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Are You Better than Your Handicap?

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SethO

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What I mean is this, do you play your rounds consistently front to back, or do you go pretty low (for you) on one side and blow it up on the other?

The reason I am asking is this, I usually play to a high single digit on the front and play like a 18 on the back and I can never put 2 sides together. I have had scores like +2 on the front and +15 on the back. Lately, this has been a constant source of frustration for me as I hit the ball very well on one side, but just can't get anything to go in on the back.

So, basically, I feel that my overall game is better than my 13.5 handicap but my back side issues are keeping that number up. Any of you guys feel the same or have a similar frustration?
 
Great thread Seth. I am pretty consistent in how I shoot. I will have some blow up 9's but I'm generally pretty consistent.
 
Depends on the day. Some days I play much better than the 18.5. Other days, it might as well be a 180.5.
 
I always have a couple holes that I get stupid or 'loose' and make a bad couple decisions. I definitely hear what you're saying man. Heck, just last week I played the entire front 9 in par with 9 GIRs, was 1 under going into 13, and finished at a 77!! Gave back 6 strokes between 13-18. I think it has a lot to do with over thinking things, not trusting my swing, and just second guessing every decision.

Glad to know I'm not the only one doing this haha!
 
I am all over the place. Lately I have had some 42-43 or 44-45 and then yesterday I had 37-42. A horrendous nine for me is typically 47 or more and luckily I have not had any of those back to back in awhile.
 
I'm with you Seth and I think we've talked about this in the trying to break 80 thread. It usually takes me a few holes to get going and then i'll hit a really good stretch around the turn, and then fold on the closing holes. I know I can shoot around 76-78 consistently, I just need to find a way to start at 1 and finish at 18, rather than 5-15 kind of thing.
 
SethO said:
What I mean is this, do you play your rounds consistently front to back, or do you go pretty low (for you) on one side and blow it up on the other?

The reason I am asking is this, I usually play to a high single digit on the front and play like a 18 on the back and I can never put 2 sides together. I have had scores like +2 on the front and +15 on the back. Lately, this has been a constant source of frustration for me as I hit the ball very well on one side, but just can't get anything to go in on the back.

So, basically, I feel that my overall game is better than my 13.5 handicap but my back side issues are keeping that number up. Any of you guys feel the same or have a similar frustration?
Click to expand...

I have had this same problem as well. Front 9 at 3 over, back 9 at 10 over or vice versa.
Once in a blue moon I will put together a sub 80 round but that is usually due to my chipping game being spot on leaving me with tap in's.
I have gotten better at avoiding the blow up holes but am still working hard on consistency...
 
Last weekends club championship I went 47 + 40 = 87 first day and then 40 + 40 = 80 second day. Blew up on the first nine of the tournament from my engine reving a bit too high. I played really consistent as whole and I hope it's a sign of things to come. I think I am dreaming :D
 
only thing Im consistent with is being inconsistent
 
YES! I generally have a couple of "Those holes" and they vary on my home course too. Some days I'll start great and finish poorly. Other days I'll start poorly and finish strong. I think it all comes down to just being inconsistent in general with golf. If I could play everyday, it could just as well make it worse. But all in all, golf is a hobby for me, granted one that I've become extremely passionate about but alas still a hobby. I thought for sure my handicap would be lower after two months in league. But alas it is the same if it hasn't actually gone up a 1/2 to a whole point.

I figured I wasn't alone, just my playing partners weren't talking about it. Glad to see this thread here and I can commiserate with THPers.
 
I play one hole at a time and add'em up at the end. This keeps me in the moment. I used to play nines but that did not work. I then tried to play 6 at a time and that did not work either. I spoke with my psychologist (I have other problems) about how I should approach the game and he said play one hole at a time, don't get to far out in front of that which you can control. It has made my play a great deal stonger.
 
