The golf swing is a complicated maneuver that incorporates many minor movements. When I first started playing, I tried to manage as many of positive swing factors as a could just prior to starting my swing. It is something that most, if not all, amateurs find overwhelming. The number of thoughts that would bounce around in my head during my entire swing process seemed uncountable. I fixed this common error after I talked to my mentor Bob Fortune, who explained that I needed to find a way to stop overthinking. Never accursed of thinking too much in the past 😉 I decided to take his advice to heart. Now, I have very little to no swing thoughts and it has helped my improve my ball striking and aim effectiveness. You can as well if you start to eliminate as many swing thoughts as you can prior to and during your golf swing.
Continue readingYear: 2024
Playing Last In A 4 Person Scramble – Is it Important?
The scramble format is a fun. It helps erase poor shots and accentuates good shots by players. Last night, I played in a 9 hole scramble format for Men’s Night. It was our usual team of Mike, Barry, Charlie and I. We normally shoot six under or less, but last night we shot better. As I look back at he match, I wondered what the difference was that allowed us to record a lower than normal score. It was not anything out of the norm, we seemed to make more putts than normal……but why?
Continue readingWinning In Golf Is A Matter Of Inches
The smallest margins have a tremendous impact on our golf results. That certain par can turn into a quick double through a missed putt that causes us to mentally break down. That sudden appearance of a shank instantly makes us worry about our next shot. Hitting something on the fairway that shoots our ball into the rough or worse is not uncommon. Hitting the top of a cart post in front of the green and finishing 25 feet from the pin with a putt for eagle happens. The above examples of how inches make a difference in our score are some of the many real life scenarios I experience on the links over the years. It is crazy how such small margins, good or bad, can happen at anytime. I have often wondered if their is a way to prevent the unknowns from having an influence in my game…..have you?
Golf is considered a game of inches including the six inches of real estate between our ears. Regardless of what is happening on the course, the thoughts generated while on the links is by far the most important aspect of our game that we need to control. Everyone experiences a good or poor bounce from time to time. It is how we react that makes the greatest impact on our score.
After experiencing many highs and lows while chasing a little white ball for a few hours, I can say without hesitation that how I mentally react to each shot is important. I do allow myself to be relish the good shots longer than poor ones, but that is one of my keys to success. I try to build on a great shot or lucky bounce in order to sustain a positive attitude. A poor shot or bounce receives a different response.
I try very hard to immediately forget a poor bounce or shot. I find that when the inches are against me, I need to focus on playing well and the next shot. I try to forget (notice I said the word try 😉 ) the poor result and work on how I can change my fortune. Most of the time I hit a solid next shot and carry on. I try not to let my past performance affect my future results. It really is a mental challenge sometimes, but one that all good golfers face while on the links.
Good golf is as much a mental exercise as physical. Over the years, many experiences (on and off the links) have shaped my mental approach to golf. I feel that I am mentally strong when playing and very few things affect how I think. This does not mean that I do not experience frustration from time to time, but it rarely stays in my mind for long. This approach is a learned thing, but it all starts with a decision to not let my mind be bogged down with negative thoughts. Golf really is a game of inches.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
500th Hickory Stick Golf Game
In just a few short years, my friend Lorne Emery has played his 500th game using his hickory shafted golf clubs. An ardent player of old clubs, Lorne invited me to join him on his historic journey. As I arrived early at the Cambridge Golf Club to discuss Lorne’s hickory stick passion, I quickly realized that this phase of his golf journey has only just begun. Listening to him talk about the history of golf and how it applies to present day equipment demonstrates that today’s innovations in clubs are rooted in hickory sticks. Lorne and I had a fantastic day that encompassed more than just talking about hickory sticks.
Continue readingLowering Your Score With One Skill
There is one skill that every player has in their bag that needs more attention. Regardless of your skill level, it is important to understand that to lower our golf score, we need to focus on the one skill that always needs attention. It is the one area of your game where you expend at least 40% of your strokes. If you had not already guessed, putting is the golden ticket to lower golf scores.
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The Grateful Golfer 