| Would you rather hear what you need to learn | | | | of the hole - from ANYWHERE on the green. |
| from someone who is already an accomplished | | | | When you have mastered the ability to get the |
| golfer? Would a few hours with Jack Nicholas | | | | ball close like that, then work on the short |
| REALLY help your game? "Just do what I do, | | | | 2 footers - almost from the start you'll find |
| it's easy!" Or would you rather learn from a | | | | that you can get the majority in.THAT's the |
| beginner, who understands the struggles, the | | | | secret - the drive doesn't matter, the next |
| small improvements and remembers those early | | | | shot is OK, but the one that gets the ball TO |
| changes that lead to greater success?It | | | | the green is crucial! Then if you can putt to |
| almost makes sense, doesn't it? The best | | | | withing a very close area of the pin, and |
| coaches are often mediocre players, and the | | | | make THOSE easy putts - you're a bogie golfer |
| worst coaches were stars, who had everything | | | | - TA DAAA!Wait, there's one more thing - the |
| come easy to them. Natural ability is hard | | | | mental part of golf. If you have a certain |
| to teach to others! As a beginning golfer, I | | | | ability, how come you see flashes fo |
| have noticed some dramatic improvements, | | | | greatness on some days, and flashes of |
| though, and wanted to pass them along to | | | | needing to break your clubs on others? Same |
| other beginning golfers.First, the drive. To | | | | guy, same equipment, different results? THAT |
| many of us starting out, it seems to be | | | | is the mental part of golf - and it becomes |
| all-important. I have had instructors tell me | | | | more and moe important as you master the |
| that if you can hit the ball 150 yards, that | | | | basic strokes and techniques.At the beginning |
| you can work your way down any length of hole | | | | stages of golf, you are thrown off by |
| in about 3 shots, chip on and putt in, and | | | | worrying about what others think - it feels |
| play bogie golf without ever hitting a John | | | | like people are watching your drive, partners |
| Daly type 300 yard plus drive. As beginners, | | | | are evaluating your game, people are seeing |
| all we see is the big drives, the pressure, | | | | if you can play golf well, etc. The answer to |
| people watching us tee off, and | | | | this is that everyone started off as a |
| understandably we want to be able to pound | | | | beginner, and VERY few people can play below |
| the ball!What I've learned is that you can | | | | 90s golf. Basically, we all suck! Take the |
| cut back on the swing to almost a half swing, | | | | pressure off of yourself for the first 20-50 |
| hockey slapshot type thing, and increase the | | | | games, and you will have the routine |
| accuracy, with a small reduction in distance, | | | | ingrained, the swing will be solid, all will |
| until you are more comfortable with the | | | | work fairly well - under pressure or |
| swing. Also, a friend helped me with the | | | | not.Relaxation, and realizing that golf is a |
| description of coming "inside-out" with the | | | | game against YOURSELF, are the keys. You |
| swing. While that sounds complicated, imagine | | | | can't play a real tournament against another |
| holding your back hand (I'm a left handed | | | | golfer until you shoot in the 70s - so don't |
| golfer) tight to your body and swinging | | | | let that enter your head - try playing alone |
| through the ball and outwards after contact - | | | | - you can - very early or very late - or with |
| straightened out my ball flight and increased | | | | total strangers as a walk on.Over time, you |
| distance.Lessons seemed to boil down to | | | | WILL get better - visibly, noticeably. Try |
| getting into the same position, and swinging | | | | playing a few days in a row, or a series of |
| smoothly and evenly making sure the club is | | | | days either playing golf or practicing. |
| flat at contact - try swinging at the driving | | | | Practice makes perfect - especially the short |
| range - not to hammer the ball, but try | | | | game that is ignored by the majority pounding |
| swinging with virtually NO effort, then 20% | | | | shots into the darkness at driving ranges - |
| 40% 60% etc. Get comfortable with a straight | | | | work on the touch, the feel, the magic |
| line of whatever distance, and KNOW how far | | | | ability to get 25%, 50% or 75% shots, to |
| each club will take you. If you need 100 | | | | control the distance.Most of all, relax and |
| yards, say, it doesn't matter if you get that | | | | enjoy the walk, the scenery, remember the |
| with a pitching wedge or a 5-wood, as long as | | | | things that went WELL - and move on from the |
| you can get it accurately there!Pitching | | | | ones that were duffed, hooked into the trees, |
| (from under 100 yards) and putting are the | | | | or when you putted back and forth across the |
| majority of the strokes, the easiest area to | | | | green like a madman - they all happen - to |
| improve your game, and if you've ever played | | | | ALL of us - even Tiger Woods (every now and |
| with a senior, they can be outdriven from the | | | | then). The trick is to concentrate on making |
| tee, but play so solidly from there onwards, | | | | the NEXT shot, the NEXT hole, the NEXT |
| with straight, accurate shots - you can't | | | | practice or game - be your very best. There's |
| beat them!Makes you rethink the wisdom of | | | | no going back and reshooting that shot that |
| working on that booming drive, huh? The | | | | went into the water! Forget about it and |
| majority of time should be spent practicing | | | | calmly, confidently move on.Your best games, |
| the 100 yard and shorter shots - which | | | | your best shots will occur when you have a |
| inadvertently improves the overall stroke and | | | | calm, confident feeling, feeling that you are |
| technique, and makes the drives better over | | | | just repeating what you've practiced, and |
| time!Practice shooting 10, 20, 30 etc yards, | | | | easily accomplished in the past. Look at the |
| and have the short chip down pat. Then work | | | | grin on Tiger's face as he sinks a putt and |
| on putting - NOT trying to sink the putt, | | | | pumps his fist - this game can be FUN!! |
| just to get the ball to within a club length | | | | |