Short answer .... YES!!! :angry:

More detailed... Each round I play is made up of runs... I can get a run of 3-5 holes where I either par or get a bogey (maybe even a rare birdie) and I am cruising. Just the same I can pull out a stretch where I am putting 7's and 8's up on the board (and the equally rare 9). Several people who I play with on a regular basis have said I play better than my scores would indicate and while that makes me feel good at times it also angers me cause I know I can do better consistantly. Ah golf!!!
 
39 front 40 back at my home course today, it just seems I cannot carry that kind of consistency or scoring with me to other courses, but in answer to your question I usually am pretty consistent side to side.
 
Ole Gray said:
Last weekends club championship I went 47 + 40 = 87 first day and then 40 + 40 = 80 second day. Blew up on the first nine of the tournament from my engine reving a bit too high. I played really consistent as whole and I hope it's a sign of things to come. I think I am dreaming :D
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Great second day score OG! I am sure it is the sign of things to come.

DawgDaddy said:
39 front 40 back at my home course today, it just seems I cannot carry that kind of consistency or scoring with me to other courses, but in answer to your question I usually am pretty consistent side to side.
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I envy you your consistency. You were mashing that driver last time we played.
 
Front to back I'm usually within 5 strokes, 18 out of 20 cards. I had two rounds recently where I played a "really good for me" nine along with a "really bad for me" nine. Those were 11 stroke differences. The funny thing is I still carded the same score overall +-2 for about two weeks including those two rounds. I'd like to think I'm better than my handicap but the numbers don't lie. I will say I'm confident I'd be quite a bit lower if I changed the course I play. But I'm a masochist that way.
 
DevRickus said:
Depends on the day. Some days I play much better than the 18.5. Other days, it might as well be a 180.5.
Click to expand...

This.

tap tap tap...
 
I am usually fairly consistent on both 9's. Yesterday was 42 and 39 with the putter playing up.

I tend to not add my score up until the end of the round so I never really know what I am shooting till the end. I have an idea but this way I don't panic if I am on for a really good score.

Like Tadashi I play the course hole by hole, if I have a bad hole then I move onto the next one and try to not let it get to me
 
the other day I played 9 holes and I hit 7 pars and 2 triple bogeys....plus 6 with 7 pars just kills me!!
 
On my course I can't play the front side worth a damn, but the back I've never had a problem with. My last round I went +7 -1 for a 78, but it drives me crazy how hard I have to work to get there! The game will drive you crazy.
 
This is a great thread. Since we joined Grand Cypress I am now set up with GHIN so I can finally get a real handicap. I know it's going to be BAAAAD at first but I am hoping with enough play that I can finally start to see some improvement. With that said, I have a feeling I will be someone who is better than their handicap because I always have 2-3 major blow up holes and the rest of the time I am fairly consistent. And it can sometimes take me 4 or 5 holes to be truly warmed up so those first holes can look pretty ugly.
 
I typically play to about my handicap on both sides. Usually if I do good on the front, I will also do good on the back, or if I do bad on the front, it continues on the back. At my club championship last weekend, on day one I shot 41 - 40 the first day and 36 - 36 on the second day.
 
My handicap indicates how inconsistent I am. I feel like it's pretty accurate.
 
Tadashi70 said:
I play one hole at a time and add'em up at the end. This keeps me in the moment. I used to play nines but that did not work. I then tried to play 6 at a time and that did not work either. I spoke with my psychologist (I have other problems) about how I should approach the game and he said play one hole at a time, don't get to far out in front of that which you can control. It has made my play a great deal stonger.
Click to expand...

I need to see your Guy........
 
I would say I'm usually within a few strokes on each side and it's not always the same side that is worse. Today the back was 2 better than the front but it is often the other way around.
 
I'm my handicap's best friend and worst enemy. I generally play about the same except for those few holes somewhere during the round where I'll either play great or just horrible. Most of the time my 9's are within 2 to 4 strokes, but I've occasionally had differences of 7 or more. Luckily I don't add the numbers up until I'm done. Usually I know it's bad, but it surprises me how bad it actually is!
 
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