The most important skill in golf is not what you think. To excel in golf, we need to develop skills on the green, off the tee, from the fairway and from hazards. The ability to hit solid shots from difficult lies is also a great skill to master. Yet, my experience tells me that, although important, the most important skill in golf touches all these areas without overshadowing any. Seems like a crazy thing, but it is completely true; let me explain why!

There are many skills that transcend the plethora of golf shots that players need to master. Things like the proper grip, stance, aiming, tempo, etc. Many things are connected and most are rooted in the basic fundamentals. Knowing all of this, the most important skill in golf is not physical; it is mental! That is correct, the six inches of real estate between our ears is the most important area of skill development in golf.

To be very specific, every golfer has to develop the ‘willingness to change’ in order to be a better player. Everyone develops their physical skill to a certain point and become comfortable with the results. The final product is likely not our best self, but, for a time being, acceptable. Then one day, we decide it is time to improve our game and the only way to do that is to change what we are currently doing in order to achieve a better result. This is where most amateur golfers fail.

“Change governs all aspects of golf. Regardless of your skill level, being able to adapt to change is an important skill that most golfers overlook. Whether the change is random or self driven, change is something that many golfers have a hard time adjusting too in a short period of time.” (The Grateful Golfer) The process of change is varied and each player must determine the steps they need to improve their golf swing. The challenge with most processes is that it is slow and time consuming. Most amateurs want to notice immediately results to their efforts. If they do not see the yardsticks moving forward at a quick pace, they mentally breakdown and revert back to their old way of playing. It is a two steps forward and two steps backward type of scenario.

Having the desire to change a golf skill has multiple benefits. Lower golf scores is the most obvious, produces more consistent golf scores, a sense of accomplishment and greater enjoyment in their overall game. It all sounds wonderful, right? The first step success is the willingness to change. I learned this skill a long time ago and as a result my game improve. I still have challenges as every golfer does because that is the nature of golf. For now, I am willing to change, but have not decided on which direction I want to go. More to follow on that topicl.

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