A rite of passage...

...I'm slightly bruised after an on-course experience today that was as painful as it was inevitable, and was perhaps even more necessary. I'm in excellent company as it's happened to most golfers, to almost all of the great & good of professional golf, and although the scores and prizes are different, the experience is the same. I am of course referring to the on-course meltdown, and to my final two holes today in particular.

There were and are many positives from today's round, and I'll talk more about it later in the week. Tonight though I'm just a wee bit sore after playing the first 16 holes in 80, then playing the last 2 in 15, a massive 8 over par (I'd only had 2 doubles to this point). I can't even blame being too wrapped up in score- I hadn't added up my scores until after the 18th, although there was a building excitement as I knew I was playing and scoring well.

Ultimately, this is a very positive experience as I had to play very well (better than I've done) to get to that position.Now mentally I need to work on how to counter the mounting excitement that comes with scoring well. The other realisation is that it's not the initial poor shots that cost me so dearly on those fateful two holes, more the poor decisions that followed as I spiralled into a bit of a panic. Now I've been there it'll be easier to catch myself before that spiral.

I know all of this, and I'll spend some time blogging it out later in the week. But tonight? Tonight it still hurts a wee bit*




*I do only mean a wee bit; it's come nowhere near upsetting my weekend, a long weekend off after a crazy busy period at work. I had a lovely dinner out with my family and parents immediately after, as well as a very welcome chilled evening in with Mrs Geek after they'd left & the kids were down. Golf is a game, no more and no less, and thankfully I've managed to keep sight of that even in the grip of obsession.