What are we in now, mid-summer? My goal is to get out on my boat and onto the golf course more than I have been.
Need some golf hacks? I just read a great article about mistakes we are all making with our golf games. Here they are:
- Impatience to practice small swings. Using your Big Dog off the tee isn’t everything, you know. Foreplay is just as, if not more, important. Sigh: I used to have this beautiful little approach shot with my pitching wedge with this pretty little half swing my husband taught me. Something happened, and it doesn’t work anymore. I need a new strategy, I’m either flubbing it or going over the green.
- Intolerance to errors. How many success gurus do we need to listen to before we agree: mistakes are how you get better. Failure is not only an option, it’s necessary. Sheesh.
- Reluctance to use training aids. Training aids may not improve your game right away, but if used consistently, could help down the road.
- Taking advice from friends rather than a golf coach. I’ve received three excellent pieces of advice in my lifetime, advice that drastically improved my golf game: one from a friend, one from a golf club demo guy, and one from my son. My point? You never know where the good advice will come.
- Refusal to use video or hear swing feedback. The first time I watched a video my husband took of my swing off the tee, I watched him trying to keep a straight face. “Why didn’t you tell me I looked like that?” I asked. “Looked like what?” he replied, innocently. “Um, like I’m having a convulsion?” I said. “Oh, that,” he replied. “Well, I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.” “Oh, but humiliation is better? I suck.” I pouted. He put the phone down, took my hand, looked in my eyes, and smiled. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, you do.” Hey, honesty is the best policy.
- One and done lessons. Buy a package. One lesson won’t do shite.
- Can’t identify their strengths and weaknesses. My strengths: any shot with a seven iron, chip shots, driving a par-three, putting, having cute pink balls that match my cute pink shoes, tending the flag in a responsible and authoritative fashion, and chugging a cold drink after quitting halfway through 18 in frustration. My weaknesses: Water. Sand. Woods. Trees. Bushes. Rough. Rocks. Geese. Scat droppings. Cart paths. Groups standing behind me watching me tee off.
- Failure to practice after a lesson.
- Wrong practice routines.
- Overgeneralizing errors. Why have you bladed a chip? Why did you top your drive? Why are you so rude to the cart girl? She’s just a young gorgeous college student trying to earn money, why do you have to be such a douchebag? I hope her father and brothers come and beat the shit out of you for calling her a “beer whore.”
- Being a range rat. Spending too much time on the range is golf porn. Stop watching and envisioning, and go do it.
- Trying to hit a draw when a fade comes easily. I don’t know what this means.