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When do you play your best golf?

I usually play my best golf early on Saturday or Sunday mornings when I'm out by myself. It's just relaxing and w/o the distractions. That said - I've also felt like I play better golf on new (to me) courses. Not all the time - but most of the time. Might just be new surroundings and the relaxing nature of being on vacation or something.
 
When I go on my golf trip the last 2 days I usually play really good. My timing and touch are all dialed in.
 
When I'm ready to play and rested.

I used to be so addicted to Golf that I would play every weekend and try to mix in a round or a quick 9 during the week.

After awhile it just got old and boring, not to mention the aches, fatigue, and desire to play decreased.

By switching to once a week I'm always fresh and thinking about Golf less. I look at it more as a activity to play rather than a grind.

So I play my best golf when I want to play. If this weekend I don't tee it up, so what.
 
Smiter said:
I never really thought of it that way, but I probably average more than a half stroke better on these holes than holes 1 and 2. I often fall apart late in the round too. Hmmmm..... going to have give this some more thought.
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I’ve found that if I’m gonna go on a run it’s usually through these holes. Of course some of my biggest numbers come there also, so probably don’t read too much into it.
 
I play my best golf in the morning, with no alcohol whatsoever. It usually doesn't matter where I am playing, but the company plays a huge roll. I tend to play much better when I am either alone, or playing with casual playing partners.

I played a great, super casual round with @Johan185 yesterday morning, and I felt it was a really good round, despite a poor start. I went out again later in the afternoon with another friend, and it was terrible. He sometimes gets on my nerves, and I could not stay focused.
 
I can play well whenever I can shut my mind off. If I'm thinking about my swing it's over, I'm playing like crap. If I can just get it there and swing away I'll put up a good score.
 
I play best when I'm playing with people I actually like.

Also, I play better when I don't have "super painfully slow guy" in my group.

Playing with that guy makes me try to speed things up---usually to the detriment of my score.



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When I start off not having any expectations about how I’ll play. It seems that I am at my worst after a really good practice session or round when I start to think I have things “figured out”. Also I tend to play better when I don’t hit balls at the range before my round.
 
Definitely at a regular weekly skins game, preferably with some gambling among those in our 4 or 5-some. With a bit of alcohol and some money on the line, I'm at my best.
 
So far, had my lowest game after 2 hours in the dentist chair with multiple shots of Novocaine. I hope there is no correlation.
 
varies widely but some of my best rounds have been alone on the course, rocking Pandora because I like how it curates the music, just killing time so the wife can sleep (she works nights and routinely is like, "can you golf or something Saturday so the house is quite?" Uh...sure, I will take one for the team!)

but my lowest 18 hole rounds on real courses, one was with my former work buddies, the other was with 2 guys from here on THP a work apart, my second lowest round...well, third since I have had my PR twice...was just me and Frank a couple weeks ago. Promptly followed by forgetting how to swing a club last night...
 
Usually when hitting 3 off the tee.


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Tadashi70 said:
I play my best golf when I don’t think, no matter the location.
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I understand from (from the years on THP) about your experience and ability and of course knowing you teach (or taught) the game. Perhaps this comment doesn't really apply to you and I also get you simply answered the question asked , but isn't what you mention sort of the "chicken or the egg" scenario for most people?

many often say they play best when they don't think. I can also mention similar. But I also realize that the reason I (or others) may not be thinking much is because they are playing well and not necessarily the other way around. But start off badly and/or play poorly and continue to do so during a given round and eventually we start to think. That just naturally imo goes with the territory especially for the people of far less consistent ability than you. I mean if we play some our better golf there is nothing to question. We play our poorer and inconsistent golf we may not think all that much either "at first". But if it doesn't pass we are eventually going to question it and try to figure how to stop the poor play. I do understand over thinking can lead to poor play but I also understand the thinking can also come from the fact that we are not playing well. It imo really works both ways. One is not going to keep on playing poorly during a round and not eventually start to think about why/what/how.
 
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hilariously we were talking about it this morning at work due to one guy starting off birdie-birdie...with the second one rattling the flagstick for eagle before bouncing down for the tap in...and proceeding to shoot a 91...and he is a 10.2, pretty solid player. Much better than me.


