Handicap

I was wondering when setting out to play each hole, do you look at the SI and aim to play no worse than actual par or no worse than your handicap par, i realise that with many of you being cat 1 golfers, it will always be actual par, but what was your aim as you were working your handicap down.

I have recently switched to thinking off each hole as a handicap par and found that i play better if i think this way, it seems to take away the thought of trying to smash the ball and results in a much smoother and straighter, but I also find this to be a tad defeatist at the same time and wonder if i keep thinking like this will it be detrimental to my improvement as i walk a away satisfied with a six on a par 4 at times.

I have never looked a the SI for a hole and considered it should affect the way I play it.
For me, each hole is an opportunity and a challenge, whatever my handicap.

What is the optimum tee shot, given the layout of the hole, pin placement, conditions etc? and go from there.

Regardless of my strategy from the tee, and the success of executing it, I will always reassess "my par" from there. Which might mean "my par" is a double-bogey, or, more remarkably, a birdie.

My most frequent partner is a long-hitting 6 and he adopts a similar strategy, although of course he is much more likely to "birdie" his revised "par".

I have always used the SI of the hole to calculate my handicap par as I find, like Nay Bother, it takes away the pressure. Therefore, with strokes received, a par 3 becames a 4 (often resulting in a "birdie"), a par 4 becomes a 5 and a par 5 becomes, joy of joys, a 6. That was a very good piece of advice I received from a lady professional I had lessons with when I first started playing and it has stood me in good stead ever since.

i really think that it depends on your handicap.
personally the only time i really think about the SI is when im "in trouble"
ie do i need to make sure i get a double bogey here rather than have a lash at my 30 footer for bogey.
I dont think i ever want to walk off a happy with a 2 point bogey and i think concentrating on the SI could lead me to do this.