Paired up with a twosome of 30 somethings today. They went off the back tees. This course is usually firm and fast, so I tagged along. Course was not firm and fast. First three holes, all Par 4s, after good drives I hit 5 wood, 4 hybrid and 5 wood into the three greens. I finally said "sorry kids, I'm moving up to the Blues".

The next three holes, the blue tees were placed adjacent to the back tees. Thanks.

Shot a 39. Parred the first 5 holes and just missed birdie putts on three of them. This wonderful ball striking round included a 7 on the last and toughest hole.

    Mattyv. All my best rounds are when I play alone or with one other person. Just something about playing alone, no distractions, your own speed. I've never actually had a bad round playing alone.

    braveheart Did you walk off the 8th green imagining how you were going to tell people about your 36? That kind of thing gets to me sometimes when I’m trying to close out a great round.

      DonM Did you walk off the 8th green imagining how you were going to tell people about your 36? That kind of thing gets to me sometimes when I’m trying to close out a great round.

      Lately, I've tried to make it a point NOT to know what I'm shooting!! Why put pressure on myself??? When I coached the high school team I had two kids (twin brothers) who always added them up on the 9th tee. Invariably, they would blow up on the 9th hole ( a tough par 4 with the second shot over water)!! I used to get on their case ALL the time!!!

        I don't care what my score is at the turn. I just keep playing and writing down my stokes per hole.
        Today I walked off the course with a 103. No idea what I did on the front or back 9s. I'll post those when I get back to the truck.

        fatshot I've tried to make it a point NOT to know what I'm shooting!!

        That has been my approach for decades.

        If I know my score is bad........what am I going to do differently? Be more aggressive??? Why???

        If I'm playing well........what am I going to do differently? Why would you change if playing well???

        For us mere mortals, play your game or typical shot......and stick to it.

        When playing in scrambles I got tired of hearing, "Okay...we need a great shot here to get up and down."

        My response........."No....we have 8 swings to get up and down. Two average shots gets it done."

        Ok. Finally home, grabbed the score card from this morning.
        51/52- 103.
        I had some really nice shots, and some crappy ones.
        Hole 15, par 5 double dog leg. Goes to the left, then off to the right. I hit my 5 wood, I ended up in the left rough before the double bend, 7 iron to around the 150 to the green marker. 7 iron to the left of the green, chip on and 2 putt.
        The 5 wood was a beautiful high, straight shot. The best drive I'd had almost all day.
        My driver wasn't really cooperating today, neither were most of my irons or putter. My 7 iron was working really well, as were my wedges.

        I just have a number in relation to par in my head. I’m usually by myself, no need to write shit down. I don’t bother with keeping a handicap. Not giving the USGA a dime.

          I was trying to play 3 hole stretches in no more than 2 over since I tend to lose focus. It was working pretty well, but of course once you make a double or triple you've likely blown those 3 holes.

          I have had my best rounds not knowing what my total was, but it's hard not to know. There's that line where you want to be distracted so you don't know what your total score is, but not so distracted that you don't focus on playing your current shot well.

          garyt1957 big difference when Typhoon is just keeping -1 or -3 in his head and me remembering +15

          We could apply our handicap, adding strokes on the appropriate holes before teeing off, and using our "new par" for a plus / minus running score. Not a new approach to play, of course.

          I do something similar for practice rounds before my next tournament. (A different course each tournament and the same courses from year to year).

          I will bring the card from the tournament or practice round from last year and use that as a standard. If there was a blow up hole.....or two.....or three...or four, a reasonable score on that becomes an immediate positive result.

          Got out today with the grandsons, Jesse and Corey. 41/38 at The Gauntlet. Jesse shot 36 on the back 9 after joining me up on the senior tees. Took out the ZING2s today.

            I shot 86 with 8 greens. It’s hard to be that incompetent at scoring. 😡
            I had 3 three putts and only 2 one putts. I hit two great shots to get on a par five, then 3 putted it from 50 feet.

            Giphy - miss GIF

              No score to post, not played in a couple weeks. Got an email today from a local muni and thought I'd post the flyover they had attached. Very decent course, always in very nice conditions, but has some wicked greens/pin placements at times. Long for me, so hard to break 80 there, but I have (barely) done it a few times. I don't play some of the gold tees(use the whites) as a few are set up for disaster, aiming at trees and OB. Not sure what the thought was in planning.
              Thinking we'll play here on Sunday or Monday. Weekend rates are killer.....in the $40s. 😅

              https://rigov.org/1484/Course-Tour

              Shot 86 yesterday at my home course. Shot 81 today at CT National. Very gettable course but the greens are the defense. I 3 jacked 5 or 6 times and made nothing. All pars and bogeys.