Play YOUR game

I observe amateur players who tend to get caught up in "other people's" golf games. Whether in a tournament or a casual round of golf, too often players let the performance of others affect how they play their own game.Think about it. If you're the shortest hitter in the group, do you ever try to hit it a little harder to avoid the wisecracks? Do you ever try a flop shot or long carry or a shot shape that really isn't something you're comfortable with, but because others are with you, the guy in your group just pulled it off, perhaps you think you should try it too?

The old adage in golf is still very true: "There are no pictures on the scorecards." There are a ton of players on tour who get the scores posted in a lot of different ways. You can be tactical, you can be creative, you can be a bomber; it doesn't matter, as long as you still post the best score you can.You can definitely learn when playing with great players, but trying to adjust your game to copy them (immediately) will almost always lead to trouble. It's impressive to watch; perhaps you notice something you can ask about or try to repeat on the range at a later time, but getting away from your comfort zone is a recipe for higher scores.

Your score will reflect how you perform against the golf course, not how you do compared to someone else. If one player hits a driver, wedge into a par 4 and you hit driver, 6 iron; and you both make par—who made the better par? Exactly.
Good luck! Hope you have a great year of golf!