Running before I can walk?

[Robobum]

In my opinion, there is nothing extra that needs to be done, physically, to stabilise and better your 7 h'cap. You have all the shots necessary at that level, it's just a case of doing it [even] more regularly.

As R3 said, removing any thoughts of h'cap is the start, losing that mentality of "I get a shot here" is the first thing to start doing.

2nd thing is to be more focussed on the job in hand (that horrible "1 shot at a time" cliché!) and hand in hand with this......

Have another CLOSER look at your course management.

I'd still put those entries in - you never know

 

[JPH]

Go go go

 

[Snelly]

As R3 said, removing any thoughts of h'cap is the start, losing that mentality of "I get a shot here" is the first thing to start doing.

Have another CLOSER look at your course management.

I'd still put those entries in - you never know

I agree with this. Forget handicap, forget shots and forget stroke index. Just try and put the ball in the fairway, on the green and in the hole. Aim for 18 pars and think of birdies as bonuses. I am with R3, forgetting all notions of handicap is a refreshing and liberating feeling that encourages good scoring.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I had a similar drop a couple of years ago. After hovering around 10/11 for a couple of years desperately wanting to get to single figures, I finally got to 9 and a few weeks later was off 7.

As you've said, the first thought is "how can I play to this?" but then you soon realise that you can and as you've found out, having a lower handicap actually convinces you that you can play a bit and gives you confidence.

The biggest thing imo to being competitive off the new hc and actually being able to go lower, is a change in how you think about your scores while you're on the course.
Off 10, my mindset was trying to hang on to my shots for as long as I could.
Now every hole is a chance to grab a shot back and if I'm +5 after 6 it doesn't matter.

None of that answers your question!

Go for it. I have no experience of scratch opens, but I've played a few matches in our scratch team and it's very liberating leaving your handicap in the car park.
Also, as with a lot of other sports, playing with better players helps you to improve your own game as well.

Thanks R3. Changing the way I think is something I've been thinking about I'm trying to go back to the way I used to think before I knew what s'ford was which was just to score as low as possible.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I agree with this completely. I am of the opinion that people should always start at 18 handicap and go up if required. if you tell someone they are a 28 handicap, they will believe it and they wont play as safe as they know, they have shots to throw away.

if you start on 18 then it will increase the confidence and as far as I am concerned, an extra shot a hole is enough for anyone.



I also cant for the life of me work out, why people off high handicaps torture themselves by counting up medal scores every time they tee it up. medals increase tension as every shot counts. high handicaps would be far better concentrating on scoring good stableford scores and as the handicap comes down stableford slowly morphs into medal to score well.

when I was a kid I played the odd game when the sun was out. I still have a few of those cards sitting about and I wrote down every stroke as I had never known any other way of scoring. first time I beat my dad, I finished 8,5,8 & 7 for a total of 107.

when I joined a work society I found out about stableford. I very quickly forgot about counting bad holes and concentrated on building good stableford scores. this meant I was able to put bad holes behind me quickly. I have no recollection of breaking 100,90 or 80. the medal scores take care of themselves in time.

Makes a lot of sense Gary

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I agree with this...

You are definitely good enough to be out there, it just depends what your expectations are. I would love to be at that level amongst such good golfers and set myself the target of top 10 as a victory.

Good luck though mate on new handicap aim and if you enter!

I don't expect to win, I'd just like to have the chance to compete

Mike

I don't want to pee on your bonfire but trust me, 5 is THE worst handicap in golf. It opens doors to so many good comps but nearly always you will get balloted out of the decent ones. Happened to me so often last year, it's really frustrating. I've been balloted out of Liphook, Hankley and Parkstone.

So pleased I've recently gone up to 6

At least off of 5 I'll get into the ballot in the first place

 

[HawkeyeMS]

In my opinion, there is nothing extra that needs to be done, physically, to stabilise and better your 7 h'cap. You have all the shots necessary at that level, it's just a case of doing it [even] more regularly.

As R3 said, removing any thoughts of h'cap is the start, losing that mentality of "I get a shot here" is the first thing to start doing.

2nd thing is to be more focussed on the job in hand (that horrible "1 shot at a time" cliché!) and hand in hand with this......

Have another CLOSER look at your course management.

I'd still put those entries in - you never know

I agree with this. Forget handicap, forget shots and forget stroke index. Just try and put the ball in the fairway, on the green and in the hole. Aim for 18 pars and think of birdies as bonuses. I am with R3, forgetting all notions of handicap is a refreshing and liberating feeling that encourages good scoring.

As far as I'm concerned, I don't have a h'cap :thup:

 

[JustOne]

One more bad comp and my h/cap will be the same as yours, whilst my play often doesn't reflect my h/cap I pretty much always step onto the first tee with the thought of shooting level par or lower. Using my 6 shots up in the first few holes is always frustrating but I've shot under par for the back 9 enough times to know it ain't over until it's well and truly over.

Playing off 7 you're going to reach the turn LOTS OF TIMES at 4, 5 or 6 over.... but that's when 2 birdies and an eagle up the last really make a difference :thup:

 

[richart]

I don't want to pee on your bonfire but trust me, 5 is THE worst handicap in golf. It opens doors to so many good comps but nearly always you will get balloted out of the decent ones. Happened to me so often last year, it's really frustrating. I've been balloted out of Liphook, Hankley and Parkstone.

Weren't you the only person to be balloted out of a forum meet ?:rofl:

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Weren't you the only person to be balloted out of a forum meet ?:rofl:

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Hawkeye,

Go for it. You only really regret the things you don't do!

On the negative side, I think you got slightly lucky to get the 2 shot cut (grab it though!) and my early coach told me the step from 8 to 6 was actually the hardest (I didn't quite get there) requiring another mindset/attitude change.

I'd suggest Mill Ride's Ascot Stakes - a 36-hole Scratch/Handicap Open on Fridy 19th July would be a good starting point.

Holiday booked for Friday 19th July and Form sent off for the Ascot Stakes at Mill Ride. It's a long track so will be interesting to see how I get on.

 

[Foxholer]

I'm sure they'd also let you on at a reduced rate for a practice round too.

There are a few holes (more than normal) where it pays to know the layout:

2, and 4-6 for choices, 7, 9, 12-14, 16-18 for what;s out of actual sight from the tee.

Nothing that isn't in the Strokesaver, but it's amazing how much actual experience helps!

And for 36, a leccy trolley might be useful too! No real hills, but that's still a lot of walking in a day!

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I'm sure they'd also let you on at a reduced rate for a practice round too.

There are a few holes (more than normal) where it pays to know the layout:

2, and 4-6 for choices, 7, 9, 12-14, 16-18 for what;s out of actual sight from the tee.

Nothing that isn't in the Strokesaver, but it's amazing how much actual experience helps!

And for 36, a leccy trolley might be useful too! No real hills, but that's still a lot of walking in a day!

Thanks Foxholer. Practice rounds are available for £25 so might see if I can squeeze one in as it's been a while since I was there. I have a push trolley and do quite a bit of running so not too concerned about the 36 hole walk.