Playing golf is not a challenging sport. It is based on fundamentals developed over time that drive what shot we can hit next. Sounds simple, right? We golf is a challenging sport if we want to play this wonderful game well. There quantity of information that is routinely processed with seconds takes a super computer just to reach a reasonable outcome. Every shot is influenced by a plethora of stressors that our six inch piece of real estate between our ears process in an instant. This is the nature of the sport, yet most of the time our failure to hit the proper shot is rooted in forgetting what works in our golf game.

Every player has the ability to hit great shots. Also, regardless of experience, there are a few shots that would be considered reasonable as shots to make anytime on the links. They are the basis for our game. Each player has a different assortment of shots, but all golfers have something. Well, this is where many games fall off the rails. When faced with a very difficult shot, many amateurs (myself included from time to time) decide on hitting shots with a very low or zero chance of success. It is these challenging shots that rack up the numbers on our score care. We forget to make the easier shot that ensures we are setting up our next shot for success.

Many of us forget to hit the simpler shot because it is the smart thing to do. Instead, we raise the risk/reward equation so that risk far out weighs the reward of the shot. Over the years, I have experience many of these situations, however it was not until I was playing competitive golf did the lessons really sink in about taking our medicine and playing the simple shot. Forgetting this approach is a failure for many players.

I will admit that sometimes it is fun to try the very difficult shot. And from time to time (actually rarely) I find success. Unfortunately, the fun of making the 1 in a 1000 shot is very fleeting, but it reinforces the desire to play difficult shots more often. Yup, we forget that this is not smart golf and leads to greater frustration during most rounds.

Forgetting what works is golf is nothing new. In fact, I would surmise that most amateurs fall into this trap more often than not (at least in the beginning of their career). Understanding our limitations by playing the shot that sets up our next one is the key to successful golf. I learned this lesson the hard way and even now forget sometimes. Ah, the nature of golf!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!