Hit your peak?

[azazel]

I don't think I've peaked. Currently off 5.7, having been down at 5.3 last summer which was my lowest to date. However, due to work and two wee kids I'm lucky if I manage to play once a fortnight.

The reason that I'm confident I will still get better is that the difference in my mental game from before the girls were born is night and day. I'm much more relaxed and don't let bad breaks or bad holes affect me nearly as much as they used to so I can scramble an acceptable round even with the odd disaster on the card. Once I have a bit more free time I'm sure that the extra playing time will see the scores and subsequently the handicap come down.

 

[JV24601]

My comments\thought\opinions, take them for what they are worth, which could be a lot or could be nothing!

1. Be more specific with what you want to achieve. Right now you're achieving your goal perfectly, you're going as low as you possibly can right now, with the tools you have right now. I know it sounds like I'm just being an arse, but things like this do matter.

2. You shouldn't laugh when you are angry. Everyone gets angry, it's a natural reaction to things going wrong, how you channel and use that anger is more important than hiding it. Again, not meaning to be an arse, just interpreting what you say with how I read it.

3. So you know what specific things will be primary in your short-term practice.

4. Do you believe this?

I'm genuinely not looking for answers anymore Dibby and I thank you for taking the time to reply. I definitely don't think you're being an arse. The time you're taking to answer proves that and is appreciated.
I'm just interested if other people have got to this stage before. It's kind of a realisation, and a bit of embarrassment too from looking back to me expecting to shoot far lower when I never do with a card.

1. I'm aiming to shoot 6 over or less every round. I think +1 every 3 holes is more than acceptable with my game (in my head), and that would give me some great cuts.

2. I don't always laugh. But I feel i've let the anger ruin the round in the past before so now it's more of an accepting laugh.

3. I do believe that I've constantly worked on my weaknesses, yes

 

[Dibby]

I'm genuinely not looking for answers anymore Dibby and I thank you for taking the time to reply. I definitely don't think you're being an arse. The time you're taking to answer proves that and is appreciated.
I'm just interested if other people have got to this stage before. It's kind of a realisation, and a bit of embarrassment too from looking back to me expecting to shoot far lower when I never do with a card.

1. I'm aiming to shoot 6 over or less every round. I think +1 every 3 holes is more than acceptable with my game (in my head), and that would give me some great cuts.

2. I don't always laugh. But I feel i've let the anger ruin the round in the past before so now it's more of an accepting laugh.

3. I do believe that I've constantly worked on my weaknesses, yes

Hope it was somewhat thought-provoking.

This drilling down into everything is the process of reaching peak, and exactly why in my first post it's important to know how much of it is about peak performance vs having fun. Everyone needs to find their particular point on that scale and then not worry about the would'ves and could'ves.

 

[jim8flog]

My problem is not how I perceive myself but how others perceive me.

I played off about 6 for around 20 years and people still expect me to be that sort of player and get a bit sarcastic about my current handicap.

For me personally I know that I am no longer that player (age and injury).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was single figures as a teenager (many moons ago) and my golfing brain still thinks I can play like it. It's about knowing my limitations these days, finding a way to eradicate car crash holes and get better. I definitely won't get as low as I was but I can peak again at single figures. If I thought this was as good as I can be why bother working on my game and trying to improve. I definitely think there is more to come

 

[Dan2501]

Nowhere near. 28 and only been playing 4.5 years. If I could be arsed to put the work in I'd get so much better.

 

[louise_a]

I started played regularly when I was almost 60, I figured I had 5 years before I started losing it. I got down to 10 in four years but since then I have been bouncing around 10 to 12 (now 66).At the moment I feel I am playing as well as I ever have, just something always seem to mess things up, so maybe its my concentration that is going first.

 

[Hobbit]

Once upon a time, many moons ago, I was pretty much the longest off the tee at my club. Many of the young bucks are anything up to 100 yds ahead of me now. Once upon a time I could reach the 2 longest par 4's with a decent drive and short iron, which meant a good few birdie chances on those holes. Now I rarely reach those holes in 2, often needing a long iron or hybrid to get it there = reduced birdie chances.

Up until a couple of months back I hadn't had an eagle in 3 years, but had 4 in a month. Shot a 1 under gross in another round too, finishing with a bogey on a par 5 I'd eagled the week before.

Have I peaked? Long since. Am I capable of the odd round up near my best? Yes, its still almost up there but I'm also shooting a few rounds in the 80's now. My game is showing my age now but there's still enough good golf to make it enjoyable. And then there's the craic with good friends.

 

[williamalex1]

Once upon a time, many moons ago, I was pretty much the longest off the tee at my club. Many of the young bucks are anything up to 100 yds ahead of me now. Once upon a time I could reach the 2 longest par 4's with a decent drive and short iron, which meant a good few birdie chances on those holes. Now I rarely reach those holes in 2, often needing a long iron or hybrid to get it there = reduced birdie chances.

Up until a couple of months back I hadn't had an eagle in 3 years, but had 4 in a month. Shot a 1 under gross in another round too, finishing with a bogey on a par 5 I'd eagled the week before.

Have I peaked? Long since. Am I capable of the odd round up near my best? Yes, its still almost up there but I'm also shooting a few rounds in the 80's now. My game is showing my age now but there's still enough good golf to make it enjoyable. And then there's the craic with good friends.

The warmer weather and Sangria might be a factor, you lucky sod .:cheers:

 

[ademac]

I dont think I'm even close to my peak yet.
Not sure I will ever reach my maximum potential either due to time restraints however I know I have the ability to improve a lot in the next few years.
Started playing again in march after 4/5 years out of the game.
Got down from 25 to 14 before I finished and was coming down pretty quickly before I had to stop playing.

Now regularly scoring between +7 - +11 and still leaving lots out there.
I have started to have coaching and have commited to a coaching plan to see how good I can get by next april when I will join a club again.

 

[Imurg]

It wouldn't surprise me if I have reached my peak.
We all have that point that, no matter how hard we try, were just not going to get better.
I'm 55 this month and, hopefully, I'll be able to double the 25 years I've already been playing
But I'm a realist. I don't hit the ball as far as I used to and that distance is going to diminish over more time
Same with woods, hybrids and irons. Although not creeping up on me yet, there will come a time that I'll need a 6 iron instead of a 7 etc etc
That in itself makes the game a little harder so makes scoring a little more tricky.

I got down to a lowish number but then promptly began a 3 year stretch of playing with a number of niggly injuries that saw me creep back up.
The ability is there but the inability is beginning to outnumber the former
I've shot decent scores around the Zoo so I know I can get back to those levels but I'm content of I don't.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

It wouldn't surprise me if I have reached my peak.
We all have that point that, no matter how hard we try, were just not going to get better.
I'm 55 this month and, hopefully, I'll be able to double the 25 years I've already been playing
But I'm a realist. I don't hit the ball as far as I used to and that distance is going to diminish over more time
Same with woods, hybrids and irons. Although not creeping up on me yet, there will come a time that I'll need a 6 iron instead of a 7 etc etc
That in itself makes the game a little harder so makes scoring a little more tricky.

I got down to a lowish number but then promptly began a 3 year stretch of playing with a number of niggly injuries that saw me creep back up.
The ability is there but the inability is beginning to outnumber the former
I've shot decent scores around the Zoo so I know I can get back to those levels but I'm content of I don't.

Says the 2018 Olympic club chucker Gold medal winner 😂😂