At my most relaxed & best play is a solitary round somewhere picturesque ( no score just fun ) But it does matter if you know you’ll be handing the wager over at the end of a round & that you’ve absolutely no chance
Depends what you play golf for though. I play to improve and get better. I currently play off about 23/24 which has dropped from 28 last year. Shooting 100 irritates me now. I just can’t enjoy myself if I don’t play to my capability! I just think when you get to retirement age then scores are less relevant. But in my mid 30s, I just can’t settle for not playing well :-)
As a senior golfer with a handicap that has dropped from 7 to 5 in the last year I think you've got the wrong idea about both golf and old age. You need to find a way to get past the irritation you feel when play is bad because no matter how good you may get there's a ton of bad golf in your future. If you allow it to get under your skin it will follow you and hold you back.
@@holmer9413 yeah of course. I’m 100% determined to fend off Father Time as long as possible. I keep myself in reasonable shape and don’t want to get to 61 and only be able to hit the ball 150 yards like a good buddy that I play with 😂
@@holmer9413 I have a very big problem with allowing it to get to me. I get very frustrated and dissapointed. I'm a 12. hcp and just today I shot 4 over with only 4 bogeys through 9 and I broke a club. Ridiculous. I was so embarrased 5 seconds after the matter. It has been a while since the last time I broke a club, but still, I would get pissed off and don't want to play anymore and things like that. The only way for me to not get mad is to smoke a joint before and I'm not joking, it works, but I'm not as concentrated and I end up just not caring. Also, this happens when I play alone, when I'm with a group I try very very hard to just chill and accept the results, but when I'm alone I just cant not throw clubs or swing hard into the ground (which is how I broke it today)
I used to take golf very seriously and it stopped being fun. Now I still try to play my best but I don't worry about losing balls and such. I also play with my friends now and play different formats. It helps alot.
I have learn very early that I’m not going to be a pro and I’m not getting paid for it. I have a stressful job and golf is relaxing for me. And I don’t care what I shoot.
As someone who's gone from playing pretty well (for me at least) last summer to struggling to get anywhere near 90 this summer, this is what I needed to hear.
The most fun I’ve had on a golf course is when I’m “teamed up” with someone else because it helps me to not focus on the score or my bad shots but we’re working together.
That's what my friends and I have done all summer... 2-4 man scrambles. It's helped my friends who would normally shoot 120+ by themselves enjoy the game more. You shank your ball into the trees but your playing partner puts the ball down the middle of the fairway. Cool, go grab your ball and drop it right next to his. Much more enjoyable.
I played golf from the age of 7. Varsity player in High School playing nearly every day. Then went on to university, got into the workforce, married, kids etc. In the last 4 years I've played maybe 5 rounds. I played my first round in over a year 2 weeks ago and just played without thinking too much about score. I ended up shooting 80 and I was shocked! I was low in my group of friends that play on a regular basis. I had not shot that low since I was in my 20s (44 now). I honestly didn't think I had that in me anymore and has re-lit the fire I once had for the sport. I know that won't happen often if ever again, but to know that I am still capable is an amazing feeling. I'm new to your youtube channels and massively enjoy all of your content so far, keep up the good work!
Hate competitive golf, got a weekday membership so I didn't have to play weekends when only comps are played. So now I play on my own, last tee time of the day, not a care in the world, course to myself, put a few more balls down, have a few chips, putts, learn the lines of the putts. Golf is not only played with a card in your hand. By the way Soph is a real asset to the Podcasts and the game in general.
Great convo and points Sophie. EAL did a great deal golf vid where the guy mentioned "we all only have so many rounds of golf we will play in our life" the really helped me try to find the joy in every round good, bad or shanky.
"You don't complete golf." Spot on! That is perfect to understand, you don't reach a set score and stay there. You reach a range of scores, and sometimes it's a wide range that shifts higher and lower and back again. It's vital to understand that, else you will always feel you are not good or are not as good as you should be.
Me and my mates have been doing the causal golf for years - Wednesday Rules its referred to, Just enjoy being out on the course on a wed tea time or early Sunday morning and having a laugh with the lads rather than adding to the stresses and strains we all have in our day to day lives. A lot of our other friends who play more regularly and seriously often mock or berate us for this but have said for the last 10 years its about having a laugh whilst playing a sport we love and being outside. Cant wait to send this clip to them and show we were right all along. Thankyou so much for the ammo ;-)
This was exactly me! I lost 25 pounds, recently. I also have been obsessed with golf and subsequently obsessed with score. I practice like a pro, hours and hours , all facets 2 even 3 sessions a day... I USED to shoot in the low to mid 80s every round ( before all the practice and weight loss). Then all of a sudden I could hardly break 95. Was so angry and frustrated I was planning to quit golf with one more bad round. STICK WITH IT. I did and one day .y mental approach changed, I'm back in the low 80s now and rapidly improving. I expect to break 80 again here shortly but I'm more focused on how I've gained confidence and am enjoying the game again and spending time with my friends. The scoring improvement came only after the mental shift though!
This is perfect timing after a horrendous round last weekend of shanking and duffing I got really ticked at myself. I’ve played so much during Covid and have enjoyed almost every round so why can’t that continue? It’s between the ears and Rick always talks about self-talk and positivity. Sophie’s take on just knowing what kind of golfer I want to be will help when I get back at it today! Have fun
Totally agree with Sophie. There are days where I play 9 holes at an executive Par 3 course after work and I don't keep score. I just go out there to destress from the day, enjoy the outdoor weather , get some exercise and just have fun. I score my 18 hole rounds, or my Wednesday "Non-Official Golf League" with co-workers, but otherwise, I just want to have fun. The days where I don't score, I use them as practice rounds instead of going to the range. I end up with realistic situations of what could happen on course when I do play a scoring round, and like Sophie says, it keeps it simple and enjoyable for me.
Great pod cast sophie very down to earth and intelligent comments I had a great day with my driver , but complete meltdown when I was about 20 ft from the green 3 years ago the clubs would have been thrown but now I except my inconsistency and found I enjoy golf more yes still frustrating but enjoyable 🙂
Back in the late 80's and early 90's I played competitive amateur golf in Georgia. I worked hard on my game and kept around a scratch index, but I wasn't having fun. For whatever reason I found tournament competition to be extremely stressful and many of the players I competed with were some of the top college golfers in the world that went on to play professionally. I'm in my early 60's now and retired. I still play low handicap golf but I play purely for the enjoyment of the game. The smell of the grass early in the morning, birds chirping, the whole vibe is always like going to Church for me. It's therapy. I could care less about equipment, balls, gadgets, distance, or whatever. If I go out and hit good shots and break 80 with an occasional round in the high 60's or low 70's I'm perfectly content. The game is in my blood since I was 12 years old. I have a completely different outlook on golf than most. I don't take it for granted that I'm still in good health and can enjoy the game, but I don't take myself too seriously. I'm always amazed at how many people are at the course and are absolutely miserable and stressed out.
This is me right now. I hit 4 balls in a row into lakes or back yards and just walked off the course on the 14th. The high score doesn’t make it unfun. The inability to make the ball REMOTELY go where I wanted it to go, and just losing ball after ball was what made it lose the fun
I feel you. I was about to quit the game until I found decently consistent swing. Now its way way more fun because I can have catastrophic holes but still I know I will have good ones too. Basically I can shoot 30 over par, as you said I dont even care for the score, yet I can have few great shots that absolutely make my day and I go home feeling satisfied.
Best ball works great. It gets people in to competing against the course and not each other or themselves. Even tour pros remember to compete against the course first and not their playing partner for the day.
I'd just like to say that Sophie is fantastic. Just what we need to hear.... Enjoy, have fun, bit of practice..... Steps! Golf can sometimes be a nice relaxing break from life..😊
Sometimes you just need to play for the pure enjoyment of it and not keep score. The fresh air, the scenery, and chatting with your mates or new players is fun! I always enjoy meeting new people and have gotten new friends because of golfing!
