Single figure golf - too much pressure?

[Golfmmad]

First of all I want to point out that I think anyone that gets down to single figures is to be commended. They are top golfers!

I'll never get there I know, but is it just pressure, knowing that there's hardly any room for error, and somehow that makes it a bit less enjoyable?

This has got me thinking after Jammydodgers decision to quit ( hope he returns someday soon).
There was also another guy who played off 2, Alchemy, I think he was called. Who is still involved in the game with his own golf business, selling and repairing clubs I believe.

Although I think it's a great achievement getting that low, I'm not sure that I would enjoy the game as much.

What do you think?

 

[Imurg]

It can be bloody hard work!
I'm not a prolific birdie-machine - more of a Par-Grinder with a birdie or 2 thrown in.
Off 8 or 9 I always felt I had a chance of reaching the buffer after a few poor holes.
Off 5, if I have a couple of poor holes - which lets face it anyone can - I'm struggling.
Today I doubled 2 of the first 4 and bogeyed our long par 3 5th. That's my handicap gone and with SSS at 69 (par 70) so has the buffer unless CSS works in my favour - yeah right!
Realistically, even playing off a low number, bogeys are going to creep in and unless you can counter them with birdies it's very tricky to keep a score going.

 

[Billysboots]

I got down to 9 in the autumn of 2010 and started last year off 9.1. I started the season well, but found very soon that I was starting to feel the pressure to play well, and after a couple of decent returns in competitions I stopped enjoying myself.

The issue for me is that after a fairly gentle par 4 opener, we have three tough holes on the spin and, if you get off to a poor start at those, as a single figure player then mentally you are playing catch-up before you really get going. All of which is daft really, because from a personal point of view I know that at the time I was well capable of reeling off nine or ten pars in a row, so even a poor start is recoverable. My best round of 2010, a two over gross, came after a start which saw me three over through four holes.

The problem for me was that I forgot that, and I was putting pressure on myself on the 1st tee. I've not suffered from 1st tee nerves for years, but all of a sudden I was again. And my game unravelled, big style. I could not hit a cow's arse with a banjo.

I have started to get my game back together, with a cut of 0.4 last weekend, and it is all down to being determined to enjoy my golf and forgetting about my handicap. I have the game for single figures, but as almost anyone will tell you, the difference between a double digit player and a single figure one is almost always between the ears.

 

[One Planer]

Everyone handles pressure differently. Some thrive, some wilt (sp?)

I personally like playing under a bit of scorecard pressure, it helps me concentrate.

Very good thread this :thup: , should generate some good responses ,especially with JammyD walking away from the game.

 

[BTatHome]

Well our front nine is harder, so I can walk off the 9th and so long as I'm not 10 over then I figure I can still get back to level.

Best round was a 2over 74, when I stood on the 18th at level par .... Had 5 birdies that day and missed another from 2 foot.

I generally play a bit better with a card in the hand as I take more care with my shots.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It is an aspiration to get back there and if I do I mean to stay there a while. I understand where Imurg and Bill are coming from. Our opening 4 holes aren't easy and so if you have a shaky start, low guys are playing catch up. I'll worry more about it once I get close to achieving it. Until then I'll enjoy working hard at getting better and enjoying the golf whatever

 

[fundy]

We have a very gentle start at ours, reachable par 5, straightforward par 3, decent par 4 then a semi driveable par 4. You want to see the mind set if you start badly there lol, at least youve the excuse of tough holes!

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I'm not there yet so can't comment but one day I might!

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I've only played a couple of rounds off 9 but I don't feel any pressure because I know I can do it. Even a disaster on the first hole doesn't put me off cause I know I'm capable of reeling off a string of pars. If I ever get to 5 or 6, it will probably be a different story.

 

[Captainron]

Finally getting to single figures was actually a relief for me. I have always had the ability but struggled to play consistently. It was a weight off my mind and my performances improved. I dropped from 9.8 to 8.0 in 4 weeks. I just started playing out of my skin. Won two competitions just before I packed in for the winter and will start again after spending some time at the range honing my skills. I am confident of getting it down even more this year. Putting and 50 yards in are the keys for me now.

 

[granters]

I miss single figures.

I find it very hard to play without pressure, every round we play has a tenner on it for that reason. I always enjoyed the fact i could only have a few bogeys and would always need 2 or 3 birdies to buffer. I suppose that's what gets you to singles in the first place. I think having the margin of error reduced really focuses your mind and increases concentration on every shot. I know that when i started playing again a few years ago and i got a handicap of 13, i definitely didn't push myself as i knew that even on my worst day i could play to it no bother.

I've wasn't able to play competitively last season and as such only played once or twice a month. I was chomping at the bit to get back into competitive action this season until the mrs got pregnant so that's that vetoed.

It's purely down to how you enjoy your game really. I don't think you'd stay in single figures if you didn't enjoy it, that's what makes the handicap system fair, in that everything usually levels out

 

[wull]

i personally don't think there is too much pressure,it depends on where you want to go with it.if you play for the enjoyment of the game but just so happen to be bloody good at it then i think there's no need for there to be any pressure.

i agree with you saying about hardly any room for error.this sometimes is what gets me down,when i lose 2 or 3 shots early on but my new attitude helps me so much.anything can happen and more times than not i can bring a poor score back which i've done on a few occasions.

i was close to walking in one time,i was out in +7 and said to my partners that i'll play the next 3 holes and see what happens because the next 3 holes would take me close to the club house and the next thing i knew i was back to +5 and then birdied the 13th to go +4.

it definately is a lot harder because you have less shots to play with and the chances are there will be more bad rounds than good but its those good rounds that make it worth while.