Anyhow, the three of us chatting all kind of agree...we would almost rather start rough as then we relax whereas if we start unusually strong we start trying to play well to keep it going.
 
darthweasel said:
hilariously we were talking about it this morning at work due to one guy starting off birdie-birdie...with the second one rattling the flagstick for eagle before bouncing down for the tap in...and proceeding to shoot a 91...and he is a 10.2, pretty solid player. Much better than me.


Anyhow, the three of us chatting all kind of agree...we would almost rather start rough as then we relax whereas if we start unusually strong we start trying to play well to keep it going.
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well, I don't know about that. It outright sucks starting off with a penal tee shot and or perhaps chunking an approach or even two etc.. Its pretty disheartening to leave the first green after a triple. or whatever worse bad score. I mean begin a round with 2 bad holes ? You barely began and its like you can almost kiss a sub 90 round goodbye. There really isn't a whole of room for error (if playing by rules) and striving to keep rounds under 90.
17 strokes (for at least an 89) adds up really fast especially when your sitting +5 or 6 or even more through just the first two holes.
 
Early morning when by myself and can zip around the course in like 2.5 hours.


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I wake up around 5 am every day so 8 or 9 am tee offs are best for me. I Play in a league late afternoon once a week but I find myself tired from the days work and stress.
 
Every day. After 53 years playing this game, I love it every round. 25 years ago was a 2.5, now a 9.6. Love the home course, the friends i play with, the glorious Las Vegas weather 24/7, 365 and hitting the golf ball.
 
Antihero said:
I play best when I'm playing with people I actually like.

Also, I play better when I don't have "super painfully slow guy" in my group.

Playing with that guy makes me try to speed things up---usually to the detriment of my score.



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Yep, you play to who you're playing with.
 
When I take my time and focus. Also, it helps to play at a decent pace. Slow play kills me...
 
I play my best when it is a tournament or match. I tend to focus better then. I guess me and Brooksy are a lot a like! Lol, yeah right.
 
rollin said:
well, I don't know about that. It outright sucks starting off with a penal tee shot and or perhaps chunking an approach or even two etc.. Its pretty disheartening to leave the first green after a triple. or whatever worse bad score. I mean begin a round with 2 bad holes ? You barely began and its like you can almost kiss a sub 90 round goodbye. There really isn't a whole of room for error (if playing by rules) and striving to keep rounds under 90.
17 strokes (for at least an 89) adds up really fast especially when your sitting +5 or 6 or even more through just the first two holes.
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I think the argument is more...when we start out with a rough hole or two, we know it is not going to be a good round, we relax, stop paying attention to the score and suddenly...the score is good. Conversely, if we start out hot, we start thinking about it, pressing and play worse.

Live action examples: about 3 weeks ago I started out red hot. Par, bogey, par, sand chip in for the birdie, bogey...1 over after 5. I was on and KNEW it. And started playing like it. Shot a 95. Following week, started out with a smooth 120 yard driver drizzled 150 yards right. Hit my iron shot fat. Did not enjoy that score. Second hole, more of the same. Great driver, got loose with my second shot (par 5), shanked the wedge into the sand that was nowhere close to my target, scuffled out of it...2 rotten holes to start followed by a par 3 I barely cleared the water and was in the sand. Had an 85, my lowest round of the year by 7 strokes.

Because knowing I was sucking, having seen that over 3 holes, I just relaxed, had fun with my buddy, hit some good shots, hit some bad shots and suddenly had a score.

Yeah, it is not ideal to run up a big number opening...or in the middle...or closing...but bad holes early, counter intuitively, can relax me. But if I start well, I seldom finish the same.

And it is not a one-off. I actually have hanging on my wall at work a scorecard that goes triple, double, par, bogey, birdie, quad, double, triple...and then par the rest of the way except a bogey on 11 and birdie on 17. Over the last 10 holes I went even par. First time I had a stretch that long that good. Happened a few times since but almost always after a rugged start.

Also of note is I am not and make no claim to be a good golfer. I know what I should do but executing it is a different animal. If I want to hit a draw I need to set up slightly closed, create an inside out swing with club marginally closed to swing path. Yet when I try to execute that, I swing -10.6 outside in. So for me to start well is, while not unheard of, not normal and I press very quickly even though I know I should relax and just let what happens happen. Knowledge and execution have a wide dispersion...
 
My personal best rounds are always on cold rainy mid winter days, no one in front, no one behind. Those are also my fastest rounds, correlation??
 
My best rounds seem to come from hot warm days. Seems fitting as summer is my favorite season


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