I am lucky enough to know how bad I am. Yesterday I played nine holes with two very young guys who were on their first and second time ever trying to play. One was 17 the other was early 20s, I'm 62 in July, I actual had a great time just hacking around the course with two new players. They were having fun so I was having fun.
Hale Irwin: Some days you play well, some days you learn well. Some of the best swing improvements I've had have come from a really bad round and thinking honestly about what went wrong.
The collective "we" need to remember we are paying to play vs being paid to play and that isn't going to change. One of my friends, the best golfer in our group, lost his right hand in a snow blower accident in Feb. a few years back. He was back on the course that summer with a prosthetic and even though his scores went from the low - mid 80s to high 90s or over 100 he was still "golfing". I don't know many golfers, myself included, who would have had that great an attitude - it's golf, good scores, bad scores or whatever - enjoy every round and go home happy.
Such a great topic. Golf can be so brutal when you are completely focused on your score. Yet, golf can be absolutely restorative when the focus is on fun. Going through a tough time with my wife being seriously ill, and I have found that not caring about scoring, and making a round of golf (or even just 9 holes if that's all I can squeeze it in) nothing more than simply a walk in the park with a few swings thrown in has been my salvation.
Similar situation here… grinded it out to get to a 10 hcp but didn’t have fun and took a very long break from golf. Came back about 2 years ago and instead of chasing the hcp, I’ve found that I far enjoy grabbing a late tee time and playing best ball with myself. The learning from dropping a ball or two each hole to experiment and try a different shot or club has been eye opening and so much more enjoyable.
I so relate to this. Started with only I year ago and was frustrated because I couldnt find my swing but once I did wow so much fun but then... Then I got greedy and wanted better and better scores and one day I played best I did yet it didnt feel as fun as before... I realized why. Yeah I rather have catastrophic holes coupled with few great shots than no great shots and less errors. Few weeks ago I had a sequence on par 4 where I hit a decent driver but it rolled into a bunker and then I barely got out of it on the second shot right in the rough in front. Took a pitching wedge about 90 yards from the green in the deep rough and tree in front of me. I delofted the club so it went below the lowest branch and it had such a low flight and it bounced and rolled right on to the green like 4 feet away. My favorite shot I ever did. Putted in for par. Ended with 60 on 9 holes. Felt like a king.
I started playing golf with my friends because they did, it’s what you did, then, as I got better it was still enjoyable,but more competitive, I did have spell where my golf swing went awry, you know what I mean, but, I found if didn’t play for about a week maybe ten days, it came back, your problem is your doing this for a living and your doing fine with these channels but your golf game has suffered, I admire how you keeping hitting the ball with so many clubs and your timing doesn’t seem to suffer,and, let’s face it , the last two years hasn’t been great for any of us.
myself and a mate play Ambrose against the course. we typically shoot low 100s individually but are comfortably shooting low 80s together. I think this is the most relaxed fun we've had on the course in months. There's no pressure and we just have a laugh. This in turn means we're playing less recovery shots and reducing the frustration from playing a shot deep into the trees only to find the set of trees on the other side of the fairway.
That’s always so hard though. You’re out there to have fun but what I find is the competitor in myself wants to shoot as good as I can. When I have a bad round I’m right there with “Mr. Fun.” Hard having fun when you’re putting scores up when you know you play much better.
That's exactly where I'm at. I have the ability to shoot in the 70's, but I consistently shoot in the low 90's. I started playing a scramble with my buddies and I honestly enjoy playing more that way. It's pretty sweet shooting under par, when I know I probably would have shot 85-95 by myself.
The podcast with Sophie was a really good listen. She come across really well, very intelligent and articulate with no sexism bias. It's no wonder she's doing so well with sky and youtube etc.
@@robertcourt8593 nothing. Apparenty you cant acknowledge that a woman is smart in todays age. Because maybe you wouldn't say it if it was a man. Which is ridiculous because I would say and I do say it in many many many podcasts. Thats actually how I get into different podcast, I listen to people, men or women, and if I care about what they're saying and how they're saying it I'd say they're smart and im interested in them. Jeremy Brown is a loser whos clearly scared about saying the wrong thing or just saying what he thinks just because of how some people might react, not because he thinks its wrong.
Great comments from Sophie, love that attitude. Also, enjoy the course; they are beautiful places, I regularly see deer and saw a woodpecker the other day practically made my round!
Such an awesome way of looking at Golf...great advice...been playing golf for 30+ years and currently play off 17...there have been days where I feel like an 8 and play like it...others where I feel like a 35 and play like it too...recently went on a 3 day, 3 round trip with friends and played terribly...as a younger man I could definitely have seen myself breaking a club or over reacting...but in my older age I took pictures of the beautiful courses we were playing and the wildlife...plan on making that trip again next year with the same guys and hopefully more...I wasnt happy with how I played but I took the positives like Sophie was saying...awesome content THANKS RICK!!!
My last few rounds have been trending in the right direction and I felt like I was making progress breaking 90. Today I went out and absolutely could not hit the ball worth a damn. Shot well over 100. Possibly my worst round ever. This video makes me feel better about it, and reminds me that I should not always focus on score and just enjoy playing the game we all love.
Last year i took golf so seriously. I was shooting low 90's, and was so close to breaking 90. I then herniated a disc in my back at the start of the year, then healed from that, and then i developed a tumour in a finger in my lead hand. Out for 8 months following surgery and removal of my volar plate. Physio said i might not play golf or if i did, maybe not as good ever again. Sunday there, i shot 98 after nearly a year out, and had a ball. Now booked lessons and looking forward to it again without the pressure.
I started playing golf 2 years ago when my gf bought me a lesson as a gift when i turned 50. It's been a real rollercoaster on the way. Today im at 20 hcp with a personal best with 88 round once :-) Mostly i just play and dont grind on the range (my bad). Golf is fun but sometimes we all get very frustrated due bad shots (and descisions). So everbody out there, dont give up, play for "fun" cuz when u learn it's fun ;-)
I completely agree with Sophie. I was a tournament level tennis player. After giving it up, when I play now, I just prefer to hit - so much more fun. My advice to the writer: give yourself time to learn your new body, learn a goto fade with the driver to get it in play, learn exactly what your 2 or 3 key fundamentals are to control your iron shot shape, it sounds like you have a face angle you are not in control of (get control of it), spend 80% of your practice pitching & chipping
I totally agree with Sophie and you all. I have convinced my mates to play in this manner and you will also be shocked at how well you can play. No one cares. The rules are not enforced in our group. We try to play for legit pars or birdies but for the penalties and mulligans etc. we just play how you feel. No pressure and no concentration on score. It is marvelous.
Sometimes you can just feel it after a few holes that you aren't gunna be putting a good score together. When I feel like that I abandon the score card and just play to have fun, try and work on new things or sharpen the things that I need to, either way golf is a beautiful but extremely cruel game at times never give up and always have fun. Challenge yourself to hit every shot with a smile on your face and I garentee you you will have a good time🤙🏽 happy golfing mates🤙🏽😁
I don’t always keep score, I adjust lies and all that to make the game easier and fun. Life is stressful already, and I learned that it’s a blessing to be out there playing. We are starting to change the game format after couple holes - stroke then finish with a scramble play.
I've been this guy. when I started taking lessons I got really frustrated when I didn't preform at the level I wanted. But after learning more about the golf swing and my faults and tendencies I started to understand why I hit the bad shots that I did and l had the understanding to correct myself for the next time. I take a casual aspect of the game. I keep score occasionally but mostly I just want to go out and hit good shots. I don't care if I get a bogey on a hole as long as I know I hit the ball exactly how I wanted to(center of the face with solid contact.) I started playing with a beginner recently. just as Sophie said, he counts EVERY shot and is scared to break the rules.
