Playing w/o Keeping Score?

[acemandrake]

Anyone else play without keeping score?

 

I've been doing it more as I find it enjoyable and relaxing. It could be I just like getting lost in thought.

 

FYI...I've been playing for 50 years so have seen/done most things to see/do on a course.

 

Does anyone else do this? If so, when and how often?

 

 

:golfer:

[Nessism]

I stopped keeping score when I let go of my official GHIN in January. I don't play tournaments anymore so screw it. I figure if I can't keep track of how many over par I am in my head then I don't want to know anyway.

[Matt J]

Since you can't post as a single I never keep score alone. Hard to grind over a putt anyways and that's such a huge component of scoring.

 

Practice rounds are a great chance to take a step back from your score and evaluate your game IMO.

[Ferguson]

Anyone else play without keeping score?

 

I've been doing it more as I find it enjoyable and relaxing. It could be I just like getting lost in thought.

 

FYI...I've been playing for 50 years so have seen/done most things to see/do on a course.

 

Does anyone else do this? If so, when and how often?

 

 

:golfer:

 

 

Rochester?

 

Ever play Deerfield from the Black tees? I had a buddy that never kept score when we played there.

[North Butte]

Well I'm constitutionally incapable of NOT knowing how many times I hit the ball. I play lots of solo rounds where there's no actual "score" per se because I'm hitting two balls on some shots, picking up without putting, whatever. But if you asked me afterward I could still think back and count up something pretty close to my "score" on each hole that I completed.

 

And I do tend to keep track of birdies. If I play a hole from tee to green with one ball and make the birdie putt that's "One". Love making birdies, wouldn't want to forget those!

 

Even if I was just out practicing my wife usually asks, "How'd you play?" when I get home. As long as I made a birdie some time during the round I'll say "Played good".

[PouncePony]

Due to back issues that limit my abilities, I rarely keep score. If I happened to have a good round, I can recall the entire round and come up with a total score.

 

A few weeks back I tallied my score from memory at the turn and shot 46. My goal at that point was to keep it in the 90s. I ended up with an 87. Happy day!!

[Jagpilotohio]

I mostly don’t bother anymore.

 

I started wearing glasses for distance this year and my putting went to hell. Putting was always a weak part of my game, but now it is just dismal.

 

I just can’t find the line anymore. I stroke it great and hit it right where I want, it’s just rarely the correct line.

 

Once I know the line I can sit on a practice green and drain them all day. Infuriating.

 

Something about seeing through the lenses skews my perspective. I Can’t wear contacts or have laser surgery.

 

I’ll regularly hit 14-15 greens in regulation and struggle to shoot par. Averaging 32 putts per round. Hideous.

 

I just was getting so angry and so frustrated that I decided if I was going to keep playing I had to truly stop worrying about the score and putting.

 

Most of the time now on the greens I simply launch the ball at the hole and pick it up if it doesn’t go in. I obviously don’t post scores when I play this way, but it lets me actually enjoy just making good golf shots again.

 

If I play “no three putt golf” like this, my imaginary score is usually a couple under to a couple over. Its not “real” Golf of course, but it lets me enjoy being out there.

[North Butte]

My previous pair of glasses were a liability for golf. Just messed up the geometry of what I was seeing, somehow. So I took to just putting my glasses in their case in my golf bag while I played. Couldn't see the scorecard and had trouble following the ball more than 100 or so yards through the air but at least I could play normally.

 

Then I got the ones I've had for the last 4-5 years and they don't seem to affect my golf game. Which is nice, wearing the glasses I definitely lose fewer balls during solo rounds!

[Jagpilotohio]

I just bit the bullet and ordered a pair of Oakley prizm golf sunglasses in my prescription.

 

I thought maybe a larger lens that was designed for Golf might help. We shall see. I sort of doubt it but I am desperate.

 

There is a reason that no tour caliber player wears prescription glasses. It messes you up big time.

[Dr. Block]

I mostly don’t bother anymore.

 

I started wearing glasses for distance this year and my putting went to hell. Putting was always a weak part of my game, but now it is just dismal.

 

I just can’t find the line anymore. I stroke it great and hit it right where I want, it’s just rarely the correct line.

 

Once I know the line I can sit on a practice green and drain them all day. Infuriating.

 

Something about seeing through the lenses skews my perspective. I Can’t wear contacts or have laser surgery.

 

I’ll regularly hit 14-15 greens in regulation and struggle to shoot par. Averaging 32 putts per round. Hideous.

 

I just was getting so angry and so frustrated that I decided if I was going to keep playing I had to truly stop worrying about the score and putting.

