| Just picture this for a moment. You're standing on | | | | 4. If you are consistently hitting a slice with your |
| the first tee box and you just know today is the | | | | driver, ask yourself what club do I have that gives |
| day. You have a plan, you have the confidence and | | | | me the longest and most consistent shot. Maybe it's |
| you know today you are going to break 90 for the | | | | your 3 wood or better yet a hybrid 3 iron. Whatever |
| first time. Imagine what it would feel like if you can | | | | it is, use that to tee off with. Don't worry about |
| post an 89 at the end of this round. Sure there's the | | | | your buddies laughing. Your mission on this round is to |
| personal satisfaction of hitting the goal but imagine | | | | keep the ball in play. |
| how your buddies are going to react. | | | | So if you drive goes 195 yards you have 245 yards |
| Are they going to be amazed? Are they going to ask | | | | to the pin; but you're in the fairway and not in the |
| for strokes? Are they finally going to have to pony | | | | rough or in a stand of trees. What club now? |
| up on your bets? | | | | Probably the same one you teed off with. |
| And what if you knew you could consistently shoot | | | | Hitting off the fairway instead of a tee will probably |
| under 90. How good would that feel? | | | | take something off the shot. Assume you ball goes |
| If you average 95 or 96 now, you probably have | | | | 190 yards leaving you 55 yards to the hole. Now |
| that sub 90 game already in your bag. You just need | | | | what? |
| to know how to play it. | | | | Well if you have a wedge that you can trust go for |
| Want to know how? | | | | it. If not, think about what you do have that you can |
| I thought you might. | | | | play with confidence. Can you make a long pitch with |
| It's time that the game of golf, that game you love | | | | an 8 iron? Use whatever you feel comfortable with, |
| so much starts giving back a little loving and here's | | | | not what the manufacturers say you should use. If |
| how you can get it. | | | | you can get that ball within 15 feet of the pin your |
| Before you can play better golf you have to | | | | chances of getting down in 2 are excellent. |
| understand your weaknesses. Think back to your last | | | | Now you've played this hole using 3 clubs counting |
| round and review each hole. Where did you lose | | | | the putter. How many clubs does it usually take? |
| shots, and be realistic. How many fairways did you | | | | Odds are you'll be using these same three clubs on all |
| miss with your driver? How many second shots had | | | | the par 4s. Three clubs to master instead of 4 or 5. |
| to be played out of the rough or over a tree? How | | | | Do you see where I'm going with this? |
| many chip shots did you skull or chunk? Is your | | | | By playing within your game you are taking out the |
| putting really all that bad? | | | | penalty strokes, bad lies, and the need to master |
| Once you figure out where the shots were lost, then | | | | every club and trick shot in your bag. You've just |
| focus on shots that you know you can make. What | | | | made the game a whole lot simpler. |
| is your favorite club? Does your putter really not | | | | That's the good news but there is bad news. |
| work or is your approach shot leaving you with 30 | | | | As I'm sure you're aware, this is just a band aid not a |
| foot putts on a regular basis? | | | | permanent fix. While that first sub 90 score is going |
| Once you know both your strengths and | | | | to be exciting and feel really really good, it really has |
| weaknesses, then it's simply a matter of throwing | | | | done nothing to improve your basic skills. But you |
| conventional wisdom out the window and actually | | | | know that don't you? |
| planning how to attack a hole. Remember, breaking | | | | Your real game, your real golf potential, will not be |
| 90 is just 1 stroke better than playing bogey golf at | | | | realized until you learn to master the swing. You've |
| most courses. That gives you an extra shot on | | | | got a good head on your shoulders and you know |
| almost every hole. As you continue reading this article | | | | this "course management" strategy is not the same |
| you'll see how you can better use the game you | | | | as a "real" sub 90 round and that's why you will |
| have today to get a lower score. | | | | continue to hit bucket after bucket after bucket |
| The secret to lowering your golf score is to simply | | | | looking for that elusive perfect golf swing. |
| play within your game. Let's imagine a 440 yard par | | | | |