Golf Shot Management – Breaking 80 in Golf (Part 1) March 10, 2011by Tommy Priest4 Breaking 80 in golf is one of the biggest challenges a golfer faces. Whether a novice or a seasoned hacker, breaking that magic number seems like an arduous goal. Shooting under 80 on a regular basis is a rare gift that few golfers will ever achieve but once you go sub-80, it will give you a lot of pleasure – let alone all the bragging rights!! You won’t qualify for the PGA Tour, but your golf game will hit a peak and become far more enjoyable than it is now. The problem that most weekend golfers face is that they play the game so intermittently that there room for improvement becomes elusive. Nearly everyone ventures out on the first tee with par as an objective, then reality and often, futility sets in. Practice time is usually coupled with practicing the wrong techniques. You already have only a few hours to play golf and you might be wasting that too. But there some tips which can help you break 80 consistently. One basic tweaking you can do to improve your game is golf shot management. You have to be precise and accurate when calculating the number of shots you would need to complete in a round. You don’t want to be hitting long shots too soon (or too late, for that matter). The temptation to go for the big swing is always there, but you have to know when to pull out the 3-wood or 5-wood to be able to make the most of it. Proper golf shot management can help you knock off a few shots of your score and get you closer to that magic number. Think about it like this: on a par 5, 450 meter hole you hit a 180 meter drive. That leaves you 270 meters from the green. Is the 3 wood that can disappoint you sometimes really necessary? Why then not take two 7 iron shots, a club which rarely fails you and be certain to be close enough for one or two putts. And there you have par 5 and with a little help from the golf gods, even a birdie is possible. Even a birdie is possible How to break 80 in golf is a conundrum for anyone who ever steps on to a golf course. Television sports analysts make their living discussing the subject and everyone is an expert. It all seems like a treasure hunt where everyone is looking to find a clue to get to it. Mental Golf Game and Instinct – Breaking 80 in Golf (Part 2) March 17, 2011by Tommy Priest4 “Golf is more a mental game than a physical game.” As clichéd as this phrase sounds, it does hold truth. Think of a round of golf like a game of chess where you have to think at least one step ahead of your opponent so that you use your energy the best way you can. Always keep in mind that your brain dictates what your body does and the more we control how we think, the greater chance of success in our golf shot management – and our score! So, let your brain tell the body what to do before you actually do it to enhance your mental golf game. Instinct in golf is more important than skills. Trust the right side of your brain and allow it to dominate the left side (read the The Inner Game of Golf by Tim Gallwey). Focus on things you know you can do successfully. I believe you can break 80 in golf by re-organizing the power of your mind. The general idea is to relax and take the pressure off thinking about too many technical issues when getting ready to hit the ball. 5 areas to enhance mental golf game and instinct in golf: 1. Grip Feel comfortable while holding the golf club, and to do so you need to be relaxed. The great players believe that the golf club grip is the most important part of your swing. Basically just use enough pressure to keep the club in your hands and to securely hit the ball. Forget about the position of your hands, but make sure the clubface is square to the ball. 2. Positioning Just take a look at where you want to hit the golf ball and then swing. Align your shoulders to hit the shot that you want. But don’t dwell on it. 3. Backswing Take the club back slowly and surely – maybe even a half swing and then commit yourself. 4. Finish Like a dancer, finish the movement completely once you’ve committed to the shot. 5. The Score and Partners Forget about score and the partners around you during play, you will be surprised how much better you will play. Enter your own world – think about those things which have pleased you in the past. Focus on successful events. The brain can influence the outcome of your game; therefore, make sure you use it to the optimum. Patience and Determination – How to Break 80 in Golf (Part 3) March 23, 2011by Tommy Priest1 Mens sana in corpore sano. Like every other sport, the body will produce the output for this game from the input that the brain has given it. But be good to your body – give it a chance to do what doesn’t come naturally to most of us. To break 80 in golf this is especially true. With patience and determination, good mental attitude and some physical fitness, your golf score will approach that elusive 80 sooner than you think. Take a deep breath, think about one thing which you know you can do (putting a ball six inches in the cup?) and then try to use that part of your mind which relaxes you. Let’s get going: Practice in Golf Practice is important in golf. But not just hitting three buckets of golf balls. Remember – we’re only going to be taking 80 golf shots in a game from now on. And about half of those will be putts! It’s a well known concept in physical training that if you want to build strength instead of muscle – many repetitions with less weight is the best way. The analogy is less practice shots – but more often. We propose no more than 40-50 practice balls per session – equally varying the golf clubs you use. Then relax, do something else. Then repeat this later in the day. No more than two or three times per day. Judge how well each golf shot has been made after taking it. You do not want to reinforce bad shots. Self-learn videos or read books about how to break 80 in golf, but remember practice should remain on the top priority. Short Game in Golf Read Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible. This former physicist maps out the way to a successful short game in golf. The short game plus putting is 75-80% of the game. But still we want to drive like a pro. It is true that good drive raises confidence – but the smart money worries about golf shots within 100 meters to the green. Golf Equipment People swear that golf club fitting is essential. The best equipment for you would be that with which you are comfortable. There is no doubt that modern golf clubs and balls help – but if your shot slices or hooks – no equipment in the world is going to help long-term. Golf course management is much more important. Enjoy Golf! Golf is supposed to be fun. Sure, be serious about your game, but you have to enjoy it as well. Getting agitated after hitting a poor golf shot will ensure that your round will fail. Relax and realize how lucky you are to be in a beautiful place. Read books by great golf coaches, watch videos of golf professionals with smooth swings, go out to the range and hit a few balls. You will be breaking 80 before long. Patience along with determination will make it a reality sooner than you think.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 16:48:07 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015