Are any of you out there like me? I tend to take my golf game way too seriously out on the course. I am currently playing to about a 20 handicap, but for some reason when I get out on the course, my mind thinks I'm a single digit. It's gotten a little ridiculous and even to the point where I'm not having nearly as much fun playing as I used to. I started playing regularly (at least once a week) about this time last year. I moved to Houston from Amarillo, and I didn't really have very many friends down here. So I spent a lot of time playing golf because it was better than sitting at home. I seem to remember having a lot more fun in those rounds the first couple of months after I moved here. I think the reason I did was because I wasn't as hard on myself. I hadn't ever played more than a couple of times a year, and I didn't expect myself to break 90 or hit 50% of the greens in regulation.
Well, something happened. I got better. I started practicing a couple evenings a week and playing at least once (usually twice or three times) a week, and my game went from barely getting around the course, to consistently shooting in the low 90's and high 80's. Then the worst thing that possibly could have happened happened. Last May I had an amazing afternoon and put up a legit 84. Ever since that day, I seem to think that I should be shooting 84 at the highest. Instead, I haven't broken 90 since.
Two weeks ago, I made an 8 on the second hole. I hate posting snowmen, especially on par 4's. I just fell apart and didn't even make a par on the front 9 (I carded another frosty on the eighth hole) and made the turn at 51. By the way, I really didn't even have any fun during those 7 holes. It was a nice day, one of my best friends was playing with me, and I just couldn't get over myself. At the turn we added up our scores and I realized that I had blown up the front. I decided to just forget it and have fun. I shot a 47 on the back, not my best score, but you know what, I had fun and even picked up a skin.
I think that from now on, I'm going to be very vigilant about having fun on the course and not being so hard on myself. It actually sounds weird to say I'm going to be vigilant about having fun. I played last weekend and adopted this attitude, and shot 91. That's pretty good for me. And guess what, I had a really good time. I'm also going to try and play a little less (maybe every other weekend). I think the real test will be if I shoot a 40 or something on the front 9 and then try not to get too serious after that.
My friend Erik and I have also decided that when we play our skins game on Sundays that we're going to walk instead of using carts. Now, this time of year in Houston, walking is really nice. Highs in the 70's and a little breeze, not too many mosquitos. We'll see how long we stick to our guns later this summer when it's 95 and 90% humidity and no breeze and the bloodsuckers are the size of small birds. Thank god for dri-fit shirts, under armour, and deep woods OFF.