I too have learned this lesson. I do not compete in tournaments therefore have no need for a true handicap. I took up golf in my mid 40s and my scores dropped significantly in the first two years and then leveled off. It took me a couple of years to accept, this is as good as I will get. I had to remind myself that even the pros cannot shoot below par everyday. Now I play with a more holisitic view. Am I hitting better shots? Do I manage the game better? Is the ball going where I wanted it to go? How many holes (sometimes rounds) can I go without a double bogey. Scores are demotivating. Draining a 20ft putt or nailing a great drive, that is what makes us feel good. If you want to compete have it, but for some of us, we just enjoy playing and walking. I do not need a score to know if I played well or not.
I have taken some time off from golf for at least year or two as I was getting so frustrated with not doing well. Taking that break helped realise that I am never going to perfect this game and since then I absolutely enjoy it and laugh at my mistakes. Also good to find some mates who enjoy the game just as much as you do
I started having more fun not worrying and picking apart my swing and looking at my score. Sure I’ll try my absolute best, but with little time if any to practice or even play I’ve learned to live and enjoy the outing more.
She is so right! If you do as she advises. You will achieve 1 or 2 great goals. 1 or 2 shots you remember for that round. This is why you play golf; a tough game that yields memorable shots that make ut all worth it!
Yeah I'm with Sophie, there are so many other sports you can play on the 'casual' with score not really mattering. Only recently started to play golf again, my brother advised exactly what Sophie said, if you don't fancy hitting from the rough/ slope/ bunker, just hook it out and set yourself up. Best advice!
To keep golf fun me and my mates play different formats. We will often stand on a tee and all have longest drive for a bit of money. Par 3s we play nearest to the pin. Sometimes we’ll have a bit of match play. Rarely make each other hole out, normally give each other short ones. A beer on the course. For most of us golf is a way to relax and get away from the stresses of life. If you want to take it seriously, really care about your scores you need to be putting in 2 hours practice a day minimum. Not many of us care that much so it’s all about having fun
For me when you go through the rough patches it’s only a matter of time till you hit form, not just that, I’ve got to a point mentally where lockdown left me without any thinking space and exercise aswell as entertainment, I’ve now changed the mentality to the game and for the time being I’m just loving the exercise and thinking time that comes with golf, scores aren’t an issue to me at the minute and I’ve found that really refreshing so I’d try think a different way to you currently are
I’ve been golfing for 5 years a around 3 years where I actually play regularly. I got in a groove and shot in the 80s for a good stretch. Been back in the 100s a lot lately. I so needed to hear this
I'm a relatively new player, and this speaks volumes to me! The frustration that comes about from keeping score takes my best shots away from me every time. When I'm relaxed and having fun, I can hit some fantastic shots and can actually be cognizant enough to understand my sequence. Thanks guys for a fresh perspective:)
I was a competitive bowler before I took up the game of golf. Bowled from the age of 4 to the age of 30. I was really serious about it, grinding constantly, I was very tough on myself. It sucked all the fun out of the game. When I took up golf I decided that I would just relax, go out there try to make a good shot or two per round. I keep score, just to kind of see where my game is going, but I don't do anything competitively. I've gone from shooting in the 110s to the low 90s in just about a year and I've been absolutely loving the game. I will have my moments of frustration but I try to remind myself that I'm only out there playing against myself, so might as well enjoy it.
We are always in competition with our society which is good but recently I have just played 9 holes on my own, hit two or three balls on the same hole and its just lovely not worrying about score, points etc. Play golf for the love of playing golf.
A great way to play is as a Texas Scramble with your mates. What can WE score? Either as a 2-ball or 4-ball. Maybe play a round with unlimited mulligans till the green, or even on the green too. Maybe, how many FIR? or GIR? I would advise short game practise (chipping/putting/bunkers) to bring the score down. You don't need much room & there are plenty of examples for little putting games where time flies!
I know I will never be a decent golfer but what’s better than going out with your buddies and playing for the enjoyment my golf aim is to get to 18, once there I will set a new target
I've only been playing for 8 years. I always tell people I'm the only player in the world that can shoot a mid 70's and high 110's in the same week. At first shooting bad scores is really detrimental especially if its in a league or competitive against one of your buddies, but my bad rounds are some of my favorite, for one you get more bang for your buck and also you get to practice odd lies in the woods and difficult shots like a low fade and a high draw around trees and hazards that really come in handy when you are having a good round, i've practiced this shot before. I would say one of the most enjoyable aspects in golf is troubleshooting de-bugging a swing or a particular club.
Great advice. I also like the advise of focusing on process goals vs the end score goal. For instance, you could focus on fairways, greens, and number of putts. At the end of the round you could be totally happy with those stats but still end up not scoring well. Focusing on the process keeps you level headed I've found.
I feel the pain. I was doing pretty good before COVID last year, then we in the States had a break from golf. Now I haven’t been the same. A couple months ago I went an had a fitting and bought new irons (P425) with graphite shafts and re shafted the woods. Even got a new putter (Evnroll) and tossed my Scotty in the closet. No real change! So next week now, I have a lesson planned with a real good golf coach. Stick with it, if you enjoy the game.
I am an absolute beginner, three months in, and played on a fairly open course for just the third time the other day. I was awful, so after 5-6 holes I stopped counting the score and just tried to focus on having fun. My three scores there are 105 the first time, then 108 and last time 121, but I enjoyed the 121 more than the 108. The 105 was better of course, but if I had not changed my attitude last time out I would have been so miserable after :) My major issue is hitting behind the ball too often, and that annoyed me, but I had fun for the rest of it!
Glad to know I’m not alone... story is almost identical with anonymous, except 18 to 5, now 5 to 9 and sliding.... learning I need to spend time on basic fundamentals and have swing checkpoints to learn adjustments during a round. So far seems to be stopping the slide. Trusted just being an athlete and swinging hard versus fundamentals prior the swing adjustments. A lot of this slide happened during when friends when from celebrating birdies with whiskey to increased dollar amounts for skins etc which also led to some broken confidence. Taking these swing changes and not playing in any competition until I get back to enjoy playing and get confidence back and can trust a swing under pressure that I can still enjoy.
My friends and I know we aren't good. We keep score and compete against each other but we try to take it lightly. We give each other 1 mulligan per 18, gimme puts within a club length and if we shank one into the trees and it's on the edge and not hitable (because of brush or what have you but if it's in a spot you can get the club on it you have to hit it from there) we can move to nearest spot of relief so we can hit it.
Call me crazy but I enjoy the competitive side of golf. Even if its just competing against myself. It builds mental strength to know you're not going to break your own record but still enjoy the rest of the round and focus on every shot. The rare round where you do have the chance to break your own record is the most incredible feeling. Playing good golf feels good and coming through delivers an incredible sense of accomplishment. What other sport allows you that opportunity? League play against friends and acquaintances is even more enjoyable to me. I love tracking my scores, good shots, and poor shots to see where to emphasize practice time.
I agree most focus too much on scoring. My wife plays maybe a few times a year if she's lucky these days and she doesn't score. She marks a smiley face on the card if she has a good hole maybe if she wants to remember it, but that's about it. Just go have fun with friends and try to focus if anything on just the positive shots/holes. This applies to the majority of golfers, not the small percentage that are in regular competition.
Great video, not got a handicap yet but first card going in tomorrow and played yesterday and was absolutely shocking, putting too much pressure on myself. Enjoy it and relax, tend to play better as well.
Sophie is so amazing. great golfer, coach and philosopher. I really wish she could be my golf coach. I have quit studying the swing of the PGA guys and now study the swings of the LPGA pros. I wish I had a swing like Sophie.
I am a 17 handicap golfer that doesn't have good swing speed and very stiff hips so my swing is not that fast. I do golf in leagues, but enjoy the times I go with friends or family and we golf for "fun" and enjoy being outdoors and able to golf.
