How accurate is your handicap and if it's not accurate, then why?
We all have heard and talked about a golfer's handicap. We see it when we watch the celebrities and titans of business hack their way around Pebble Beach each February; Apologizes to Larry Fitzgerald, far from a hack golfer.
The golden voice of Jim Nantz stating, and there is Thurston Howell III, Chairman and CEO of Howell Industries. Thurston plays to a 16 handicap out of Bushwood Country Club. Let's see if he can hit the green here on number 7.
In the past we have endured Johnny Miller belittling the 18 handicappers when he bloviated from his perch. That was a terrible shot by Gibby. He looked like an 18-handicapper hitting their normal shanks. Thank you, Johnny, we know we shank, we don't do it on purpose.
But who has a legitimate handicap? For all us amateurs that maintain an index and have a competition with our friends, (or just the guys we play with or against), the handicap can be our worst nightmare.
The idea of golf is to get better. Lower our index to the level that our talent allows. You work hard, take the 'gimmie', and get your index down to a 16.
Then you show up for a tournament, paired with 20 index which means he gets more strokes than a nursing home, and then he shoots an 88, beats your brains in, and says "this is the best round of my life!"
Then we have the guy we play with a few times a week. If we're playing just to play and not for "pointsâ", he misses every three-footer. Never make a putt you don't need. Put some points on the line and six-footers find the back of the cup every time.
So, what's my point? (I hear that a lot). My point is don't be afraid of having a high handicap. Your number is your number. Stop taking the "gimme" three-foot putt, (unless it's for a net double), and make the putt. If you miss it, don't throw a temper tantrum, work more on putting. If you keep missing the three-footers, then you know you have run out of talent.
The actual number isn't the important part, having a number is the important part. Enjoy the game, (if your're reading this you're not good enough to get mad at a bad shot, frustration is allowed for a brief moment), enjoy the culture of the game, respect the game, laugh at the game and don't be 'that guy' to your playing partners or worse your caddies. You just may end up being the Bell End of the Week on a podcast!
And for the love of everything on our beautiful Planet, play 18 holes in 4 & ½ hours or less!!!
Until next time, regards from the Beer Brewing Golfer. https://www.instagram.com/beer_brewing_golfer/
