Playing Poorly on a Big Trip

[Bob_Huntley]

Some months ago I played in a four ball at Pasatiempo with a man that can play. Quite a prodigious hitter of the ball at times and a single figure handicap. On this day however his biorhythms were somewhat askew, his drives entered the twilight zone and nothing went right. However, I have never seen anyone have more fun on a golf course and there was nary a word of complaint.

Who was it? Why, our old friend Dave Schmidt, known to all and sundry as Shivas.


Bob

[Tom Huckaby]

Our man shivas does have the NATO approach down pat.  He's a paragon of such, and that's why he's so fun to play this game with.

I also find wisdom here in the words of Bill Brightly... it is always wise to remember that when it gets down to it, no one really gives a damn how you are playing.  They really don't care.  So if you care how you look to others, well.. you shouldn't.  And one way or the other, keep the whines to a minimum.

TH

[George Pazin]

Buy Mike V a beer and send me the bill.

Have fun. The worst day golfing beats damn near everything else.

[Carl Nichols]

Combine the "NATO" approach with trying to focus on the aspects of playing golf that you enjoy but aren't directly related to how you play -- whether it's the company, the beer, the scenery, the architecture, the weather, being outside, not being at work, etc.  Treat it as a vacation or other fun event where you just happen to be playing golf.    

[Jason Topp]

Thanks for the good advice everyone.  

Headed for the airport . . .  I'll report back after I return.

 

[Jon Heise]

I take more big trips than lots of guys, and I certainly have rounds here and there where I totally stink.  Even moreso when I go play one of the big name, destination courses.  Lately Ive focused on fairways and greens, fairways and greens....  Keeping it simple has helped on the big trips as well as causal rounds.

ps, Ocean Course kicked my aszzz first time around.  Hit tons of fairways, just couldnt find the cup

[Dan Moore]

Jason,

I advise struggling against the darkness while enjoying the people, the courses, the setting, and the competition.  Life is more fun that way. 

[Chip Gaskins]

Drink beer and never keep score.

[Jason Topp]

Perspectives from after the trip:

Ones golf game, like life is generally neither as good or as bad as it seems on any particular day.

It was a great trip and it was terrific to meet Mike Vegis.   

A good way to enjoy the trip a bit more when your game is shaky is to move up a set of tees.  It takes some pressure off.  Because I was with a group of higher handicaps, we played relatively short tees all weekend.  It helped.

I will start a separate thread to discuss the Ocean Course in more detail.