[David Ober]

...and what, exactly, does that mean to you, preparation-wise?

For instance, I tend to play much, much better on difficult courses when I take the round seriously and thus prepare to play the round by:

1) Settling on a club and shot-shape for EVERY par-4 and par-5 tee shot the night before. I will even write this down in a notebook. (this can change due to wind conditions or tee placement, of course).

2) Write down thoughts on particular holes including good places to miss and places to avoid on each hole.

3) Spending plenty of time hitting 2 and 3-foot putts prior to my round

4) Spending most of my warm-up time with driver, wedges, and short game.

Architecture-wise, I would think that number 1, above, fits right into good architecture. If I have to think a lot about exactly what clubs I'm hitting on every hole, then that means that the course at least has variety and some risk/reward going for it, which is nice. Same goes for the notes on where to miss and not miss.

So let's hear it: How often do you take a round seriously, and what do you do to prepare prior to playing?

[Brent Hutto]

Almost never.

Every other year or so I'll play in the hacker flight of our Club Championship. Two rounds of stroke play from tees way too far back for my game. Goal is to finish something other than D.F.L. which I almost never do (few of the club's really high handicappers play in that event). But for those two days I'm pretty much in full grind it out mode.

Other than that, I pretty much treat it as a game. It's fun to win ten or twenty bucks in the dogfight or to beat my opponent and get a free lunch but I'm really in it for the exercise and relaxation. Not serious by any means.

[Terry Lavin]

Great thread.

I'd say I press the focus button for an entire round about 1/4 of the time.  Most of my golf is social as opposed to competitive, so I tend to play fairly casually most of the time.  If I am focusing on a round, I will actually hit balls before I play.  This is unusual for me.  While on the range, I work on the short game a lot and the long game a little bit.  I want to make sure that I have some repetitive feel for pitching, chipping and putting and I want to feel some repeatable rhythm with the driver.  On the course, I still play very briskly, but make sure to execute the same pre-shot routine on my shots and putts.  This helps me focus better.  This usually helps me play more competitively and it definitely helps me avoid big numbers.  If I'm really paying attention, I seldom get more than one double bogey, which leads to my desired goal of shooting around 82-85.

[John Kavanaugh]

I rarely play golf outside my group of degenerates who insist on playing for roughly a weeks pay.  We play 100% by the rules and as well as we possibly can.  I often wonder if I play worse or better because of the pressure.  I'll never know.  It has led to a horrible condition where I can only play well enough to win and keep em coming back.

[David Ober]

I rarely play golf outside my group of degenerates who insist on playing for roughly a weeks pay.  We play 100% by the rules and as well as we possibly can.  I often wonder if I play worse or better because of the pressure.  I'll never know.  It has led to a horrible condition where I can only play well enough to win and keep em coming back.

Are you serious? You're a fellow degenerate golf-gambler???

I would have never guessed it. Let's tee it up next time you're in SoCal!

[Rob Curtiss]

Most of the golf I play is for fun and/or socializing. I do practice putting and some chipping prior to playing just to get a feel for the greens.

I hate hitting balls on the range- I am a headcase and if I hit them like crap on the range I will take that onto the course. I would rather be suprised what game I brought.

Have not been playing long enough- since 2007- to take myself too serious- but I do play by the rules- and no gimmies.

But As the legendary Bobby Jones once said, "There is golf, and there is TOURNAMENT GOLF ! "

[Steve Burrows]

I haven't played a truly "competitive" round since I graduated from college (Division III) over 15 years ago.  These days, I tend to play no more than 10 rounds a year, usually with my family and friends.  I get together with some of the guys from college almost every summer, but we all know we've each lost a few shots here and there.  We still all want to play well (if only to protect our own pride), but with nothing more than dinner or drinks on the line, no one takes it too seriously and everyone still shoots +/- 80.  I seem to enjoy playing golf more because I consider it only a game, as opposed to a serious competition.  I like it better this way, but, to the original poster's second point, I do think I miss out on some of the architectural merits/strategies of a given golf hole because I am talking to my playing partners and not always focusing on the golf course.

[Sean_A]

Never.  I would practice if I wanted to play seriously and that ain't gonna happen.

Ciao

[Jon Cavalier]

Really interesting thread. And I'm not sure how to answer the question.

On the one hand, I try to take every round seriously, play by the letter of the rules, and post the best score I possibly can. With the exception of those times now and again where a round goes badly south early on, I try to take every shot of every round seriously.

On the other hand, I never, ever practice. With the exception of hitting a handful of balls to warm up before a round (something I probably do maybe 10% of the time), I haven't been to a range in more than a decade. I just play. A lot.

