As a PGA Teaching Professional, I see
golfers put a lot of emphasis on swing purity. Let's make no mistake,
there is nothing like a perfectly struck tee shot that arcs high into
the air and lands down the center of the fairway. The problem is that it
doesn't happen every time, and in their search for the perfect swing,
many golfers forget to play the game. So instead of standard tips on
fixing a fault or faults in your swing, I would like to give you a few
tips to help you play better and enjoy your golf more.
- Practice at the range and play on the course. The object of golf
is to get the ball into the hole in the least amount of strokes.
When you are on the golf course, try to play with the least amount
of swing thoughts. Free up your mind to play better and enjoy it
more.
- Play from the correct tee box. The back tee is reserved for low
handicap and professional golfers. There is nothing good that can
come from struggling all day to reach the greens. Playing from the
wrong tee box can make you swing too hard, ruin your tempo and
ultimately play slowly while looking for errant shots. Play the tee
box that is recommended for your handicap. You will thank yourself,
perform better and enjoy the game more.
- Lower your expectations. A major problem with most golfers is that
our mind thinks we can perform on a much higher level than we
actually can. When I have a playing lesson with students, I will ask
them what was the best game they ever shot. If they say, for
instance, 90, which is averaging one over par on every hole, then I
recommend they try to shoot one stroke over par on each hole. This
way, it takes away the pressure of trying to make par on each hole
and often results in better overall scores.
- Perform shots within your capabilities. I see this in playing
lessons also. A golfer who could hit a 5 iron off the ground with
their eyes closed tries to hit a 3-wood off the fairway 230 yards to
the green. As the ball heads into the hazard, they are upset and
say, "I really need to get that shot down." What they
really need to do is hit a shot they can perform, keep the ball in
play and build confidence. Wouldn't you feel better if you hit a
beautiful iron into wedge range, then hit your wedge 10 feet from
the hole?
- Have a dependable advancement shot. Regardless of how far you hit
the ball, you should have a club that you practice with that will
advance the ball down the fairway in a consistent manner. It does
not matter what club it is, as long as you can rely upon it.
Remember, the more loft, the easier it is to hit off the fairway.
For the women, this may be a 9-wood; for the men, it may be a
5-iron. The objective is to advance the ball and stay out of
trouble. Typically, your 3-wood doesn't do either consistently!
- Have a Red-Hot short game. This is the one area that you can be as
good as a top professional in a short amount of time. Learn the
correct way to chip, pitch, putt and get out of a bunker, and then
practice it. You can search a lifetime for a pure swing, but you
could be a short game wizard within a month with some knowledge and
practice. Think of how much more freely you could swing at the ball
if you didn't care about slightly missing the green. If you have a
great short game, it's like a built-in insurance policy.
- Be realistic about putting. Here is another scenario I see often.
A student hits the green on her third shot and has a 20-footer for
par. It just misses and she is upset with herself for missing such
an easy putt. She is not being realistic, and here's why: On the PGA
and LPGA Tours, where some of the finest putters reside, they make
less than 45% of the putts from 8 FEET AWAY. Yet many of the social
golfers I see expect to make everything inside of 20 feet and are
disappointed if they miss. There are so many outside influences on a
putt (grain, spike marks, debris on the green) that often a
perfectly rolled putt still misses. What we don't want those misses
to do is follow us to the next hole. Be realistic, do your best, and
don't let a missed putt follow you around.
- Keep a great attitude, stop and smell the roses and have fun. As a
PGA professional, I expect to play well. I also know that if my
attitude is wrong, I can't perform. I love this game and nothing
saddens me more than seeing someone who is not having fun on the
golf course. If you are having a bad day, try to keep your spirits
up and still be a good partner with whom to play. The greatest
compliment I can get is when someone says, "It's fun to play
with Jim." After all, that's what it's all about. So get out
there, challenge yourself, test your skills and be kind to yourself.
Most of all, never forget the reason we play the game: to have fun.
Jim
Linkin is a PGA Teaching Professional, radio talk show host and
author of the highly rated book, The Link to Senior Golf. He teaches at
the Belleview Biltmore Golf Club in Bellaire, Florida. His book is
available at all major bookstores and on Amazon.com.
He can be reached at (727) 804-2369 or (727) 391-0481.
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