Hitting the ball up and down is a challenge that most golfers face multiple times a round. Because of its frequency, understanding how to hit tight lies is very important to keeping our scores low. A tight lie is defined by Golf.com as “the golf ball is sitting with an eighth of an inch or less space beneath it, on a surface so firm you can’t take a normal divot.” This type of condition make it very hard to easily slide the leading edge of the club face evenly under the ball. Fortunately, I found on method used by Phil Mickelson that makes complete sense and it is easy to execute.
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Playing Golf Is All About Making Decisions
Golf is a game that requires all players, regardless of skill level, to make hundreds of decisions over the course of one round. In some cases, the challenge of trying to decide on specifics causes paralysis. The indecision faced by many players is nothing new and even players with a low handicap, like myself, will see themselves in a position of not knowing how to play a shot. It is the nature of golf and something that should be embraced in order to feel successful. Accepting that control on the golf course is sometimes an illusion will help strengthen our mental capacity during any given round.
Continue readingDeveloping The Next Stage In Your Golf Game
Do you have plan to improve your golf game? I ask this question because many players I have talked too float rudderless through their attempts to lower their golf score. With my golf season over, I was thinking that it might be time to develop an offseason training plan in over to focus on the golf areas that need my attention. I am still mulling exactly how this plan will unfold, but I am sure that it will be similar to others I have developed in the past.
Every year about this time, I try to set some time aside for some introspection. It helps when I have some stats from the year because it allows me to have some idea where I might need some practice. Looking back at my past three years, I find that there is a correlation between my GIR and putting average. The lower the GIR percentage, the lower my putting average.
This makes complete sense because when I miss the green on my approach shot, there is a good chance that I will get the ball up and down. thus lowering my putting percentage. It makes sense right? If I was to look at my stats alone, I would think that I should focus on my putting, but that is not the case. Bottom line for my analysis is that everything points to GIR. Brian Penn from All About Golf will be clapping right now because we have had several discussions on how GIR is king.
Maybe I need to take a different approach that changes my traditional approach shots. Should I club up or club down off the tee? Should I try playing rounds of golf with just my hybrid, or without wedges? Do I need to shake up my game in order to find a new path to lowering my golf scores? These are all fun questions and I have six months to develop a strategy that will lead me down a different path that will produce greater results.
As you can tell, I am in the very early stage of figuring out my next move. The golf plan is definitely part of my journey, I just have not figure out exactly what it is going to look like. In the meantime, I will continue be introspective about my golf game.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
What Are Your Scoring Holes?
Golf courses are made up of three types of holes: Par 3s, Par 4s and Par 5s. I realize that this is the most obvious statement I have made on my blog, but stay with me there is a point. Each of these types of holes offer an opportunity to score birdies, but only if they compliment your game. Thus, each of us will score differently on the holes and as a result will set us up mentally for success or failure. Scoring holes are unique to each player and only they can decide which holes suit their game on any given day.
Continue readingWhat Is More Important In Golf?
There can be many different endings to this question. The direction I am heading deals with a low score playing poorly or a higher score playing great. I assure you that this questioning look you are making right now is nothing new when I pose this question to myself from time to time. I guess the real answer to my quandary is it depends. I realize that this is an evasive answer, but that is the truth of it. If I had to answer, I would choose playing great with a slightly higher score. But, how is this even possible?
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The Grateful Golfer 