I Submitted A Series Of 9-Hole Cards For My Handicap. It Was A Big Mistake
Does entering nine-hole cards give you a better chance of reducing your handicap? Some would assume so, but I can tell you it didn't work for me...
Recently, I overheard a conversation between a group of amateur golfers that suggested entering nine-hole cards for your handicap was a bit of a 'cheat code'.
Their rationale was that with less holes to play, it was easier to submit a decent score and cut your handicap before the inevitable back-nine implosion.
So, in the interest of research, I experimented with entering nine-hole cards for a four-week period... and the results were equal parts illuminating and frustrating.
Time for a little bit of honest self-reflection... I'm a habitually slow starter on the golf course. There, I said it.
I've made my peace with that fact and found ways to ensure I can build a good round with gradually building momentum - but this sluggish start is compounded when only playing nine holes.
While I can begrudgingly accept a five-over through three start with 15 holes to play, the prospect of having just six to rescue my score sends my head in a spin.
Chasing is probably not something that's recommended for high-handicap golfers like me, with all the sensible educational messaging suggesting that a strategic bogey golf approach is the way to shoot lower scores.
After already blowing shots in the opening stretch, I don't feel like I have that luxury.
Despite a slow start at the GM Test Day, I was able to rescue 37 points and shoot under my handicap as I had the full 18-holes to figure it out
When analysing the four nine-hole cards that I entered, two of the rounds started with a four-over through three start (or worse).
Those rounds ended with scores of 49 and 51, which gave me a score differential average of around three over my handicap.
This isn't just a problem for nine-hole scores, I might add. A whopping 60% of my last five 18-hole scores entered for handicap purposes started with a six-over through three start (or worse).
The difference is, I managed to rescue all of those rounds to card a score in the 90s - which is pretty par for the course for me.
Three of the scores even counted as part of my eight best rounds and therefore shifted the needle on my handicap index - which brings me on to my next point.
These two scores in particular hurt - the start absolutely killed me
In addition to starting like a heavy freight train, I am also a confidence player. When things are going well on the course, you could be forgiven for assuming I am actually fairly competent at the game.
In contrast, however, when things are not going well I often get inside my own head and the self-sabotage begins.
I once asked Alex James, Head Professional at Sand Moor Golf Club, what he thinks is stopping me from breaking 90. His response was one simple word... "you".
PGA Pro Alex James confirmed that my biggest barrier to breaking 90 is... me!
Mentally is crucially important in golf, which makes my lack of control even more infuriating, but I quite enjoy that feeling of riding the wave when the putts are dropping.
In the four nine-hole rounds that I entered on England Golf, I never really got going. With limited time on the course, I also never had the chance to kick myself into gear - meaning not only was my scoring pretty woeful but I also felt quite flat.
Ultimately, my enjoyment of the round suffered in the same way as my scoring - a double jeopardy that no amateur golfer wants to experience.
In quite the contradiction to my early statements, I can appreciate the appeal of shorter format golf as a concept - even if I am not very good at it.
I like the fact I can fit it into my busy schedule and how, if I could get it right, it would allow me to maintain an accurate handicap with a lighter time investment.
Some would, and do, argue that golfers shouldn't be able to enter nine-hole cards. The crux of the argument is it's much easier to play good golf over nine holes, there's less time and holes for things to go wrong and the mental challenge is diminished.
This experiment, hopefully, shows it's not really as easy as that. Perhaps, a more competent player could achieve an advantage through entering cards this way, but I believe the pros of making the game more accessible and inclusive outweigh the potential downsides.
I would be keen to explore ways that more competitions can be played over a shorter course, but the results of this particular experiment are clear... nine-hole scorecards are terrible for my pursuit of a lower handicap.
Let's try 12-hole golf, that could be the sweet spot. Watch this space!