Steve,
Sorry If I come off brash. I am on the complete opposite. I believe a free mind is what elevates a player to his/her best. I might not be as good as you, but I can get it around a bit, so Im not speaking to you as an 8 handicapper.
I used to be the same way, always focused on my score. While I didn't use the card/pencil, I kept a keen track in my mind. Knew where I stood, at all times. Maybe like or unlike you, when I would go back and look at my best rounds tournament or otherwise, a few things stood out. No analytics, just hit the thing, and no over obsession of where I was in relation to par. Of course I knew where I stood, but I was more worried about just playing than my score.
Steve, you are very good. Even on a medicore day, you make a few bogies, you come around to hole 13, and its gotta take seconds for you to fire through your round in your head and know where you stand, I mean seconds. Or no you can not do this?
What benefits do you feel from knowing your score? Is it a comfort thing? What happens if its a bad day and you are 5 over through 12? What is the benefit to a card then?
Sorry If you think that I am drilling your style of play, I am not and clearly it works. Im interested in your approach that you take. Mine being totally different, we both have much we can learn from one another.
Do you read any golf psychology books at all? Steve, at your level, what needs to improve to get you to the finals of the mid am?
Also, ui like that match play is your game. O.b Keeler said of Bobby Jones, that once he learned to play old man par, rather than his opponent, in match play, he was unbeatable. Weather you know it or not, the card watching focuses your mind on the hole and its par, rather than your opponennt.
Let me know some more thoughts, if you do not mind, and as long as i have not offended you in my questioning