HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
A long long time ago, 10 years to be precise when I was 28, I told a colleague at work that my aim was to get a low enough h'cap by the time I was 35 to enter what I think was then called the Surrey Mid-Am. At the time I didn't have an official h'cap and the entry limit was 9. When I did get to 9, I was 36, the competition I had looked at all those years before didn't exist and many of the other decent opens had h'cap limits of 5 some up to 8 but I was still not low enough and I really stopped looking at the decent ones knowing the chances of getting in anytime soon were slim.
However, with my recent upturn in form and downturn in h'cap and following Robobum's post about St George's Hill my mind is set again on getting into some of these more prestigious opens. At 1st I was unsure if I could play to 7 let alone get any lower but I have now been 5 rounds off my new h'cap and am convinced that Cat 1 isn't beyond me. I need to cut out the silly 3-putts and sharpen up my chipping and bunker play but in my 5 rounds off 7 I have had rounds of +5, +8, and two +9s and I know the 8s and 9s were 3 or 4 shots worse than they should have been. I would actually go as far as saying I'm more confident now that I can get to Cat 1 than I was that I could get to this years target of 7.9. Having the lower h'cap and being able to play to it has raised my self belief no-end.
I am going to enter the Pearson Trophy at Liphook as recommended by Robobum although not sure I'll get through the ballot off of 7 so need a few more cuts in the next month or so and was looking today at some other events that require Cat 1 status and setting myself goals for next year. I don't expect to compete at these events but tee-ing up alongside some really good playes would be an achievement in itself.
But am I running before I can walk and getting caught up in my current form?
I've always thought I could get to 7 or 8 without really believing it and now here I am 2 weeks off of 7 talking about Cat 1, it doesn't seem real.
Has anyone else found themselves in my position of dropping quickly after years of a fairly stable h'cap and can you share your experiences. What advice would the low guys like Robobum give to someone in my position?
I hope I haven't bored you all but I realise there are some good golfers here who could share some words of wisdom.
However, with my recent upturn in form and downturn in h'cap and following Robobum's post about St George's Hill my mind is set again on getting into some of these more prestigious opens. At 1st I was unsure if I could play to 7 let alone get any lower but I have now been 5 rounds off my new h'cap and am convinced that Cat 1 isn't beyond me. I need to cut out the silly 3-putts and sharpen up my chipping and bunker play but in my 5 rounds off 7 I have had rounds of +5, +8, and two +9s and I know the 8s and 9s were 3 or 4 shots worse than they should have been. I would actually go as far as saying I'm more confident now that I can get to Cat 1 than I was that I could get to this years target of 7.9. Having the lower h'cap and being able to play to it has raised my self belief no-end.
I am going to enter the Pearson Trophy at Liphook as recommended by Robobum although not sure I'll get through the ballot off of 7 so need a few more cuts in the next month or so and was looking today at some other events that require Cat 1 status and setting myself goals for next year. I don't expect to compete at these events but tee-ing up alongside some really good playes would be an achievement in itself.
But am I running before I can walk and getting caught up in my current form?
I've always thought I could get to 7 or 8 without really believing it and now here I am 2 weeks off of 7 talking about Cat 1, it doesn't seem real.
Has anyone else found themselves in my position of dropping quickly after years of a fairly stable h'cap and can you share your experiences. What advice would the low guys like Robobum give to someone in my position?
I hope I haven't bored you all but I realise there are some good golfers here who could share some words of wisdom.
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The ESR is the thing that I was concerned about originally. I did get lucky with the way my differentials worked out but I feel like I have been playing off 7 for ages. I thought I would struggle mentally with the low h'cap but it has worked the complete opposite and my confidence has soared. First time out I was a bit nervous but I shot 5 over round a course I'd never played before and I just thought, I can do this. Interesting what you say about 8 to 6 being the hardest, I honestly think if I hadn't got the ESR, I'd spend the next couple of years quietly telling myself I'm not good enough to get to 6. Now I think hey I'm here and it doesn't matter how I got here, lets see how much further I can go.