I can't remember the last time I scored a round. To be fair I usually start off scoring, then by hole 3 or 4 I stop because it gets in the way of my enjoyment.
Wow some people go well over the top, golf is an amazing past time, don’t worry about score enjoy the fresh air and being outside that’s good for the soul, not stress and worry when really we will never get to where we want to be in golf remember the odd great shot ignore the rubbish ones 👍🏻🏌🏻♂️⛳️
That's what makes golf so fun...I went out this past Monday, Shot 41 for 9 holes (6 over)...the very next night, went back play the same 9 holes and shot 47 (11 over). Score doesn't matter, get out and enjoy everything it has to offer, not just the score.
I recently went away with a few mates for a golf weekend, (it was my first actual golf weekend) we played the comp on Saturday , we had a lot of throffies and a late night , we played casual Ambrose on the Sunday and it was such a fun day, we’re planning on doing it more often.
Myself and my friends started up again in the first lockdown, we are all high handicappers, I have a saying "golf's the winner" we play various formats, but always have that saying for when we hit a bad shot.
I just cam back from a round where I was not going for a score but for a technical thing imtrying to engrain in my swing. Also very enjoyable. In other words. Playing around not keeping score can be fun indeed. 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
EAL had the exact same issue doing his break 90 series. He always just ended up wanting to do a normal course vlog without counting score at the end of the day.
This is one thing that golf clubs need to get on board with too! Casual golf would encourage younger people to come and play, some kids think it’s too many rules and regulations and clothing restrictions that they can’t be bothered with it! For competition yes...rules and regs but a couple of day that are “casual” during the week might get more people involved and then maybe want to get into the competitive side of it! I play 2 casual rounds a week with my son who just started playing age 18 absolutely love it!!! Bag of old golf balls and it doesn’t matter where they go! Enjoy this brilliant game that all ages can play!!!! (Long winded!!! 🤣)
I have a similar thing when I’m playing, I usually play 3/4 holes and if I’m on target to shoot under 90 then I continue to keep score. If not, I use it as a practice round... tee off twice, pitch around the green 3 or 4 times and putt as much as I can. Makes it a lot more fun!
i completely agree with Sophie on the casual golf, you have to enjoy it, move your lies if you need to (as my aunt calls it- holiday golf). its to be enjoyed and if you want people to stay in the game then clubs should promote casual golf also. i believe that kind of golf actually makes you a better player (as rick says, tee up a second ball).
Sophie and Rick nailed it! The golf Authories need to come up with a cutdown format of Golf to make it more for casual enjoyable. Think Big Bash in Cricket. It will help this generation get into the sport.
When I am playing my "C" game at best, I find I enjoy the round more if I take it one hole at a time. One time I was playing so bad I stopped keeping score and found that I didn't care what I was shooting. After the round my father, who had kept our scores without me knowing because we were in separate carts, told me what I shot and that I had actually shot par on 4 of the last 5 holes to shoot a 90 exactly. Sometime my wife and I play alternate shots. It takes the pressure off and we have a blast!
I was at one time a PGA apprentice. I burnt out on the game and grew to hate it over time, to the point I left the business and didn’t touch my clubs for a decade. My 10 year old son coaxed me back to the course. I no longer worry about things on the course. If the back tee looks punishing on a given hole, I move up a box. If my ball rests poorly, I improve my lie. I play the game to have fun and spend time with my son and wouldn’t have it any other way.
As a terrible golfer, I'm trying to take a new approach and score it as sort of a match play situation with myself. If I par (or even bogey, at my level) a hole, it's a win. If I double (or worse) a hole, then I write it off as a loss so I don't let the occasional 14 ruin the day. Now obviously I can't help but adding up the total score and feeling bad about every stroke over 59 because I'm like that, but the goal is to not let the terrible golf negate the fleeting moments of competency.
This is my second summer playing golf. Ive only just started breaking 100 since last August. Ive just joined my first club and i can honestly say regardless of score i absolutely love it! No one cares what you shoot.
I understand tournament golf is all about competing (comparing numbers) but outside of that score or any numbers don't matter to me. I play golf because it challenges me physically and mentally to focus and execute. It doesn't matter what the other three golfers are doing but do love the aspect of keeping up the pace when playing with others. To me, golf is more like a jog in the park with hurdles you do with three others. Your individual results will vary but you keep up the pace not necessarily score. I'm not sure if others may call this golf and I could care less. I call it "connecting the dots".
Managing expectations is hard.. Yesterday on a 220 yard par 3 I missed the green left by about 6 feet with a 5 wood and was a bit peeved 🤣🤣 Awww sh1t was what I said as the ball came to rest ...... It’s what makes golf great IMO. The expectations are so high because everyone (mostly) has the odd great shot in them. I think I’d stop playing if I didn’t think I could get better.
Sophie is spot on. You can play the serious round of the golf counting the score but it's good to have the more relaxed round , Chuck the scorecard away and just play . You can easily do both
I hit some golf balls as a kid. But never got into it.... until last year. My dad has a severe brain injury after he fell 80ft. He had a buddy that would take him to play golf and he started loving it. Well his buddy had a heart attack. So I started taking him. So I've got a membership. And in 2 years since I started (that means playing atleast once a week or more) we only kept score the first time we went. THE MAIN THING HERE IS WE ALWAYS HAVE FUN WE PLAY CASUAL. IF WE ARE BLOCKED BY A TREE WE MOVE THE BALL. Yes you can keep score sometimes. BUT IF YOU AINT HAVING FUN JUST GO PLAY AND HAVE FUN. MAYBE LOAD A 6 PACK IN THE BACK OF THE CART OR SOMETHING. JUST HAVE FUN. LAUGH AT YOUR CRAP SHOTS. LAST OUTING I PUT 6 BALLS IN THE DRINK RIGHT INFRONT OF THE TEE. NO ANGER JUST LAUGHTER THOUGH
When I play in the Sunday comps at my golf club we use an app for scoring and there is an option to hide your score, I always play with the score hidden so I don’t focus on that and just enjoy golf. I found doing this is so much better because you always play better and more loose when you either don’t score or play without knowing and then I just find out what I scored at the end of the round.
I have had the same problem lately, feeling like the potential is there but trying too hard instead of just relaxing and enjoying the game.. think I've had this notion that playing good comes along with feeling good. what I've noticed is that I'm taking myself too seriously for a club golfer and the enjoyment is being out with your mate's, and talking rubbish for a few hours..
Golf should be FUN! If it isn't make it fun as your guest suggests. We are all (myself included) obsessed by our score and our handicap. Don't be!!! Play golf without a scorecard, play golf on your own, savour your good shots, forget the bad, enjoy your environment, enjoy the weather and relax!!!
Find the FULL episode on Apple Podcasts here - podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-rick-shiels-golf-show/id1406443091?i=1000520094811
Time travelling Rick
was thinking the same thing
or on spotify.
but more importantly: Where's can i see the rest of the video instead of just listening?
Not everyone uses Apple, where else can I find this?
At my most relaxed & best play is a solitary round somewhere picturesque ( no score just fun )
But it does matter if you know you’ll be handing the wager over at the end of a round & that you’ve absolutely no chance
Thank you all for watching and commenting. Golf is hard, remember the average handicap is 22 amongst us golfers.
Sophie is spot on. We all need to play more casual golf where you're not worried about the score.
Depends what you play golf for though. I play to improve and get better. I currently play off about 23/24 which has dropped from 28 last year. Shooting 100 irritates me now. I just can’t enjoy myself if I don’t play to my capability! I just think when you get to retirement age then scores are less relevant. But in my mid 30s, I just can’t settle for not playing well :-)
As a senior golfer with a handicap that has dropped from 7 to 5 in the last year I think you've got the wrong idea about both golf and old age. You need to find a way to get past the irritation you feel when play is bad because no matter how good you may get there's a ton of bad golf in your future. If you allow it to get under your skin it will follow you and hold you back.
