staying there should be your goal. A few years ago I dropped from 10.3 to 6.5 in the space of 23 days and didn't deal with it very well mentally. I was more focused on the fact I had so few shots than anything else and I slowly crept back up again.

My advice to you is to forget about your handicap or points and just try to play each hole at a time and shoot the best score you can on the day.

If you are still off of 8 at the end of the season you've done well :thup:
 
I don't really understand this. Each time you play just try to shoot the lowest score you can, your handicap will take care of itself.
 
Enjoy your golf, and don't worry about the scoring. If you don't perform one week then don't fret as it may last a little while, then something will click again.

Of course the alternative is to hit 200 balls a day and improve some more, but let's be honest golf is a great way to walk around for a few hours and enjoy the company of good people without having to rely on it feeding your family.
 
Well done, must have been some great golf.

Stick with what you are doing and those rounds should come again - done it more than once - same again !

By the way - can you share the secret change :)
 
I don't really understand this. Each time you play just try to shoot the lowest score you can, your handicap will take care of itself.

I think his problem is he is now in a place re hcap where he did not think he would or could be and is probably out of the comfort zone.
Having said that, dear lord please burden me with the same problem.
 
I'd say what others have said, well done, you have already played to that level and if it is too low the system will readjust you based on your scores.

Happened to a chap at our place who is in our group two years, who with two good comps and an ESA dropped from 12 to 8. He was very uptight about being able to sustain it but has still flitted between 8&9 since (currently 8) so enjoy!!!
 
You would be amazed how quick u can lose your swing too. One month I will be sweet then the same feelings and it's all gone to pot.

As mentioned aim for 36 points off new handicap and push for further cuts. What else is there?
 
Enjoy (i'd be over the moon to get to where you have got to) and try and kick on. Clearly you have the ability so trust the work you did over the winter and see what else you can do. If you can't play to it it the 0.1's will kick in and you'll go up until you find your level
 
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