Cutting your handicap is one of the most exciting feelings in golf but with a big handicap drop comes a new pressure to live up to it. Suddenly you’re not getting a shot per hole and pars become the goal rather than a bonus.
As you move through those milestones, from the 30s to the 20s, the 20s to 18, 18 to 15, 15 to 12 and then…single figures, the shots you get shrink but the expectation to perform lifts.
I’ve experienced a few big handicap drops – going from 34 to 9 in a year and now playing off 7 – as well as the pressure that grows along the way. Here are my top tips for playing to your handicap after a big drop and continuing to improve too.
Focus On The Progress You’ve Made, Not The Shots You’ve Lost
When I speak to golfers who have experienced a big handicap cut, one of the first things they mention is how they’ve lost shots. They say something like “I’m only getting a shot per hole now, I used to get 2 shots here”, or “There are 4 holes where I don’t even get a shot now.”
That perspective is interesting to me because their focus is on what they’ve lost, rather than what they’ve gained. You’ve cut your handicap because you’ve played well – that improvement is something you’ve gained and those lost shots are a positive based on what you’ve already achieved.
One thing that’s helped me as I’ve cut my handicap is being aware of the total number of shots I get for the round, but not focusing on where I do or don’t get those shots by hole.
By not thinking about the shots I get per hole, when those shots have “gone” because my handicap has dropped, it doesn’t phase me. I don’t play a hole thinking “I used to get a shot here” or “I’ve got to par this to get 2 points now”.
(Image credit: Jess Ratcliffe)
Calculate Your Score After The Last Putt Drops
I’ve learned over time that I play better when I’m not fixated on my score. This might sound easier said than done, especially when you’re playing in a competition and your card-marker calls out your score at the turn. But experience has taught me that when I play without keeping a mental tally of where I’m at, I shoot my best scores.
This habit helps me to focus on each hole in turn, without putting the pressure on myself to get a par or even a…
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