@@holmer9413 yeah of course. I’m 100% determined to fend off Father Time as long as possible. I keep myself in reasonable shape and don’t want to get to 61 and only be able to hit the ball 150 yards like a good buddy that I play with 😂
@@holmer9413 I have a very big problem with allowing it to get to me. I get very frustrated and dissapointed. I'm a 12. hcp and just today I shot 4 over with only 4 bogeys through 9 and I broke a club. Ridiculous. I was so embarrased 5 seconds after the matter. It has been a while since the last time I broke a club, but still, I would get pissed off and don't want to play anymore and things like that. The only way for me to not get mad is to smoke a joint before and I'm not joking, it works, but I'm not as concentrated and I end up just not caring. Also, this happens when I play alone, when I'm with a group I try very very hard to just chill and accept the results, but when I'm alone I just cant not throw clubs or swing hard into the ground (which is how I broke it today)
I used to take golf very seriously and it stopped being fun. Now I still try to play my best but I don't worry about losing balls and such. I also play with my friends now and play different formats. It helps alot.
I have learn very early that I’m not going to be a pro and I’m not getting paid for it. I have a stressful job and golf is relaxing for me. And I don’t care what I shoot.
lol
@@Craig0935 this has become my mantra since I came back to playing a year ago. Way of the Playa ;)
@@ducatidad8231 Golf Sidekick is the best channel to watch for this kind of mentality change
Sophie Walker is absolute top drawer, could listen to her all day in regards golf.
As someone who's gone from playing pretty well (for me at least) last summer to struggling to get anywhere near 90 this summer, this is what I needed to hear.
Sophie is wiser is fantastic, very very smart and down to earth. Hope to see her on podcasts more often.
The most fun I’ve had on a golf course is when I’m “teamed up” with someone else because it helps me to not focus on the score or my bad shots but we’re working together.
That's what my friends and I have done all summer... 2-4 man scrambles. It's helped my friends who would normally shoot 120+ by themselves enjoy the game more. You shank your ball into the trees but your playing partner puts the ball down the middle of the fairway. Cool, go grab your ball and drop it right next to his. Much more enjoyable.
I played golf from the age of 7. Varsity player in High School playing nearly every day. Then went on to university, got into the workforce, married, kids etc. In the last 4 years I've played maybe 5 rounds. I played my first round in over a year 2 weeks ago and just played without thinking too much about score. I ended up shooting 80 and I was shocked! I was low in my group of friends that play on a regular basis. I had not shot that low since I was in my 20s (44 now). I honestly didn't think I had that in me anymore and has re-lit the fire I once had for the sport. I know that won't happen often if ever again, but to know that I am still capable is an amazing feeling. I'm new to your youtube channels and massively enjoy all of your content so far, keep up the good work!
Hate competitive golf, got a weekday membership so I didn't have to play weekends when only comps are played. So now I play on my own, last tee time of the day, not a care in the world, course to myself, put a few more balls down, have a few chips, putts, learn the lines of the putts. Golf is not only played with a card in your hand. By the way Soph is a real asset to the Podcasts and the game in general.
Great convo and points Sophie. EAL did a great deal golf vid where the guy mentioned "we all only have so many rounds of golf we will play in our life" the really helped me try to find the joy in every round good, bad or shanky.
"You don't complete golf." Spot on! That is perfect to understand, you don't reach a set score and stay there. You reach a range of scores, and sometimes it's a wide range that shifts higher and lower and back again. It's vital to understand that, else you will always feel you are not good or are not as good as you should be.
Me and my mates have been doing the causal golf for years - Wednesday Rules its referred to, Just enjoy being out on the course on a wed tea time or early Sunday morning and having a laugh with the lads rather than adding to the stresses and strains we all have in our day to day lives. A lot of our other friends who play more regularly and seriously often mock or berate us for this but have said for the last 10 years its about having a laugh whilst playing a sport we love and being outside. Cant wait to send this clip to them and show we were right all along. Thankyou so much for the ammo ;-)
This was exactly me!
I lost 25 pounds, recently. I also have been obsessed with golf and subsequently obsessed with score.
I practice like a pro, hours and hours , all facets 2 even 3 sessions a day... I USED to shoot in the low to mid 80s every round ( before all the practice and weight loss).
Then all of a sudden I could hardly break 95. Was so angry and frustrated I was planning to quit golf with one more bad round.
STICK WITH IT. I did and one day .y mental approach changed, I'm back in the low 80s now and rapidly improving. I expect to break 80 again here shortly but I'm more focused on how I've gained confidence and am enjoying the game again and spending time with my friends. The scoring improvement came only after the mental shift though!
This is perfect timing after a horrendous round last weekend of shanking and duffing I got really ticked at myself. I’ve played so much during Covid and have enjoyed almost every round so why can’t that continue? It’s between the ears and Rick always talks about self-talk and positivity.
Sophie’s take on just knowing what kind of golfer I want to be will help when I get back at it today! Have fun
Totally agree with Sophie. There are days where I play 9 holes at an executive Par 3 course after work and I don't keep score. I just go out there to destress from the day, enjoy the outdoor weather , get some exercise and just have fun. I score my 18 hole rounds, or my Wednesday "Non-Official Golf League" with co-workers, but otherwise, I just want to have fun. The days where I don't score, I use them as practice rounds instead of going to the range. I end up with realistic situations of what could happen on course when I do play a scoring round, and like Sophie says, it keeps it simple and enjoyable for me.
Great pod cast sophie very down to earth and intelligent comments I had a great day with my driver , but complete meltdown when I was about 20 ft from the green 3 years ago the clubs would have been thrown but now I except my inconsistency and found I enjoy golf more yes still frustrating but enjoyable 🙂
Back in the late 80's and early 90's I played competitive amateur golf in Georgia. I worked hard on my game and kept around a scratch index, but I wasn't having fun. For whatever reason I found tournament competition to be extremely stressful and many of the players I competed with were some of the top college golfers in the world that went on to play professionally. I'm in my early 60's now and retired. I still play low handicap golf but I play purely for the enjoyment of the game. The smell of the grass early in the morning, birds chirping, the whole vibe is always like going to Church for me. It's therapy. I could care less about equipment, balls, gadgets, distance, or whatever. If I go out and hit good shots and break 80 with an occasional round in the high 60's or low 70's I'm perfectly content. The game is in my blood since I was 12 years old. I have a completely different outlook on golf than most. I don't take it for granted that I'm still in good health and can enjoy the game, but I don't take myself too seriously. I'm always amazed at how many people are at the course and are absolutely miserable and stressed out.
This is me right now. I hit 4 balls in a row into lakes or back yards and just walked off the course on the 14th. The high score doesn’t make it unfun. The inability to make the ball REMOTELY go where I wanted it to go, and just losing ball after ball was what made it lose the fun
I feel you. I was about to quit the game until I found decently consistent swing. Now its way way more fun because I can have catastrophic holes but still I know I will have good ones too. Basically I can shoot 30 over par, as you said I dont even care for the score, yet I can have few great shots that absolutely make my day and I go home feeling satisfied.
As a casual round, my partners will team up and play best ball against the course. It’s fun, productive and not competitive against your partner.
I like that!
lol
Best ball works great. It gets people in to competing against the course and not each other or themselves. Even tour pros remember to compete against the course first and not their playing partner for the day.
I'd just like to say that Sophie is fantastic. Just what we need to hear.... Enjoy, have fun, bit of practice..... Steps! Golf can sometimes be a nice relaxing break from life..😊
This is a really good podcast. You all give a great motivation and serious advice. Very good to see this kind of thing around. Thanks.
