Lesson 1: Smile, enjoy it and relax!

[Oddsocks]

After a recent bad patch a lot of people from here have been telling me i have been taking my golf to seriously and i just need to enjoy it.

So saturday with 36 holes planned i hit the course with a new attitude, " any bad shots to be shrugged off, smile, laugh and hit the next one. "

what was the result:

Tuesdays game around what id class as an easier par 68 course:

20 over (88) - 5 over my handicap.
Putts 42
GIR 5/18
Fairways Hit 7/13

Saturdays game at a harder corse with par 71 + New attitude:

14 Over (85) - 1 under handicap
Putts 39
GIR 10/18
Fairways 7/13 (same although alot more accurate)

Front 9 on sunday i was only 4 over, with a nightmere start to the back nine seeing me drop 7 shots in 3 holes. after them 3 nightmeres i went on to only drop 4 shots across the next 6 two of which were Si 1 and Si 3 which i was chuffed with.

So when you think its all going to pot, laugh, smile deep breath and start again, a disaster of 10/11/12 could have wrecked my card but not taking it serious see my stats improve, my score drop, and even recover for a bad 3 holes.

Spot on!

 

[Losttheplot]

 

[Hendy]

nice one, think i need some of that myself!!

Been tryin to keep a cool head of late tho being let down with some awful chipping and approach shots which is really killing my card..

 

[Grumps]

Looks like you need a new putter to really smile

 

[Oddsocks]

Looks like you need a new putter to really smile

Just got a Yes Amy, and with the exception of 3 bad greens at woldingham i was averaging 3 putts every 2 holes, no new putter needed, just need to get used to the new one as saturday was its maiden voyage with only 5 mons practice green putting.

 

[Sneds]

Looks like you need a new putter to really smile

Just got a Yes Amy, and with the exception of 3 bad greens at woldingham i was averaging 3 putts every 2 holes

Can't wait for lesson 2!

Also, some quick maths....was it really that bad?!

18 - 3 = 15 * 1.5 = 22.5 Putts

39 Total Putts - 22.5 = 16.5 / 3 = 5.5 Putts on those 3 holes?!!

 

[Oddsocks]

sned, there were a few dodgey putting holes, comsidering i got the putter wednesday and straight onto the course, my first 4 holes
went 2 putts, 1 putt, 1 putt 2 putts (took average from this)

back nine see me put myself in some positions where i was faced with front of green putts to a pin that was at the rear, some putts ""may have been"" over 35 ft so was 3 putting some of the back nine.

 

[Sneds]

I birdied a hole once..wish I could take my average from that hole!

 

[Oddsocks]

well average is 2.166 so i was alot more happy with that than the 42 from tuesday which was an average of 2.333, would you agree,

 

[Sneds]

I would say that 2.1666 is less than 2.333' so I will share your happiness in the improvement.

 

[Oddsocks]

why thank you, when it gets below 2.00 will you brake open a bottle of bubbly too....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Been trying the more relaxed attitude for a while now. It certainly has stopped me thinking about too many technical thoughts and when I get it right (Macmillan Day) then I play some excellent golf. Even in the club championships which was a story of errors, working hard to repair the damage to throw in an even bigger error, I knew I wasn't going to qualify but really tried to grind it out and enjoy the challenge.

It was certainly working on Sunday. OK I did lose interest after the 9 on the par 3 17th but that was more frustration in blowing a potentially winning position and certainly a cut. It was the guys on here that got me into the more relaxed mindset and even though the scores and handicap haven't shown it the consistancy is much better.

 

[Oddsocks]

Homer I agree the boys on here change your mind set, what I also noticed was Saturday playing for position on some of the shorter par fours which left me easier shots in. Woldingam not do much but some of the doglegs at westerham see me playing with my brains and not ego even though my westerham card was toilet with only 28 points.

My attitude was this is the first 36 hole day I've had in around ten years. To finish with 37/28 points over two rounds with the same ball wasn't bad going considering I had a few wacky holes on both rounds