Inspiration

[bobmac]

So, the years are rolling on, you're not getting any younger and the handicap is starting to slide.
What inspires you to get out there and work hard to stop the inevitable handicap increase?.

The thought of moving up a category, Cat II to Cat III for example? (oh the humiliation)
The embarrassment of getting shots from a girl?
The acceptance of becoming a rubbish golfer where no-one takes you seriously any more?

Or

Do you long to get a shot back to give you a better chance in the next club comp/forum meet?

Disclaimer.
This thread is not aimed at anyone in particular of 12.4 who isn't young anymore and is still taking cheques for Woodhall

 

[Oddsocks]

Bob lights the fuse.............

 

[ScienceBoy]

As my current drive in golf is getting better and having fun I can see that my outlook will one day have to change.

By that time I probably take each round as it comes and just have fun. I would forsee less practice and more course time compared to this week where my young self is going up the club every evening while the wife is away this week!

 

[Robobum]

My current inspiration, and will continue to be, is to get to a handicap of at least 3 so I no longer recieve a shot on our par 3 ninth hole, which is SI4.

I don't think that any grown man should get a shot on a par3 so I want to avoid that shame especially when playing against our pros who will banter me to death when we get on to that hole.

Oh, and I want to play in the English Mid Amateur which normally requires you to be off of 3 at least.

 

[Macster]

Not sure what exactly 'inspires' me to improve, not particularly age, because despite being nearly 49, I'm still hitting the ball a fair distance and playing some of my best golf in the last few years.
Finally reached Single Figures in 2009, (9.2), before slipping slightly back to 9.8, and 2010 was definitely my most consistent year's golf ever.

I think I know by now that I wont ever be a Cat1 player, that ship has sailed, but if I can get back down to 9, and stay there, I'll be a happy bunny.

 

[USER1999]

Not reached the age where I'm getting worse, as I'm still getting better.

Where's Leftie when you need him?

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I don't really know what inspires me, I just have this built in belief that I can always get better. I would soon get bored if I didn't believe I could still improve. At some point in my life I'm gonna have to deal with the fact that my h'cap is gonna start going backwards but at 35 I've got a lot of years of golf before that happens so I'll deal with that when I get there

 

[MashieNiblick]

I just love this game.

 

[JustOne]

Disclaimer.
This thread is not aimed at anyone in particular of 12.4 who isn't young anymore, is still taking cheques for Woodhall, and rhymes with "Whiffy"

Fixed.

 

[Losttheplot]

I seem to be always wanting to improve. I have this mentality that if I try something then I want to be good at it and I feel defeated if I'm not half decent. Now off 8 I'm not doing too bad but I can see where the shots I loose come from and my mentality kicks in and says that I can eradicate them from my game. I'm just inspired to make myself better and be a lower handicap.

 

[USER1999]

I have beed rebuilding the top half of my swing recently, as I have a habit of getting crossed at the top. Not an easy thing to change, but if I am to continue getting better, this has to go.

Chatting in the club house on Saturday, two of my mates were of the opinion why can't you just settle for the swing you have, and just play for fun? They are off 12 ish, and seem happy to stay there.

Either I'm weird, or they are?

 

[BROOKIE]

Golf to me is a game where you can always get better,at my
age (60)Im definitley a better player and striker of the
ball than I was 12 months ago the reason being I practice
much more,take yesterday for instance for 2 hours all I did
was hit my irons to a practice green,then played 9 holes on
my own in the late afternoon,and I enjoyed every minuite,

 

[Oddsocks]

Still egar to improve but im still only 30 so need to get this h/c down as low as i can while i can still control my bladder.

the motivation comes from my job being very full on, and golf being the only way i shut down from stress.

 

[Region3]

But when does that point (age) come? 40? 50? 60?

I think I'm still improving as I've only been back playing just under 2 years, although lord knows what Timeform would have down as comments for me, lots of squiggles methinks.

I still feel as flexible as I did when I played as a junior. I think my swing is better now. My temperament is better. My equipment is better.
I don't see any reason why I can't improve lots more (barring injury) unless I put so much pudding on that I can't swing the same, but that's very unlikely.

 

[viscount17]

have you been in denial all this time, bob?
you're among friends, do up your button-up check slippers and come and drink your horlicks. Jan'll be along soon to put the Archer's on.


the trick is starting late, you're still improving as the war weary are being put out to pasture. at some point you plan to overtake.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I'm 28 and playing off of 24 and I know i'm better than that. That's what keeps me going.

 

[stevek1969]

I got to 9 when i turned 40 since then my Handicap has went Pete Tong now 11 and no real signs of getting better,out of the guys i play with there are 6 Cat1 players i'd love to get there but no chance.
I practise ,have had lessons but its getting worse maybe take up bowls i think i can get back to single figures ( the guys i've played with on here will disagree my mates reckon i can but cant get there,to hard on myself i think

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Still believe single figures is obtainable even though a handicap rise to 13 is imminent. Golf has never come easy even when I could play it well I'd have to keep working on all facets. Now I am trying to work within what I have much more and think the swing I have from the Winters lessons is the one that can carry me forward.

I'm not desperate to get to 9 anymore but won't be content with sliding up any further than 13. I think that 10-13 bubble may be my limit now but if you don't have a goal and belief why bother at all

 

[kid2]

Well im only playing seriously about 18 months so i may not be a candidate for Bob's post but iv seen a huge improvement in myself....
Iv came down from 21 to 16 in that time and have had my fair share of 0.1's back but i am progressing...
Iv shot 3 very low rounds which is where i draw my own inspiration from as i see this as a measure of what im capable of....

This season im working on a few things in my swing and if i dont see any improvement come the winter then ill be working my ass off for the following year...

 

[rickg]

My inspiration is to claim a regular spot in the scratch team and get to Cat 1.
Probably got more chance of doing it this year than ever before.

I've finally, finally, finally worked out what my pro's been trying to get me to do and the feeling of a pure ball strike is such a wonderful feeling....that also inspires me to keep recreating the feeling.

I can't believe that all the time I've been playing golf, it's only in the last 2 weeks that I've actually started to hit the ball like it's supposed to be hit!!