Sometimes you just need to play for the pure enjoyment of it and not keep score. The fresh air, the scenery, and chatting with your mates or new players is fun! I always enjoy meeting new people and have gotten new friends because of golfing!
I am lucky enough to know how bad I am. Yesterday I played nine holes with two very young guys who were on their first and second time ever trying to play. One was 17 the other was early 20s, I'm 62 in July, I actual had a great time just hacking around the course with two new players. They were having fun so I was having fun.
What a top guest and some great advice! These podcasts are great guys, been especially good recently with the guests you’ve had on 👍🏻
Sophie is awesome! She needs to be on more :)
Hale Irwin: Some days you play well, some days you learn well. Some of the best swing improvements I've had have come from a really bad round and thinking honestly about what went wrong.
Thank you for the perspective! The ego is tough satisfy; it ALWAYS wants more.
The collective "we" need to remember we are paying to play vs being paid to play and that isn't going to change. One of my friends, the best golfer in our group, lost his right hand in a snow blower accident in Feb. a few years back. He was back on the course that summer with a prosthetic and even though his scores went from the low - mid 80s to high 90s or over 100 he was still "golfing". I don't know many golfers, myself included, who would have had that great an attitude - it's golf, good scores, bad scores or whatever - enjoy every round and go home happy.
Such a great topic. Golf can be so brutal when you are completely focused on your score. Yet, golf can be absolutely restorative when the focus is on fun. Going through a tough time with my wife being seriously ill, and I have found that not caring about scoring, and making a round of golf (or even just 9 holes if that's all I can squeeze it in) nothing more than simply a walk in the park with a few swings thrown in has been my salvation.
Similar situation here… grinded it out to get to a 10 hcp but didn’t have fun and took a very long break from golf. Came back about 2 years ago and instead of chasing the hcp, I’ve found that I far enjoy grabbing a late tee time and playing best ball with myself. The learning from dropping a ball or two each hole to experiment and try a different shot or club has been eye opening and so much more enjoyable.
I so relate to this. Started with only I year ago and was frustrated because I couldnt find my swing but once I did wow so much fun but then... Then I got greedy and wanted better and better scores and one day I played best I did yet it didnt feel as fun as before... I realized why. Yeah I rather have catastrophic holes coupled with few great shots than no great shots and less errors. Few weeks ago I had a sequence on par 4 where I hit a decent driver but it rolled into a bunker and then I barely got out of it on the second shot right in the rough in front. Took a pitching wedge about 90 yards from the green in the deep rough and tree in front of me. I delofted the club so it went below the lowest branch and it had such a low flight and it bounced and rolled right on to the green like 4 feet away. My favorite shot I ever did. Putted in for par. Ended with 60 on 9 holes. Felt like a king.
I started playing golf with my friends because they did, it’s what you did, then, as I got better it was still enjoyable,but more competitive, I did have spell where my golf swing went awry, you know what I mean, but, I found if didn’t play for about a week maybe ten days, it came back, your problem is your doing this for a living and your doing fine with these channels but your golf game has suffered, I admire how you keeping hitting the ball with so many clubs and your timing doesn’t seem to suffer,and, let’s face it , the last two years hasn’t been great for any of us.
myself and a mate play Ambrose against the course. we typically shoot low 100s individually but are comfortably shooting low 80s together. I think this is the most relaxed fun we've had on the course in months. There's no pressure and we just have a laugh. This in turn means we're playing less recovery shots and reducing the frustration from playing a shot deep into the trees only to find the set of trees on the other side of the fairway.
This is absolute gold. I'm gonna watch this occasionally just to remind myself.
Another option is Matchplay so that one bad hole does not wreck the round
yeah, or use Stableford scoring
That’s always so hard though. You’re out there to have fun but what I find is the competitor in myself wants to shoot as good as I can. When I have a bad round I’m right there with “Mr. Fun.” Hard having fun when you’re putting scores up when you know you play much better.
That's exactly where I'm at. I have the ability to shoot in the 70's, but I consistently shoot in the low 90's. I started playing a scramble with my buddies and I honestly enjoy playing more that way. It's pretty sweet shooting under par, when I know I probably would have shot 85-95 by myself.
Really good, meaningful discussion. Get ready for that 100K subscriber video!
The podcast with Sophie was a really good listen. She come across really well, very intelligent and articulate with no sexism bias. It's no wonder she's doing so well with sky and youtube etc.
“She doesn’t threaten my fragile masculinity therefore I deem her worthy of success”
@@jeremybrown937 what? 🤡
@@robertcourt8593 nothing. Apparenty you cant acknowledge that a woman is smart in todays age. Because maybe you wouldn't say it if it was a man. Which is ridiculous because I would say and I do say it in many many many podcasts. Thats actually how I get into different podcast, I listen to people, men or women, and if I care about what they're saying and how they're saying it I'd say they're smart and im interested in them. Jeremy Brown is a loser whos clearly scared about saying the wrong thing or just saying what he thinks just because of how some people might react, not because he thinks its wrong.
@@SM-po9wf exactly, I said the same about Dan Webster.
Great comments from Sophie, love that attitude. Also, enjoy the course; they are beautiful places, I regularly see deer and saw a woodpecker the other day practically made my round!
Such an awesome way of looking at Golf...great advice...been playing golf for 30+ years and currently play off 17...there have been days where I feel like an 8 and play like it...others where I feel like a 35 and play like it too...recently went on a 3 day, 3 round trip with friends and played terribly...as a younger man I could definitely have seen myself breaking a club or over reacting...but in my older age I took pictures of the beautiful courses we were playing and the wildlife...plan on making that trip again next year with the same guys and hopefully more...I wasnt happy with how I played but I took the positives like Sophie was saying...awesome content THANKS RICK!!!
My last few rounds have been trending in the right direction and I felt like I was making progress breaking 90. Today I went out and absolutely could not hit the ball worth a damn. Shot well over 100. Possibly my worst round ever. This video makes me feel better about it, and reminds me that I should not always focus on score and just enjoy playing the game we all love.
Last year i took golf so seriously. I was shooting low 90's, and was so close to breaking 90. I then herniated a disc in my back at the start of the year, then healed from that, and then i developed a tumour in a finger in my lead hand. Out for 8 months following surgery and removal of my volar plate. Physio said i might not play golf or if i did, maybe not as good ever again. Sunday there, i shot 98 after nearly a year out, and had a ball. Now booked lessons and looking forward to it again without the pressure.
I started playing golf 2 years ago when my gf bought me a lesson as a gift when i turned 50. It's been a real rollercoaster on the way. Today im at 20 hcp with a personal best with 88 round once :-) Mostly i just play and dont grind on the range (my bad). Golf is fun but sometimes we all get very frustrated due bad shots (and descisions). So everbody out there, dont give up, play for "fun" cuz when u learn it's fun ;-)
I completely agree with Sophie. I was a tournament level tennis player. After giving it up, when I play now, I just prefer to hit - so much more fun. My advice to the writer: give yourself time to learn your new body, learn a goto fade with the driver to get it in play, learn exactly what your 2 or 3 key fundamentals are to control your iron shot shape, it sounds like you have a face angle you are not in control of (get control of it), spend 80% of your practice pitching & chipping
I totally agree with Sophie and you all. I have convinced my mates to play in this manner and you will also be shocked at how well you can play. No one cares. The rules are not enforced in our group. We try to play for legit pars or birdies but for the penalties and mulligans etc. we just play how you feel. No pressure and no concentration on score. It is marvelous.
Sometimes you can just feel it after a few holes that you aren't gunna be putting a good score together. When I feel like that I abandon the score card and just play to have fun, try and work on new things or sharpen the things that I need to, either way golf is a beautiful but extremely cruel game at times never give up and always have fun. Challenge yourself to hit every shot with a smile on your face and I garentee you you will have a good time🤙🏽 happy golfing mates🤙🏽😁
I LOVE listening to Sophie talk! This podcast is great. Good stuff Rick!
