The great game of golf is definitely a competitive sport. And it’s a challenging sport to learn to play and play well. Part of the challenge of the game of golf is the competition against oneself that each golfer battles.
What is this “competition against oneself” that I speak of? Well, let me see if I can explain it. Golf is one of those games that you never perfect. Even professional golfers struggle on any given day. The golf swing is tricky and hitting that little white golf ball and getting it to end up where you want it to go can be tough on a good day. But as many golfers know, it usually only takes one really good golf shot during a round to bring you back another day.
So while playing golf, understanding your own golf game and the current level of your game is really important to both enjoy the game and play your best. Otherwise, you’re attempting golf shots that you really shouldn’t be attempting and putting yourself in situations that are difficult to get out of.
So this competition against yourself is really about playing within yourself and getting closer to the game by playing your game. Don’t try to shoot the same score as your fellow player. Don’t drive to outrun everyone in your quartet. Use your strengths and play on your weaknesses to get the best of what you are capable of.
In addition to the challenges of the game itself, there are several other factors that complicate this competition with yourself to play your game. First are your fellow players. There always seems to be something that makes golf partners challenge each other to go beyond their abilities.
Maybe he’s going for a par 5 in two shots instead of the standard three. Or it’s trying a near-impossible shot through the trees instead of just going outside. But too often, egged on by our partners, we let ego get in the way of common sense and take a shot that ends up costing us more shots on the scorecard.
Another thing that sneaks in is the golf course itself. Golf course architects often develop golf holes with risk-reward in mind. So many holes will tempt you to try a more difficult shot with the reward of cutting strokes off your score. But there’s also the penalty if you don’t take the shot. So, for example, you have a course shorter than normal by 5 with a small marshy area right in front of the green. Hitting the green two at a time over this swampy area is not impossible, but it does require a very good shot on the outside range of your iron game. So a miss means you’re in the swamp and giving up hitting. This type of setup leads you to attempt a shot that you might take three times out of ten. So you know you can do it, but it’s not automatic. So the layout of the course complicates the competition against yourself… Do you take a risk or play it safe?
Golf is a great game. And golfers are usually totally addicted to the game. Enjoy the game and play within yourself and lower your scores!