Golf is so much more than just hitting the ball as far as you can until you reach the green. When played correctly it’s an incredibly fun and fulfilling strategic game that keeps you hungry for the next round as soon as the last one ends.
Golf isn’t about smashing a long-distance drive or flushing a 7 iron. While those things can be fun, golf is really about learning how to score.
It’s about playing within yourself to avoid dreaded blow up holes.
It’s about thinking your way strategically around a golf course.
It’s about keeping your focus, even when you don’t want to.
It’s about committing to your shot.
In other words, all the things you need to do to get better at golf, are things that can help you improve outside of golf as well.
I’m a better dad, husband and business owner using the skills I’m learning and honing on the course in my regular life.
Unfortunately, the focus on distance and “hitting it pure” prevents many mid to high handicappers from ever discovering the deeper layer of the game.
Instead, they end up in an endless loop of watching swing tip videos on YouTube and trying to take those mechanics to the course. Don’t end up in this loop!
Trying to fix your swing with YouTube “tips” is like trying to learn how to ride a bike by reading a book. Learning just doesn’t work that way. You have to learn by doing.
But the key is to focus on your swing away from the course. There are drills you can do at home. And you can work on swing mechanics at the range.
When I first started to take golf seriously, I signed up for a few lessons. I was such a beginner the three lessons I had helped but the way the Pro explained body movements and swing techniques was confusing.
I did the drills he prescribed even though they were a boring chore. On the course, I was so wrapped up in whether my front shoulder was square and if my downswing was “over the top” that I didn’t have any mental energy left to think about where I should be placing the ball or to commit to my shots.
The most commitment I could give was “just make good contact,” and that is a recipe for a 115.
Then I discovered an instructional program called Face First Golf. For less than I paid for those 3 lessons, I got dozens of instructional videos that are so much better than a mere swing tip.
The lessons took me through a proven progression that builds a solid swing from the ground up. I can reference them whenever I need to and use the drills to build the mechanical parts of my practice.
But when it’s time to play I just do like the lessons say and focus on my target and my tempo. Those are my only on course swing thoughts.
Am I ready to go pro now? No. The good news, I don’t want to. I’m just trying to get better as fast as I can and have fun doing it!
And now, I have a solid enough foundation with my swing that I can move on to the more fun and strategic parts of the game. If I run into trouble with my swing I can go back to the video lessons and hit the range.
That foundation has been a huge boost for me. Let’s face it, if you can’t get off the tee and chunk or top all your swings, you’re not going to be able to shift your focus to strategy and tactics.
If you’re at a level where your swing is good enough that the ball gets in the air consistently, move on to the strategy stuff below. If not, check out the 2 free lessons from Face First and see if it’s a fit for you.
Lower Scores Quickly with Game Management:
Birdies are fun! We all know that. But what we may not realize is that for mid to high handicappers birdies are not the fastest way to lower scores. To shoot lower scores quickly you don’t need more birdies, you need to eliminate blow up holes.
The best part is that with some focus on strategy you can eliminate blow up holes – the double and triple bogies – that balloon your score, on your very next round.
Check out this article by coach Will Robbins where he shows you how.
Thinking Your Way Around the Course:
Do you have one course you play more than others? If so, you can dramatically lower your scores by learning how to navigate your way around the course.
To learn solid course navigation I recommend 2 things:
- Walk your course backward – from the 18th green to the 1st This new perspective will open your eyes to where danger lurks and to where you should be focused on placing the ball for better approaches and lower scores.
- Check out this short and easy read on course navigation from Eric Jones. It’s got everything you need to know about properly navigating your way around a golf course and you can read it in 2 lunch breaks.
Commitment with a Sidekick:
One of my favorite golf YouTubers is the Golf Sidekick. The reason he’s at the top of my list is that he never focuses on swing mechanics and tips. He’s all about making golf fun by focusing on strategy and making better decisions.
In this video, he breaks down the difference in-game between someone trying to break 70, 80, and 90. There are a ton of great tips in the video, you should check out the whole thing when you can.
But I want to point out something he says during the high handicappers drive 3:46 into the video
“Less than 100% commitment is the same as 0%.”
Home on the Range:
Here’s a purposeful practice drill for the week. Is there a course you can picture in your head? Do you have a home course you know well enough, or you have a yardage book from, so you can imagine playing the course while you’re on the range?
It’s the perfect break from classic “scrape and hit” mindless range sessions.
Tee the ball up like you’re on the first hole, do your pre-shot routine for every shot and play the course in your head. Give yourself 2 putts on each green.
This drill will help you to prepare for your course, it will keep your head in the game during your range session and it will help the practice time fly by.
Plus, you’ll be getting purposeful practice in with all your clubs.
Banging out thirty 7 irons in a row doesn’t lead to lower scores, practicing a course you know will. This is how you take your improvements on the range to the course with you.
The 19th Hole:
Let’s finish up this week in a place where we’ll be having some fun. I’d like to introduce you to my favorite golf channel on YouTube. Don’t worry, you won’t find a single swing tip on here, just a group of golfing buddies having an awesome time. And you’ll get to see some of the best courses in Ireland!
Tourist Sauce: Ireland Episode 1
Best of luck to you this week! Thanks for checking out Chasing80, I hope you get to check out some of these resources soon.
See you on the links!
Brian
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