I don’t always keep score, I adjust lies and all that to make the game easier and fun. Life is stressful already, and I learned that it’s a blessing to be out there playing. We are starting to change the game format after couple holes - stroke then finish with a scramble play.
I've been this guy. when I started taking lessons I got really frustrated when I didn't preform at the level I wanted. But after learning more about the golf swing and my faults and tendencies I started to understand why I hit the bad shots that I did and l had the understanding to correct myself for the next time.
I take a casual aspect of the game. I keep score occasionally but mostly I just want to go out and hit good shots. I don't care if I get a bogey on a hole as long as I know I hit the ball exactly how I wanted to(center of the face with solid contact.)
I started playing with a beginner recently. just as Sophie said, he counts EVERY shot and is scared to break the rules.
I too have learned this lesson. I do not compete in tournaments therefore have no need for a true handicap. I took up golf in my mid 40s and my scores dropped significantly in the first two years and then leveled off. It took me a couple of years to accept, this is as good as I will get. I had to remind myself that even the pros cannot shoot below par everyday. Now I play with a more holisitic view. Am I hitting better shots? Do I manage the game better? Is the ball going where I wanted it to go? How many holes (sometimes rounds) can I go without a double bogey. Scores are demotivating. Draining a 20ft putt or nailing a great drive, that is what makes us feel good. If you want to compete have it, but for some of us, we just enjoy playing and walking. I do not need a score to know if I played well or not.
I have taken some time off from golf for at least year or two as I was getting so frustrated with not doing well. Taking that break helped realise that I am never going to perfect this game and since then I absolutely enjoy it and laugh at my mistakes. Also good to find some mates who enjoy the game just as much as you do
I started having more fun not worrying and picking apart my swing and looking at my score. Sure I’ll try my absolute best, but with little time if any to practice or even play I’ve learned to live and enjoy the outing more.
She is so right! If you do as she advises. You will achieve 1 or 2 great goals. 1 or 2 shots you remember for that round. This is why you play golf; a tough game that yields memorable shots that make ut all worth it!
Yeah I'm with Sophie, there are so many other sports you can play on the 'casual' with score not really mattering. Only recently started to play golf again, my brother advised exactly what Sophie said, if you don't fancy hitting from the rough/ slope/ bunker, just hook it out and set yourself up. Best advice!
To keep golf fun me and my mates play different formats. We will often stand on a tee and all have longest drive for a bit of money. Par 3s we play nearest to the pin. Sometimes we’ll have a bit of match play. Rarely make each other hole out, normally give each other short ones. A beer on the course.
For most of us golf is a way to relax and get away from the stresses of life.
If you want to take it seriously, really care about your scores you need to be putting in 2 hours practice a day minimum. Not many of us care that much so it’s all about having fun
For me when you go through the rough patches it’s only a matter of time till you hit form, not just that, I’ve got to a point mentally where lockdown left me without any thinking space and exercise aswell as entertainment, I’ve now changed the mentality to the game and for the time being I’m just loving the exercise and thinking time that comes with golf, scores aren’t an issue to me at the minute and I’ve found that really refreshing so I’d try think a different way to you currently are
I’ve been golfing for 5 years a around 3 years where I actually play regularly. I got in a groove and shot in the 80s for a good stretch. Been back in the 100s a lot lately. I so needed to hear this
Also got down to a 11 HC for a second
I'm a relatively new player, and this speaks volumes to me! The frustration that comes about from keeping score takes my best shots away from me every time. When I'm relaxed and having fun, I can hit some fantastic shots and can actually be cognizant enough to understand my sequence.
Thanks guys for a fresh perspective:)
I was a competitive bowler before I took up the game of golf. Bowled from the age of 4 to the age of 30. I was really serious about it, grinding constantly, I was very tough on myself. It sucked all the fun out of the game. When I took up golf I decided that I would just relax, go out there try to make a good shot or two per round. I keep score, just to kind of see where my game is going, but I don't do anything competitively. I've gone from shooting in the 110s to the low 90s in just about a year and I've been absolutely loving the game. I will have my moments of frustration but I try to remind myself that I'm only out there playing against myself, so might as well enjoy it.
We are always in competition with our society which is good but recently I have just played 9 holes on my own, hit two or three balls on the same hole and its just lovely not worrying about score, points etc. Play golf for the love of playing golf.
A great way to play is as a Texas Scramble with your mates. What can WE score? Either as a 2-ball or 4-ball. Maybe play a round with unlimited mulligans till the green, or even on the green too. Maybe, how many FIR? or GIR? I would advise short game practise (chipping/putting/bunkers) to bring the score down. You don't need much room & there are plenty of examples for little putting games where time flies!
I know I will never be a decent golfer but what’s better than going out with your buddies and playing for the enjoyment my golf aim is to get to 18, once there I will set a new target
I've only been playing for 8 years. I always tell people I'm the only player in the world that can shoot a mid 70's and high 110's in the same week. At first shooting bad scores is really detrimental especially if its in a league or competitive against one of your buddies, but my bad rounds are some of my favorite, for one you get more bang for your buck and also you get to practice odd lies in the woods and difficult shots like a low fade and a high draw around trees and hazards that really come in handy when you are having a good round, i've practiced this shot before. I would say one of the most enjoyable aspects in golf is troubleshooting de-bugging a swing or a particular club.
Great advice. I also like the advise of focusing on process goals vs the end score goal. For instance, you could focus on fairways, greens, and number of putts. At the end of the round you could be totally happy with those stats but still end up not scoring well. Focusing on the process keeps you level headed I've found.
I feel the pain. I was doing pretty good before COVID last year, then we in the States had a break from golf. Now I haven’t been the same. A couple months ago I went an had a fitting and bought new irons (P425) with graphite shafts and re shafted the woods. Even got a new putter (Evnroll) and tossed my Scotty in the closet. No real change! So next week now, I have a lesson planned with a real good golf coach. Stick with it, if you enjoy the game.
I am an absolute beginner, three months in, and played on a fairly open course for just the third time the other day. I was awful, so after 5-6 holes I stopped counting the score and just tried to focus on having fun. My three scores there are 105 the first time, then 108 and last time 121, but I enjoyed the 121 more than the 108. The 105 was better of course, but if I had not changed my attitude last time out I would have been so miserable after :) My major issue is hitting behind the ball too often, and that annoyed me, but I had fun for the rest of it!
Glad to know I’m not alone... story is almost identical with anonymous, except 18 to 5, now 5 to 9 and sliding.... learning I need to spend time on basic fundamentals and have swing checkpoints to learn adjustments during a round. So far seems to be stopping the slide. Trusted just being an athlete and swinging hard versus fundamentals prior the swing adjustments. A lot of this slide happened during when friends when from celebrating birdies with whiskey to increased dollar amounts for skins etc which also led to some broken confidence. Taking these swing changes and not playing in any competition until I get back to enjoy playing and get confidence back and can trust a swing under pressure that I can still enjoy.
My friends and I know we aren't good. We keep score and compete against each other but we try to take it lightly. We give each other 1 mulligan per 18, gimme puts within a club length and if we shank one into the trees and it's on the edge and not hitable (because of brush or what have you but if it's in a spot you can get the club on it you have to hit it from there) we can move to nearest spot of relief so we can hit it.
What a wonderful perspective. Love it!
Sophie what great advice, definitely going to try this 9 holes casual and have a laugh.
Call me crazy but I enjoy the competitive side of golf. Even if its just competing against myself. It builds mental strength to know you're not going to break your own record but still enjoy the rest of the round and focus on every shot. The rare round where you do have the chance to break your own record is the most incredible feeling. Playing good golf feels good and coming through delivers an incredible sense of accomplishment. What other sport allows you that opportunity? League play against friends and acquaintances is even more enjoyable to me. I love tracking my scores, good shots, and poor shots to see where to emphasize practice time.