 

Most of the time now on the greens I simply launch the ball at the hole and pick it up if it doesn’t go in. I obviously don’t post scores when I play this way, but it lets me actually enjoy just making good golf shots again.

 

If I play “no three putt golf” like this, my imaginary score is usually a couple under to a couple over. Its not “real” Golf of course, but it lets me enjoy being out there.

 

Could you put the glasses up on your hat bill while you are around the green? I like to golf with sunglasses on, and I always remove them when I am chipping and putting for the reasons you stated above.

[farmer]

I don't write them down, but I always know my score.

[Boricua Golf]

I don't if I am in practice mode, playing on my own and able to tee up a few and hit some extra iron shots...otherwise, I always keep my score...

[golfgirlrobin]

I don’t understand how you don’t know your score, regardless of whether you’re writing it down. You know if you made birdie, you know whether you made double. I can’t imagine not knowing where I stand.

[andrue]

I do that for practice sometimes - usually on a Saturday afternoon. My regular weekly round with my buddy is scored but not competitively. We just use our scores to benchmark and discuss our individual progress.

[jacobEDGE]

This weekend was the first time I didn't keep a strict score in probably 5 years. Mainly because the two some in front of me (tee'd off on 10) refused to let me pass. So I had to jump frog them and miss a hole. So I kinda just stopped writing things down after that. I can't post a score with a missing hole.

 

The whole thing gave me anxiety. I'm way too structured to not keep score. I have to keep strict, tournament setting scores every round I play.

[JerseyBoy]

I just started keeping score, but mostly to track improvement rather than to actually keep a defined score.

 

I'm a high handicapper and used to max out at every hole I played. By maxed out, I mean double par which is the standard at the courses I go to. They ask you to pick up after that to maintain pace of play.

 

Over the last few rounds, I don't max out every hole and even when I do max out, it's because I actually get the ball in the hole at the max stroke. Imagine that! Even scored a couple of pars and bogeys along the way!

[SixtySomePing]

Anyone else play without keeping score?

 

Yes

 

I've been doing it more as I find it enjoyable and relaxing. It could be I just like getting lost in thought.

 

I think the enjoyable and relaxing is really the goal for doing it and the best result from it...

 

FYI...I've been playing for 50 years so have seen/done most things to see/do on a course.

 

I've been playing for 52 years, hey maybe that's a score we should both stop keeping too, ha

 

Does anyone else do this? If so, when and how often?

 

Probably not often enough, only when I got out by myself, maybe 8 times per season, otherwise I'm in the league or with others. I just do it for the enjoyable and relaxing reason...

 

 

:golfer:

[acemandrake]

Anyone else play without keeping score?

 

I've been doing it more as I find it enjoyable and relaxing. It could be I just like getting lost in thought.

 

FYI...I've been playing for 50 years so have seen/done most things to see/do on a course.

 

Does anyone else do this? If so, when and how often?

 

 

:golfer:

 

 

Rochester?

 

Ever play Deerfield from the Black tees? I had a buddy that never kept score when we played there.

 

 

 

I play at Webster & it's the same story there from the Blacks.

[acemandrake]

Well I'm constitutionally incapable of NOT knowing how many times I hit the ball. I play lots of solo rounds where there's no actual "score" per se because I'm hitting two balls on some shots, picking up without putting, whatever. But if you asked me afterward I could still think back and count up something pretty close to my "score" on each hole that I completed.

 

And I do tend to keep track of birdies. If I play a hole from tee to green with one ball and make the birdie putt that's "One". Love making birdies, wouldn't want to forget those!

 

Even if I was just out practicing my wife usually asks, "How'd you play?" when I get home. As long as I made a birdie some time during the round I'll say "Played good".

 

 

Similar to you, I can come up with an approximate score and I'm aware of any birdies or pars.

[acemandrake]

I mostly don’t bother anymore.

 

I started wearing glasses for distance this year and my putting went to hell. Putting was always a weak part of my game, but now it is just dismal.

 

I just can’t find the line anymore. I stroke it great and hit it right where I want, it’s just rarely the correct line.

 

Once I know the line I can sit on a practice green and drain them all day. Infuriating.

 

Something about seeing through the lenses skews my perspective. I Can’t wear contacts or have laser surgery.

 

I’ll regularly hit 14-15 greens in regulation and struggle to shoot par. Averaging 32 putts per round. Hideous.

 

I just was getting so angry and so frustrated that I decided if I was going to keep playing I had to truly stop worrying about the score and putting.

