It's a Sunday morning in the Pro Shop at my Golf Club and I am passing out scorecards for the weekly golf competition, when in walks Jim, a club member bemoaning his luck on the golf course. I asked him what's wrong and he said that they should dig up the 13th hole. It's a nightmare for me he says, it always destroys my scorecard along with a few other holes I could mention
I knew Jim to have a mid to high golf handicap so I asked him exactly what it was he was playing off these days I play off a 17 handicap he said. before we go any further The 13th Hole on Winterfield golf course is a 368yd par 4 with a stroke index of 2. So I asked Jim what do you think your par is? It's a par 4 Kevin you know it is, he replied. It is for me I said, but what's your par? He looked at me with a vacant stare so I proceeded to explain to him my meaning.
Your par for that hole is 5 not 4, with your handicap you can take a 5 and still come away with a nett 4. So each time you stand on the 13th tee and think about making a par 4 you are making it harder for yourself. But if you stood on that tee and said to yourself it’s a par 5 you can bet the hole is gonna seem a lot easier to play. I am sure you would be more relaxed and think, that's not hard I can do that, and that is precisely how you should tackle every hole you play.
And therein lies the problem most mid to high handicap golfers have, they are not playing their own game they are trying to play Professional golf. This is where good course management and thinking comes in to play.
You must make out a personal scorecard relative to your handicap. With Jim's handicap there is only one hole on the golf course that he is expected to par and that is stroke index 18 the easiest hole on the golf course. If your golf course has a par of 70 and you are playing off 15 then your par for the course is 85. I hope you can understand this here because it's an important part of golf course management.
I know it goes against the grain but it will make each hole seem easier and let you play with and relax. Instead of getting out the driver on these tough longer holes and then messing up because you feel you must try to get a par, take golf clubs you are more confident with. Now you have your new way of thinking with regard to par you will be surprised at how much easier it is to play each individual golf hole. A par 4 on the golf course where you have a shot means 3 shots to reach the green and 2 putts. Think this way and you will be pleasantly surprised how many times you make an actual par, which in your case means ... BIRDIE ....
I finished off by saying to Jim to think about your approach to the golf course now! Standing on par 3's that now become par 4's .. How much easier is that on the mind? With a nod of thanks and a gleam in his eye Jim wandered off to the bar to join his friends and have a well-earned drink.
This fantastic game of golf is hard enough without putting undue pressure on yourself. Manage your own game better by thinking correctly and your course management will improve as well as your enjoyment of golf. Look at every hole at your golf links in a new light. Draw up your own personal scorecard.. NOW !!
