How selective are you?

Just wondered what others think of this one. I had a bit of a purple patch late Aug/early Sept coming down from 5.3 to 4.3. On returning home from Carnoustie in mid Sept I played one qualifier (buffer) before our greens were hollowtined, I've since rejected the opportunity to play 2 "sign the book" medals, even though I know I'm carrying decent form. Therefore taking a bit of friendly stick from golf buddies (all higher handicaps) about protecting my handicap. My response is quite simple...damn right I am, I'm not subjecting my hard earned handicap to the lottery of hollow tined greens.

Soon the white tees will be in and it'll be yellows only over the winter therefore SSS drops from 71 to 69...again another no no as is anything in driving rain with more than a 4 club wind.
Am I being too picky or managing my handicap sensibly? How selective are you in the qualifiers you play in?

I only play a few comps each year. 4 "majors" at one course then Kingsbarns Day, Spring and Autumn Prizes on TOC and a couple of Open's.

Enjoy "bounce" games much more

Must admit I think I've had the benefit of a lighter (qualifier) playing schedule this year. I'm usually mid to high 30s split between my home club, 2nd club and Opens. This year I've had no 2nd club and slightly less away Opens, currently only on 21 qualifiers with the intention of only doing 2 more. The past 2 years I've hovered around 6/7, this year with a less hectic schedule I've dropped to 4. Having said that it's been hectic off course with the Captaincy.

Generally, I play qualifiers each weekend solely because I enjoy it, rather than consider the consequences of doing so. Yes I want to get as low as I can and play/score well each time but I know I just don't do it consistently. Even with tined greens (last month) I'd rather get out and play and if I go up, so what. With tined greens the scores at our place plummeted (mate was tied 28th with 39 points one week where there were 15 42 pointers or better) so I went up each time.

I'm not saying I think anyone's approach is "wrong", you (all) do what you want/see best and that's perfect for you/your circumstances. It's just my focus is solely on playing and seeing my mates so I would personally rather play more and put up with a more fluctuating handicap. If I protected it by not playing I'd just end up with a handicap I couldn't get near to after a few weeks inactivity!!!

Interesting question Jas. I don't get enough time to play as much as I'd like so I tend to get out for comps whatever the course condition. TBH, I suspect that something like hollow tining probably evens out over a round - some putts kick away from the hole, some towards. Some putts 'look good in the air' and come up short, some are saved from charging past somewhat.
Unless things are really bad, I suspect it's a bit more in the head than reality. If the weather's terrible, surely the CSS goes up appropriately? I also enjoy (just about) the challenge of trying to get a decent score in when the weather's bad as well.
Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Yeah i do understand that Navy. I was beginning to wonder if I was getting over-protective. e.g a 10 foot putt going in all the way until it hits a tine 6 inches from the hole and deviates. Boom, quarter of the handicap gone or a 20 footer which you look at and go...Poopie I've got to smack this look at all those tines and you race it 10 foot past and miss the one back. Should that happen early doors there's then a fair chance that the sub-concious will start 2nd guessing the imaginary line and weight of future putts.

To be honest the weather I don't mind quite so much, up to a 3 club wind is fine, above that (when balls start oscillating/moving by themselves on the green) just becomes silly. Generally speaking if I'm committed to an important comp I will play regardless but if it's a run of the mill medal with inches of rain pelting in sideways and a fair chance of the brolly ending up Norway/Denmark then I probably wouldn't bother.

By the way Roller that's some awesome scoring, especially on tined greens.

You're not ***king kidding JAS. Not me I hasten to reiterate, but it just seemed that everyone (OK everyone else!) suddenly must have just got to the (heavily sandy) greens and tw@tted everything at the hole and they dropped. We had a 50 pointer from someone the other week (off 19). Back in level par with one dog one bog. Everyone was very pleased for him.

I'm guessing that the approach shots stopped better in the sand and the break was removed so higher handicaps that would have perhaps gone through greens stayed on and a bit of "putting positivity" (tw@tting it straight) reaped benefits. Whereas idiot low(er) handicaps like me didn't adjust as well (or maybe at all!).