Have you enjoyed a round at a nice course while shooting way over your index?

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

If I can play at least, say, a dozen or so of the eighteen holes in some semblance of the way they're designed and if I can avoid losing three sleeves of golf balls then yes I can a blast on a great course even while shooting 10-15 strokes over my handicap.

By some semblance of the way the holes are designed that usually equates to being on or near the green in regulation or one over regulation number of strokes. I can often enjoy the particular shot challenges a hole offers even while wasting a stroke or two due to bad swings.

But if I'm swinging so bad that most holes have multiple duffed shots in a row or something like that, then yeah it can be a total waste of time, money and opportunity. I've only had that happen a couple of times over the years but it's very disappointing.

[tw422]

[quote name='vbb' timestamp='1384798475' post='8167352']
Like many mid-high cappers out there (I'm a 17) I've long held the opinion that playing somewhere really, really nice like Bandon or Pinehurst would be largely a waste of money. Yes, I enjoy golf immensely for the challenge and comraderie, but I can't see going somewhere and shooting 110 as being fun no matter what course it is. I've always told myself that I need to be a single digit capper to justify a round at one of those special places, but then I got to thinking a 7hcp would probably also be pissed shooting a 95 no matter what the course.

So, for those that have gone somewhere on your "golf bucket list" and had a poor round, did you enjoy the experience just the same?
[/quote]

Merion - 6 over index
Pinehurst - 10 over index
Bethpage Black - 12 over index

[tw422]

[quote name='tw422' timestamp='1386707483' post='8279351']
[quote name='vbb' timestamp='1384798475' post='8167352']
Like many mid-high cappers out there (I'm a 17) I've long held the opinion that playing somewhere really, really nice like Bandon or Pinehurst would be largely a waste of money. Yes, I enjoy golf immensely for the challenge and comraderie, but I can't see going somewhere and shooting 110 as being fun no matter what course it is. I've always told myself that I need to be a single digit capper to justify a round at one of those special places, but then I got to thinking a 7hcp would probably also be pissed shooting a 95 no matter what the course.

So, for those that have gone somewhere on your "golf bucket list" and had a poor round, did you enjoy the experience just the same?
[/quote]

Merion - 6 over index
Pinehurst - 10 over index
Bethpage Black - 12 over index
[/quote]

Sorry - it's not about the score - scores only really matter in tournaments. These rounds were the most enjoyable I've have in recent memory. I can break 80 on pretty much any course depending on tee's i play but these three were really a treat.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

My most fun example was playing a 36-hole day at a really tough, big-time championship course. In the morning round I had no idea what my best aiming lines were, especially given the fact it was breezy. Lost a couple sleeves of balls and would have shot a million if I'd been trying to keep score. Many holes were just a shot in the dark, so to speak, off the tee.

Went back out in the afternoon, my swing was warmed up a little better and in most cases I had a clear mental image of the way I wanted to play each hole. Kept a Stableford score and had a net 35 points which equates to playing more or less to my handicap. I really felt like that morning round was worthwhile because I was totally into "discovering" a way to tack around the course with my weak-azz golf game.

Now if I'd walked off from that morning round, left the course and never had a chance to play there again maybe I'd have felt differently...

[dirthead]

I played TPC Sawgrass Stadium course in July. I was about a 3 index at the time and shot 83 from the back tees. Not a bad round but not very good either. Regardless of score, I loved every minute of it. Made par on 16, 17, and 18, which were the highlight holes for me. I could have shot 95 and not really cared too much.