Keeping score while you play can make you do things you shouldn’t do because you are thinking about the result rather than the process.

After about four holes I am no longer keeping track of my score. It’s in there, when the round is over I’ll be able to fill out the scorecard, but while I’m playing is not the time.

If you really have to keep score, and you’re not a single-digit golfer, keep score relative to 5s. Write down on the scorecard the difference between your score and 5.

You bogey a par-4 hole, that’s 0 on your card. You par a par 3, that’s a -2.

See if that isn’t a more encouraging way to fill out your scorecard.