I agree. Playing golf when the swing plane is perfect, timing and tempoare perfect and everything is robotic gets boring at times. When the game is a "little off" it forces you to grind it out and actually play golf instead of golf swing. If I was going to shoot a 68 I'd rather do it scrambling around the course than hitting every fairway and 18 greens.
btw.... golf and archery ARE twins seperated at birth. So similar it's scary.
I knew you would "get" that, NY.
I concur, wholeheartedly.
The difference in playing when everything is right.....v. when it isn't.....is mental. It FORCES you to plan for the less than perfect. It forces you to MANAGE your game. EACH.....EVERY shot/stroke is a novel. It's a valuable neccessity (managing each one) that is oft overlooked when things are seemingly perfect. Your ass getsbittenwith more regularity when you're TOO "on".
I've scored my best rounds when everything wasn't "on" (best rounds, score-wise).....by doing what you (and I) describe. I've played my most solid golf when everything was "on" (bogey-free rounds). In those rounds....I know my play was "sloppy" because the threat of danger didn't exist (and complacency with shot placement snuck in).
When you get back to the clubhouse....after beating the course (and managing your swing and game.....even though you weren't "on", that day) "Fun" is a good dscription. "Rewarding".....and "sense of accomplishment" are best at these times.
If people don't understand how this relates to archery and hunting in general.....they don't know one of the games, very well.
Good luck to you this fall.