 

[Andy]

Getting to single figures gives me belief in my game that I am a good enough golfer to handle the pressure. I would say though as Imurg has, that it only takes a few bad holes and you can go chasing birdies where you normally wouldnt to rectify a few bogies or worse. This is where the pressure can get a bit much or lack of self control to stay patient might be more applicable to myself lol

I think the back 9 layout of Gourock is far easier compared to the front, but par says the back is harder by 1 shot. Maybe it's fatigue or whatever reason but I constantly shoot lower scores on the front than I do on the back. I think at times I get a bit ahead of myself and picture the computer with my name up there lol

 

[bladeplayer]

No mate its the best feeling in the world , super challange esp if you start bad you need to get your act together & play serious golf , i expect to make 2/3 birdies around out of mayb 7/8 attempts, double bogeys are a big big no no , takes 2 birdies to just repair the damage ,
Golf tho is what each individual wants for themselves , for me i love the challange of club golf & the fun of society outings , most magic moment was geting to scratch in my society & shooting 35pts.. for me pressure is one of the thrills of the game , in the GM centenary game this year i was starting to wilt a bit , had a little chat with myself on the 14th tee to play the next 5 in no worse than 1 over , pard the 5 of them , one of them been a 3 putt par 5 having had a run at eagle on fast fast greens .. walked off proud of turning it around ..

 

[Hobbit]

I don't find the pressure anything to worry about. First of all I'm less likely to drop shots than a high handicapper so why worry about something that probably won't happen. And having had a run of 5 birdies on the trot on a number of occasions I feel most situations are recoverable from... until there's not enough holes left.

And finally, I don't play for a living so is there any point in worrying anyway? No one will die, no one will suffer bankruptcy. Governments won't fall... it's just a bit of fun.

 

[JustOne]

Although I think it's a great achievement getting that low, I'm not sure that I would enjoy the game as much.

What do you think?

Play on a day when they haven't cut the greens and it can be soul destroying, apart from that it's not any extra real pressure as it is your h/cap and you've obviously earned the right to be there. Bad bounces and bad lies are uber frustrating sometimes, but generally so is the shot that got you there.

Everyone has off days when they can be 10 shots or worse than the day before (just look at pro scoring on the TV) so it becomes a balance between enjoying, playing, having fun and pulling your hair out

I've been on the limits of quitting so many times because I'm standing there thinking "why am I not at home with the wife & kids?"... but then I realise that life is a balance and you have to find your own. JammyD will find his. If you enjoy golf then don't let someone quitting change your own life balance.

Would like to see you get that h/cap below 20 Chris!!!! :ears:

regards
James.

 

[MadAdey]

I think the pressure can be dictated by the course you play.If I get myself back to 5 again my course can wreck your round in the 1st 6 holes. Very tough opener which even the best of golfers can make a double bogey on. Reasonable par 4 2nd, birdie chance on the short par 5 3rd. 4th is stroke index 1 and can easily get a double bogey the 5th is a relatively easy par and the 6th is a monster 200 yard par 3 that if you miss the green can cost you another shot. That hole can be easily 3 putted from 10 foot with some pin positions. So a single figure player can easily wreck a card in the first 6 holes very easily and I know of 1 & 2 handicappers who lost their handicap and more. They have come close to walking off at the 7th.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

There's pressure at all levels of golf - regardless of handicap.

Our club captain from 2010 had never won an honours board comp. He got through to this year's summer pairs matchplay final. All four guys played excellent golf and the captain and his partner were 1 up on the 17th. This hole is a par 3 that's about 180 yards but, because the green is about 50 yards lower than the tee, plays to about 150. The captain stuck his shot to about 3 foot. He stated afterwards that he's never, ever been as nervous as he was stood over that putt. He plays off 12.

My point - it doesn't matter whether you're off 28 or +8 - a round with a card in your hand is the same for everyone.

You have to enjoy your golf. That's the bottom line here. JammyD walked away because he'd lost that love.

I've played with loads of players who, in their day, were brilliant golfers but due to various factors (old age, injury, etc) their handicap has crept up to double figures. Do they care? NO. Because they still love the game. That's what sets this game apart from a number of other sports. Football and cricket require a certain level of physical ability so, once that abilities gone (normally through old age) the player retires. That's a shame because what if the player still loves playing? You can't have Wayne Rooney turning out for the Dog 'n' Duck XI in the North Cheshire Sunday league. You can, however, have Lee Westwood turn out for the Worksop GC team (as long as he relinquishes his pro status.... ne.

 

[JustOne]

I know of 1 & 2 handicappers who lost their handicap and more. They have come close to walking off at the 7th.

My course is tight and tree lined, one wayward shot and it's easily goodbye h/cap, my mates (all low single figures) won't play it

 

[frasting]

I'm going to make a confession, sorry of this dissapoints anyone...

I'm a 1 handicap golfer and I often struggle to enjoy my golf. I think when you get to a low handicap everything changes. I just feel like mediocre golf is not good enough and get frustrated.

When I hear others say they're just out to enjoy themselves etc I can't do that. I feel under pressure to play good all the time. I've had a gross 63, I was once -8 through 11 holes in match play and shot three consecutive rounds in the sixties in the club champs. Forgive me if that sounds like grandstanding but it's just to say that when you know you can play good but don't its just soooooo frustrating....

I often think I enjoyed my golf more when I had a higher handicap.