In Search of the Perfect Round of Golf
Be reasonable, nobody is going to score 18 for 18 holes. No matter how good a player is, they can shoot their best round ever and still say there were a few more putts that they could have made. So perfection is an unrealistic goal. Instead, look at it in terms of expectations vs. “successes” or “good feelings” about having achieved something. Although there are exceptions, unless you play every day, you should not expect to shoot in the 60’s. Unless you play more than once per week, you should not expect to shoot in the 70’s. If you play less than once per week, you should not expect to break 90. Those who play only once or twice per month should be happy to break 100. So what brings the good feelings of success? If you have never broken 100, but that is your goal, it is a success and a really good feeling when you finally do it. Even if your score was not your best, but you won a match, that’s a success and a perfectly good feeling. If you don’t have a match, create your own against the course. If you had more good holes than bad holes, you won. If you hit more fairways and / or greens than you missed, you won. If you one-putted more times than you 3-putted, you won. If you avoided lost balls or penalty strokes, you won. Feel good about any successes like these. Even if you did not accomplish any of these things, your misadventures can always get a few laughs during the recap of the round afterwards with your friends. Laughter is the best medicine, a good feeling, and if you and your friends had a good time, what can be more perfect than that? (see www.geocities.com/golfwithjoey)