I agree most focus too much on scoring. My wife plays maybe a few times a year if she's lucky these days and she doesn't score. She marks a smiley face on the card if she has a good hole maybe if she wants to remember it, but that's about it. Just go have fun with friends and try to focus if anything on just the positive shots/holes. This applies to the majority of golfers, not the small percentage that are in regular competition.
Great video, not got a handicap yet but first card going in tomorrow and played yesterday and was absolutely shocking, putting too much pressure on myself. Enjoy it and relax, tend to play better as well.
Sophie is so amazing. great golfer, coach and philosopher. I really wish she could be my golf coach. I have quit studying the swing of the PGA guys and now study the swings of the LPGA pros. I wish I had a swing like Sophie.
I am a 17 handicap golfer that doesn't have good swing speed and very stiff hips so my swing is not that fast. I do golf in leagues, but enjoy the times I go with friends or family and we golf for "fun" and enjoy being outdoors and able to golf.
I can't remember the last time I scored a round. To be fair I usually start off scoring, then by hole 3 or 4 I stop because it gets in the way of my enjoyment.
Wow some people go well over the top, golf is an amazing past time, don’t worry about score enjoy the fresh air and being outside that’s good for the soul, not stress and worry when really we will never get to where we want to be in golf remember the odd great shot ignore the rubbish ones 👍🏻🏌🏻♂️⛳️
Thanks guys I really needed to hear this today!
That's what makes golf so fun...I went out this past Monday, Shot 41 for 9 holes (6 over)...the very next night, went back play the same 9 holes and shot 47 (11 over). Score doesn't matter, get out and enjoy everything it has to offer, not just the score.
I recently went away with a few mates for a golf weekend, (it was my first actual golf weekend) we played the comp on Saturday , we had a lot of throffies and a late night , we played casual Ambrose on the Sunday and it was such a fun day, we’re planning on doing it more often.
Myself and my friends started up again in the first lockdown, we are all high handicappers, I have a saying "golf's the winner" we play various formats, but always have that saying for when we hit a bad shot.
I just cam back from a round where I was not going for a score but for a technical thing imtrying to engrain in my swing. Also very enjoyable. In other words. Playing around not keeping score can be fun indeed. 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
EAL had the exact same issue doing his break 90 series. He always just ended up wanting to do a normal course vlog without counting score at the end of the day.
This is one thing that golf clubs need to get on board with too! Casual golf would encourage younger people to come and play, some kids think it’s too many rules and regulations and clothing restrictions that they can’t be bothered with it! For competition yes...rules and regs but a couple of day that are “casual” during the week might get more people involved and then maybe want to get into the competitive side of it! I play 2 casual rounds a week with my son who just started playing age 18 absolutely love it!!! Bag of old golf balls and it doesn’t matter where they go! Enjoy this brilliant game that all ages can play!!!! (Long winded!!! 🤣)
I have a similar thing when I’m playing, I usually play 3/4 holes and if I’m on target to shoot under 90 then I continue to keep score. If not, I use it as a practice round... tee off twice, pitch around the green 3 or 4 times and putt as much as I can. Makes it a lot more fun!
i completely agree with Sophie on the casual golf, you have to enjoy it, move your lies if you need to (as my aunt calls it- holiday golf). its to be enjoyed and if you want people to stay in the game then clubs should promote casual golf also. i believe that kind of golf actually makes you a better player (as rick says, tee up a second ball).
Sophie and Rick nailed it! The golf Authories need to come up with a cutdown format of Golf to make it more for casual enjoyable. Think Big Bash in Cricket. It will help this generation get into the sport.
When I am playing my "C" game at best, I find I enjoy the round more if I take it one hole at a time. One time I was playing so bad I stopped keeping score and found that I didn't care what I was shooting. After the round my father, who had kept our scores without me knowing because we were in separate carts, told me what I shot and that I had actually shot par on 4 of the last 5 holes to shoot a 90 exactly. Sometime my wife and I play alternate shots. It takes the pressure off and we have a blast!
I was at one time a PGA apprentice. I burnt out on the game and grew to hate it over time, to the point I left the business and didn’t touch my clubs for a decade. My 10 year old son coaxed me back to the course. I no longer worry about things on the course. If the back tee looks punishing on a given hole, I move up a box. If my ball rests poorly, I improve my lie. I play the game to have fun and spend time with my son and wouldn’t have it any other way.
As a terrible golfer, I'm trying to take a new approach and score it as sort of a match play situation with myself. If I par (or even bogey, at my level) a hole, it's a win. If I double (or worse) a hole, then I write it off as a loss so I don't let the occasional 14 ruin the day.
Now obviously I can't help but adding up the total score and feeling bad about every stroke over 59 because I'm like that, but the goal is to not let the terrible golf negate the fleeting moments of competency.
This is my second summer playing golf. Ive only just started breaking 100 since last August. Ive just joined my first club and i can honestly say regardless of score i absolutely love it! No one cares what you shoot.
I understand tournament golf is all about competing (comparing numbers) but outside of that score or any numbers don't matter to me. I play golf because it challenges me physically and mentally to focus and execute. It doesn't matter what the other three golfers are doing but do love the aspect of keeping up the pace when playing with others. To me, golf is more like a jog in the park with hurdles you do with three others. Your individual results will vary but you keep up the pace not necessarily score. I'm not sure if others may call this golf and I could care less. I call it "connecting the dots".
Managing expectations is hard.. Yesterday on a 220 yard par 3 I missed the green left by about 6 feet with a 5 wood and was a bit peeved 🤣🤣
Awww sh1t was what I said as the ball came to rest ...... It’s what makes golf great IMO. The expectations are so high because everyone (mostly) has the odd great shot in them. I think I’d stop playing if I didn’t think I could get better.
Sophie is spot on.
You can play the serious round of the golf counting the score but it's good to have the more relaxed round , Chuck the scorecard away and just play .
You can easily do both
I hit some golf balls as a kid. But never got into it.... until last year. My dad has a severe brain injury after he fell 80ft. He had a buddy that would take him to play golf and he started loving it. Well his buddy had a heart attack. So I started taking him. So I've got a membership. And in 2 years since I started (that means playing atleast once a week or more) we only kept score the first time we went. THE MAIN THING HERE IS WE ALWAYS HAVE FUN WE PLAY CASUAL. IF WE ARE BLOCKED BY A TREE WE MOVE THE BALL. Yes you can keep score sometimes. BUT IF YOU AINT HAVING FUN JUST GO PLAY AND HAVE FUN. MAYBE LOAD A 6 PACK IN THE BACK OF THE CART OR SOMETHING. JUST HAVE FUN. LAUGH AT YOUR CRAP SHOTS. LAST OUTING I PUT 6 BALLS IN THE DRINK RIGHT INFRONT OF THE TEE. NO ANGER JUST LAUGHTER THOUGH
When I play in the Sunday comps at my golf club we use an app for scoring and there is an option to hide your score, I always play with the score hidden so I don’t focus on that and just enjoy golf. I found doing this is so much better because you always play better and more loose when you either don’t score or play without knowing and then I just find out what I scored at the end of the round.
Great podcast with Sophie - excellent 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I have had the same problem lately, feeling like the potential is there but trying too hard instead of just relaxing and enjoying the game.. think I've had this notion that playing good comes along with feeling good. what I've noticed is that I'm taking myself too seriously for a club golfer and the enjoyment is being out with your mate's, and talking rubbish for a few hours..
Great subject. I sometimes say that golf should be like tennis. If my first teeball goes into the woods, I get a "second serve" LOL!
Golf should be FUN! If it isn't make it fun as your guest suggests. We are all (myself included) obsessed by our score and our handicap. Don't be!!! Play golf without a scorecard, play golf on your own, savour your good shots, forget the bad, enjoy your environment, enjoy the weather and relax!!!