So I suppose, in answer to the original question, that I try to take every "round" seriously, but that perhaps I don't take my "game" as seriously as I should.

[PCCraig]

I take most, if not all of my rounds, "seriously" in that I'm trying to hit good shots and score well. The vast majority of my rounds are at my home course now so I pretty much know the types of shots I need/want to hit, so it's mostly about going out and enjoying them. Occasionally I'll go out and hit 2-3 balls per hole to practice but that's pretty rare. I don't hit a ton of practice balls, the longest I'll practice during a designated time nowadays would be about 50min with it broken up 50/50 to long and short game, which isn't enough to actually improve but really just maintain a decent game.

[David Davis]

I take every round seriously I guess.

What's that mean to me:

1. Trying my hardest on every shot.
2. Doing my best to stay focused.
3. Playing for the best score I can make.
4. Never giving up and tanking no matter how bad it's going.
5. Registering every round (except when traveling, because that's not allowed with our hcp system).
6. Trying my best to help the rest of my group enjoy the game as well. Whatever that means, can be different to different groups.
7. Not getting angry or frustrated.
8. Having fun and enjoying the "ride". Although I'm always walking...
9. Warming up. Usually short and medium chips/pitches. Working my way up to driver. Then putts, short first to get the feeling for seeing and hearing the putts fall. Then working my way back.

[Matt Waidmann]

I take most every round seriously.  It's hard to say whether or not I take my game seriously anymore because I don't practice like I did in my high school and college days, even though I wish I could.  I always try and shoot the best score possible, just as if I'm still playing competitively.  The only time I might not take a round seriously is my first round of the year because my expectations are so low.

[John Kirk]

If the four criteria listed define a serious round, then I never take it seriously.  By my own criteria (mostly stretching and warming up properly), I try hard about 25% of the time.

Great opening post, David.  The first requirement is pretty close to my basic evaluation of golf architecture.

"Settling on a club and shot-shape for EVERY par-4 and par-5 tee shot the night before. I will even write this down in a notebook. (this can change due to wind conditions or tee placement, of course)."

I tend to do the shot shape and trajectory evaluation in real-time.  I love when a golf course, and playing conditions, help the mind paint a clear picture of what needs to be done.

 

[David Ober]

If the four criteria listed define a serious round, then I never take it seriously.  By my own criteria (mostly stretching and warming up properly), I try hard about 25% of the time.

Great opening post, David.  The first requirement is pretty close to my basic evaluation of golf architecture.

"Settling on a club and shot-shape for EVERY par-4 and par-5 tee shot the night before. I will even write this down in a notebook. (this can change due to wind conditions or tee placement, of course)."

I tend to do the shot shape and trajectory evaluation in real-time.  I love when a golf course, and playing conditions, help the mind paint a clear picture of what needs to be done.

 

It's amazing how much better I play when I plan out my tee shots in advance. My mind tends to be all over the place, and just settling on the tee shot probably saves me 2 to 4 shots a round in competition.

[Brent Hutto]

I already play from the 5,700 yard "senior" tees. I'd have to move up to the 5,100 yard "ladies" tees to need any other tee shot plan than "Hit driver as far as possible while keeping it somewhere I can find it".

I sometimes wish the game were as much a mental/planning/strategic matter for me as it is for you bombers. Seriously.

[David Ober]

I already play from the 5,700 yard "senior" tees. I'd have to move up to the 5,100 yard "ladies" tees to need any other tee shot plan than "Hit driver as far as possible while keeping it somewhere I can find it".

I sometimes wish the game were as much a mental/planning/strategic matter for me as it is for you bombers. Seriously.

And I wish I were actually a "bomber"! If I hit driver 290 to 310, I would be out there bouncing around on the mini-tours chasing the dream. Alas, my clubhead speed is only 100ish and my ball speed 150ish. No chance to play at the professional level with that kind of clubhead speed.

[John Kavanaugh]

I rarely play golf outside my group of degenerates who insist on playing for roughly a weeks pay.  We play 100% by the rules and as well as we possibly can.  I often wonder if I play worse or better because of the pressure.  I'll never know.  It has led to a horrible condition where I can only play well enough to win and keep em coming back.

Are you serious? You're a fellow degenerate golf-gambler???

I would have never guessed it. Let's tee it up next time you're in SoCal!

That would be great.  I love to get shots.

I often feel like I am cheating my gambling buddies during a practice session.   It's a great way to get better without having to post a score.  We even have a term for it..."Secretly Shagging."

[astavrides]

If the four criteria listed define a serious round, then I never take it seriously.  By my own criteria (mostly stretching and warming up properly), I try hard about 25% of the time.

