I’m still eagerly following the sidebar poll where I asked you to tell me about your most dreaded shots in golf. Previously we covered tee shots on tight driving holes. Currently in second place with 15% of the vote, we’ll turn our attention toward the universally hated long carry over water. I’m a little surprised that this type of shot is the subject of such dread because the solution has nothing to do with swing fundamentals. Conquering these shots has everything to do with combining an honest assessment of your own ability and game with a solid course management plan and combining all that with a solid mental approach. Let’s not mince words: if you’re dreading this shot, it may be because you shouldn’t be hitting it. There’s no shame in laying up and it will probably save you more strokes than you’d gain if the gamble pays off. Why don’t we take a closer look at the situation and you’ll see why. First we’ll define the long shot. Since everyone’s game is different, I’ll
Dreaded Shots: Tee Shots on Tight Driving Holes
I’ve been eagerly watching the poll that I currently have going in the sidebar asking you what your most dreaded golf shots are. It’s early, but as results have been trickling in, many of you have voted that your most dreaded are tee shots on tight driving holes. We’ve all been there. You stand on the tee and the hole you’re faced with looks about ten yards wide. There is trouble on both sides. Maybe it’s water, woods, out of bounds, or some combination of the three. There are deep fairway bunkers and the green looks so far away. You stand over the ball and all that trouble is swirling around in your mind. You’re thinking about penalty shots, water splashing, double- and triple-bogeys. It’s not a pretty picture. The most important thing to do on a tight driving hole is to get on the short grass. You need to eliminate the trouble to give yourself a chance to score well on the hole. Let’s see if we can get you on the right track.
Your Most Dreaded Shot
I got to thinking the other day that golf presents a lot of challenges that can cause some anxiety, fear, nervousness, dread, and any other negative emotion that might apply. Certainly, a good mental approach is to train our minds to not be results-oriented and to play one shot at a time and to stay in the moment and all that. Let’s be realistic, though. If we amateurs were good at that, we’d play a lot better than we do. Every player has individual strengths and weaknesses. Better players have fewer weaknesses and the weaknesses that they do have are not as severe. Less skilled players might have huge holes in their games to the degree that they simply cannot play certain shots. I’m fascinated to know what your most dreaded shot is. In fact, I’ve changed up the poll in the sidebar so I can get a tabulation. If you don’t see your most dreaded shot listed, then leave a comment here or e-mail me and I’ll add it to the poll. I know
The “Go For It” Attitude in Golf
We seem to associate this quality with winning and success, in general. In many cases, it’s a big factor. No risk, no reward. We’ve probably all heard that saying. In business, that attitude is practically a virtue. In golf, though, it should be used sparingly, because the negative outcome will usually be disaster. Now, be honest. How many times have you been standing over your ball on a par five, about to hit your second shot, with 220+ yards to the green, over water? And how many times have you taken the shot, knowing that the club you have in your hand will yield that perfect result only a fraction of the time? Why do we do it? I say “we”, and not “you”, because I’ve done it too. Guilty as charged. How about those times when you have 160 yards to a tucked pin on a difficult green that’s protected by water or severe bunkers? Do you have the discipline to aim for the middle of the green, take your two putts, and get
Golf as a Team Sport
Before I mislead you, I’m not talking about four-ball competitions, scrambles, or anything similar. Golf is a game of solitude. When it comes time to hit the ball, there’s no one there to help. “So exactly what are you talking about”, I can hear you asking. Have you ever played team sports? Football (either kind)? Baseball? Hockey? Basketball? Rugby, lacrosse, or volleyball? Let’s forget for a moment that those sports require teams simply to play the games. Let’s instead turn to what team dynamics mean for an individual and then we’ll get back to golf. I played team sports through childhood and on through my 20′s. One thing that I always liked about it was the camaraderie. I was an individual, but I was never alone. There was always someone else there to help me achieve my best or to take up some slack when I was in a slump. I always did my best because I never wanted to let the team down. One of the drawbacks to solitude is struggling to be 100%
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