Don't Beat Yourself Up...

An 18 handicapper who is happy with his game approaches scoring differently than an 18 who is trying too hard to improve. In the first case shooting anywhere around your handicap is a victory and how many greens and fairways you hit is probably not of much concern. An up and down par is just as satisfying or even more so than a regulation par.

But for someone who is putting pressure on themselves to improve their game, the headspace is very different. While we all should strive to improve, many "recreational" golfers put too much pressure on themselves to "play well". This is usually defined as way better than their handicap. Unfortunately, that seldom happens, since a handicap is a reflection of a player's better than average round. The player with unrealistic expectations is setting himself up for disappointments.

We should never loose sight of the fun of playing golf. Someone trying too hard to shoot equal to, or better than their handicap, especially on a course they know well, can get very frustrated. Players with that attitude tend to look at opportunities missed and use them as indicators for problems that they want to correct. This can lead to a real problem, "Paralysis by Analysis". Work on your skills on the range. On the course, just let it happen... or not. If it doesn't... relax and enjoy the scenery and the company of your companions. It may just come back.