Great opening post, David.  The first requirement is pretty close to my basic evaluation of golf architecture.

"Settling on a club and shot-shape for EVERY par-4 and par-5 tee shot the night before. I will even write this down in a notebook. (this can change due to wind conditions or tee placement, of course)."

I tend to do the shot shape and trajectory evaluation in real-time.  I love when a golf course, and playing conditions, help the mind paint a clear picture of what needs to be done.

  

It's amazing how much better I play when I plan out my tee shots in advance. My mind tends to be all over the place, and just settling on the tee shot probably saves me 2 to 4 shots a round in competition.

Like John was getting at, doesn't the tee shot you hit depend on the wind, how you are hitting the ball, etc.? Although I guess if the wind doesn't vary much where you play, and you are a fairly consistent driver, you may not have to take those into account.

[Mac Plumart]

I probably take 1/2 of my rounds seriously...meaning I am focused on all my shots and am trying to win something.

The rest of the time I am enjoying the walk, perhaps working on a specific area of my game, or enjoying the company I am with.

[Pat Burke]

In some ways, I always do.
Even after all this time, I try to most shots very specifically.
I prefer to play and practice with friends or students, but there
is still a piece of my brain that turns on when I play and really tries to
pull off shots "as if" if was still the same guy I used to be.

Probably part of the reason I put my clubs away for a long time when I
quit back in 2001.  I have a little better balance having fun with it now.

[Greg Taylor]

I'll always track fairways and GIR, putts etc... as well as my score. Hole everything out.

Every now and then I'll think enjoy the round - especially on a course I've never played.

Golf is a test for me, as well as recreation.

[JMEvensky]

In some ways, I always do.
Even after all this time, I try to most shots very specifically.
I prefer to play and practice with friends or students, but there
is still a piece of my brain that turns on when I play and really tries to
pull off shots "as if" if was still the same guy I used to be.

Probably part of the reason I put my clubs away for a long time when I
quit back in 2001.  I have a little better balance having fun with it now.

Were you taught to "practice as you would play"?

[David Ober]

If the four criteria listed define a serious round, then I never take it seriously.  By my own criteria (mostly stretching and warming up properly), I try hard about 25% of the time.

Great opening post, David.  The first requirement is pretty close to my basic evaluation of golf architecture.

"Settling on a club and shot-shape for EVERY par-4 and par-5 tee shot the night before. I will even write this down in a notebook. (this can change due to wind conditions or tee placement, of course)."

I tend to do the shot shape and trajectory evaluation in real-time.  I love when a golf course, and playing conditions, help the mind paint a clear picture of what needs to be done.

  

It's amazing how much better I play when I plan out my tee shots in advance. My mind tends to be all over the place, and just settling on the tee shot probably saves me 2 to 4 shots a round in competition.

Like John was getting at, doesn't the tee shot you hit depend on the wind, how you are hitting the ball, etc.? Although I guess if the wind doesn't vary much where you play, and you are a fairly consistent driver, you may not have to take those into account.

Yes, of course. I usually know the conditions, though, the night before. Weather.com is a big help. :-)

And, like I said, if the conditions change, then I will jot down some new notes. The key, for me, is to make up my mind -- as often as is practicable -- before I even get to the tee. In other words: Have a game plan and (for the most part) stick with it.

Here's a for instance: The first hole at Lakeside Golf Club in Toluca Lake, California, is a 390 yard dogleg left with OB left and deep rough right. In the past I would go back and forth between bunting a driver and hitting a draw 4-wood, and I never played the hole particularly well because I had indecision on the tee:

"Is it 4-wood? Is it driver"?

This year, I committed to hitting 4-wood off the tee every round and the results were much better. :-)

[Pat Burke]

[/quote]

Were you taught to "practice as you would play"?
[/quote]


Not really.  Grew up playing much more hockey than golf, and was a goalie through much.
I was always very competitive.   Hated getting scored on in practice even
Always Hate missing shots and making bogies.
Really get frustrated if a miss is simply due to not paying attention to the shot. 
This isn't necessarily a good thing by the way, it can make "fun" a difficult part of the equation

[Tom Bacsanyi]

I tend to take my regular rounds way too seriously, always this titanic struggle between me and Old Man Par.  Lately, I've been trying to find as many amateur tournaments, leagues, and match play events as I can so I can try to bring that level of focus and attention to those events rather than just leisurely rounds, so my regular rounds end up actually being...leisure.  I think it's working.  That being said, I still always  play by the rules, input all my rounds into GHIN, go through the routine of every shot, etc.  But I don't live and die with just a regular round at my usual course.

So in sum, I am working hard at not giving a shit.

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