Over the many years of playing, I have heard my golf game described as boring. I hit the fairway and greens more often than not and do not seem to make many poor shots (believe me I do, but they seem to go unnoticed). It is the nature of my game that I have honed over the many years of playing. After a discussion with Andre, a friend I met last year golfing, he suggested that I need to take a slightly more aggressive approach to my golf game. Mmmm, this is a great thought provoking statement!

My golf game is focused on hitting greens and fairways. I track this stat and for the most part I would be considered very successful. Yet, my approach seems to have taken me to about a 3 or 4 handicap with no real movement downwards in the past 5 years. I seem to have plateaued and I am looking for ways (other than improving my swing which I always work on) lower my handicap. Andre thinks I need to be more aggressive with my game, here is what he suggests:

Course management you describe is playing cautious to avoid big numbers & keeps your scores down on average. Our handicaps are similar but with the conservative play you’re not likely to shoot 66-67 once in awhile like me which I feel you could. No 85’s either. Trade off I guess

— Frenchy-in-the-Peg (@PegFrenchy) May 21, 2020

Andre makes a great point about the possibility of a more roller coaster approach to my game. He also suggests that if I am focused on lower scores, the new World Handicap System supports playing a more riskier game. All his points make sense. Yet, it is hard to break old habits. The again…..

I am always looking for ways to improve and the solution I think that might work is by combining both of our approaches. I do not see why I cannot play both ways. I think in my case, being more aggressive on my approach shots is the way to go. I still think that hitting to fat side of the green is important, but with my new clubs a slightly more aggressive approach to scoring might help. Additionally, on my home course of Osprey Links, there are opportunities to be more aggressive on tee and fairway shots I tend to avoid because that shot has the potential to blow up my score. These areas might be places to examine. Since I am just starting to think about this, it will take some time for me to make the necessary changes to be more aggressive.

One last point that needs to be considered is that I do not hit the ball as far as Andre. He is what I would consider to be a big hitter and thus has different opportunities to be more aggressive on certain shots. That is all good, but I do not see me increasing my distance very much without professional help….that would be a longer process for sure.

Ultimately, Andre is talking about our mental approaches to golf. I am a bit more conservative and rely on consistent safe shots to shoot a lower score. Although Andre does as well in many cases, he also is not afraid to be aggressive that adds an increased dimension of great rewards or failures. Both approaches are rooted in the six inches of real estate between our ears and that is as challenging to change as our swing.

Thank you Andre to the discussion. I value your opinion and enjoy talking golf when it makes me think. I look forward to playing again in the future and talking about this topic when we do.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!