It's a confidence thing?

[Stub]

I posted recently that after taking up golf three years ago at the age of 64 I had struggled to get off 28 handicap, but had at last been cut to 27 from this month.

Yesterday I went out and broke 90 for the first time, with 6 pars and a birdie! Since my handicap was slashed I feel the L plates have been removed and I have been playing far better than previously. All down to confidence? Now I need to tell myself my current form is not exceptional, it is just the way I play.:fore:

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I have said several times on here that I firmly believe everyone has 2 handicaps, one physical and one mental. The mental one is often the one people will play to.

 

[G_Mulligan]

I have said several times on here that I firmly believe everyone has 2 handicaps, one physical and one mental. The mental one is often the one people will play to.

nicely put. Can I steal that???

and well done to the OP, it may have been an exceptional round but that is a gauge of how well you can play. You were not playing above your ability you were playing to it. It may not happen every time you go out but just relax and let it happen and it will more often.

 

[London mike 61]

I posted recently that after taking up golf three years ago at the age of 64 I had struggled to get off 28 handicap, but had at last been cut to 27 from this month.

Yesterday I went out and broke 90 for the first time, with 6 pars and a birdie! Since my handicap was slashed I feel the L plates have been removed and I have been playing far better than previously. All down to confidence? Now I need to tell myself my current form is not exceptional, it is just the way I play.:fore:

Out of interest how often do you play?, has your handicap fallen because you play more or because of better course management or a mixture of both?

 

[HawkeyeMS]

nicely put. Can I steal that???

and well done to the OP, it may have been an exceptional round but that is a gauge of how well you can play. You were not playing above your ability you were playing to it. It may not happen every time you go out but just relax and let it happen and it will more often.

I want to be referenced if you ever publish it

 

[G_Mulligan]

I want to be referenced if you ever publish it

when it becomes the title of my book I will make sure you get a cut of the meagre profits

 

[Craggles89]

Well played! Playing around the 28 hcp myself, i can only imagine how that feels to be cut. Use your new found confidence to carry on get that number low!

 

[Stub]

Out of interest how often do you play?, has your handicap fallen because you play more or because of better course management or a mixture of both?

I usually play twice a week but practice on the range and practice area a couple of times a week. Our club (Malton & Norton) has excellent practice facilities. Have also been having regular lessons so when I practice it is with the aim of improving specific aspects or shots. Have spent a lot of time adding 40 yards to my (mediocre) previous driving distance and improving my short game.

 

[garyinderry]

ive post here many times. the 28 handicaps dished out hold people back imo. start at 18, remove hawkeye's handicap blanket and start playing better golf straight away.



a way of doing this in practice is to mark 1 card off 18, then add you extra shots onto your score at the end. play each hole as if you only have the 1 extra shot. treat the shots with the utmost of care.

the guy who has £18 to spend for the week is a lot more careful with his money than the guy with £28! :thup:

 

[G_Mulligan]

the guy who has £18 to spend for the week is a lot more careful with his money than the guy with £28! :thup:

I am stealing that too, this book is writing itself. That is similar to the conversation with my blog client when deciding how many bad shots to allow himself per round. Very nice analogy though to sum it up.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Well done. I agree totally that confidence breeds confidence and leads to more success. I played on Saturday and swung the club nowhere near as well as at Camberley but buoyed by my success still had a confident personal which carried me through. 35 points with two blobs was a much better return than I'd normally expect swinging as I was. My short game is coming on as I'm more confident with the technique and the head isn't a blancmange of thoughts and techniques.

Keep going and see how much you can beat the current record by and get the handicap down.

 

[pokerjoke]

Very well done.
Remember "your mind will always give up before your body".