A weird feeling but a focused mind!

I took my sparkly new 17 handicap out for a game today, the first round since I got my cut.  I played a course I haven't played for a while and chose it on purpose as it's one I know I have trouble with.  The main reason I think I have trouble is because it's long (6,500+ yards and par 73) with tight fairways that are heavily tree lined, so there's little room for error.  Carded a 91 which I was fairly happy with.  But I had a bizarre experience. 

I stepped onto the tee on the Par 3 17th and looked at the board that shows the layout of the hole.  Then I noticed in the bottom corner it said "SI 18".  I thought to myself "Hang on, I don't get a shot on here".  Now this is a new experience for me!  I found myself thinking "I have to hit the green because I have to make par".  Nothing has made me more focused on making a shot than this.  As it happened I was on the fringe and missed the birdie by a couple of inches with a tap in par. 

So have I missed something?  Should I be putting myself under pressure to make shots more often?  Would it help my game?

Absoloutly ! you have answered your own question, as I said to Russ M in an earlier post take 4-5 shots off your hcp in general play and you will be suprised at the results.

Steve - I used to just focus on getting it as close to the green as I could as quickly as I could, thinking this was the route to the lowest number of shots.  This meant I took on shots that I shouldn't and put myself in awkward positions. 

I'm starting to think about the game differently now to how I used to.  I've stopped thinking about how I got to the position I am in and thinking about what is the best thing to do next.  I'm now thinking to myself "From here, what are my options?", then "Of those options, where's the best place to take the next shot from?" followed by "What shot gives me the best chance of being there?".  I'm changing my mindset to a positive one (NLP eh Santo!) and this weekend I invested in Dr Bob Rotella's 'Golf is not a Game of Perfect'.  I intend to start reading that this week.

Santo - That'll be the premier league football team I support

I listen to Dr Bob everynight on my Ipod , much better than Nytall he sends me straight to sleep  I'm going to have to stay awake one night to hear what he's on about!