 

Most of the time now on the greens I simply launch the ball at the hole and pick it up if it doesn’t go in. I obviously don’t post scores when I play this way, but it lets me actually enjoy just making good golf shots again.

 

If I play “no three putt golf” like this, my imaginary score is usually a couple under to a couple over. Its not “real” Golf of course, but it lets me enjoy being out there.

I mostly don’t bother anymore.

 

I started wearing glasses for distance this year and my putting went to hell. Putting was always a weak part of my game, but now it is just dismal.

 

I just can’t find the line anymore. I stroke it great and hit it right where I want, it’s just rarely the correct line.

 

Once I know the line I can sit on a practice green and drain them all day. Infuriating.

 

Something about seeing through the lenses skews my perspective. I Can’t wear contacts or have laser surgery.

 

I’ll regularly hit 14-15 greens in regulation and struggle to shoot par. Averaging 32 putts per round. Hideous.

 

I just was getting so angry and so frustrated that I decided if I was going to keep playing I had to truly stop worrying about the score and putting.

 

Most of the time now on the greens I simply launch the ball at the hole and pick it up if it doesn’t go in. I obviously don’t post scores when I play this way, but it lets me actually enjoy just making good golf shots again.

 

If I play “no three putt golf” like this, my imaginary score is usually a couple under to a couple over. Its not “real” Golf of course, but it lets me enjoy being out there.

 

 

Talk about frustrating! Thanks for sharing. I'll never complain about by petty frustrations again. One of the reasons I stopped keeping score was that I was getting angry/frustrated too often.

 

Jack Nicklaus said he doesn't grind over short putts when playing casual rounds. He said he'll try to make the first putt and then pick up if he misses. I like that!

[acemandrake]

I don’t understand how you don’t know your score, regardless of whether you’re writing it down. You know if you made birdie, you know whether you made double. I can’t imagine not knowing where I stand.

 

In my case, once I start putting multiple balls in play I can lose track of what's going on with my score.

[ironmikes]

I have not kept scores for the last few years I .do not post a handicap or play tourneys so no reason to .

 

At the end of the round I can know what I shot if I needed it.

 

Find it easy to forget your mistakes and focus on the shot at hand .

[Wriggles]

I haven't kept score in years, but like some commenters, I pretty much know approximately. The guys (most have passed) I used to play with for years, used a points quota format, 3 for bird, 2 for par, and 1 for bogey. I pretty much calculate a score, without really thinking about it. Same with distances, I've paced off drives, etc. for so long, it's become second nature with me.

 

I've noticed that the less I care about score, the better I play.

[North Butte]

I haven't kept score in years, but like some commenters, I pretty much know approximately. The guys (most have passed) I used to play with for years, used a points quota format, 3 for bird, 2 for par, and 1 for bogey. I pretty much calculate a score, without really thinking about it. Same with distances, I've paced off drives, etc. for so long, it's become second nature with me.

 

I've noticed that the less I care about score, the better I play.

 

Stableford scoring is very popular among people I've known in UK. It's not uncommon if you ask someone at random "How'd you play today" and they'll say something like "38 points" instead of the typical USA golfer's answer "82" or whatever it is.

[sethdavidsdad]

I don't ever write my scores down during a round, of course I know in my head what I'm shooting. The writing it down is distracting, I have found I play better when I don't care and figure it up at the end.

[BrianMcG]

If you don't keep score, how do you measure yourself against other golfers?

[MonteScheinblum]

Anyone else play without keeping score?

 

I've been doing it more as I find it enjoyable and relaxing. It could be I just like getting lost in thought.

 

FYI...I've been playing for 50 years so have seen/done most things to see/do on a course.

 

Does anyone else do this? If so, when and how often?

 

 

:golfer:

 

THE BEST way to improve your game is to practice on the golf course. Especially different lies, in between clubs and shots around the greens.

[negolfking]

If you don't keep score, how do you measure yourself against other golfers?

By height..

[BrianMcG]

If you don't keep score, how do you measure yourself against other golfers?

By height..

 

Congratulations!! How would you like to mow my lawn?

[acemandrake]

Anyone else play without keeping score?

 

I've been doing it more as I find it enjoyable and relaxing. It could be I just like getting lost in thought.

 

FYI...I've been playing for 50 years so have seen/done most things to see/do on a course.

 

Does anyone else do this? If so, when and how often?

 

 

:golfer:

 

THE BEST way to improve your game is to practice on the golf course. Especially different lies, in between clubs and shots around the greens.

 

 

What, and leave my "safe space" (aka the range)? That's a scary thought ;)