Do you make better golf swings while thinking about what number shot you are about to play? Well, approximately 80% of Golfers are doing the same by thinking about score as they continually suffer from inconsistent golf swings. Thus, I hope you read our thoughts below so that you can find a better way to become more consistent.
Based on our experience of working with over 1,000 Golfers a year for the last 10 years … we have found that when a Golfer plays a shot while knowing their score, it is not a recipe for success. Thus, many bad golf shots are determined before you even swing the golf club or putt the golf ball.
The added pressure of knowing the potential score creates many scenarios inside the mind of the Golfer. Which drastically increases the chance that the Golfer will start to grip the golf club a little tighter during the shot … thus losing all sense of feel. Which historically means you leave your 10 foot birdie putt 3 inches short … wondering out loud: “Why can’t I get that stupid ball to the hole!”
Yes, it is possible for a Golfer to prepare for a Par or Birdie putt without knowing what they are putting for. Or chipping from off the green without thinking this is your 3rd shot and that you need to get it close for a realistic putt at making Par.
As crazy as it may seem to many Golfers … yes it is possible not to think about how each shot relates to score. Yet, because the majority of Golfers are in the habit of counting every stroke on every hole — it maybe a totally foreign concept for you not to count your strokes.
If you watch great Players play; yes, they are aware of what number shot they are about to hit, but they are more unaware of it. Meaning, after hitting their drive they are not thinking this is their second shot they are hitting to the green. That has nothing to do with their thought process. The Player is too focused on understanding what the golf course is giving them and how to attack it using his/her strengths, as well as “Feeling” their golf swing before walking up to hit the golf ball. They are not thinking about what number shot they are about to play.
Play For Your PLAN … Don’t Plan For Your Score
The Players thought process is about making a PLAN to use their predominant ball flight to put the golf ball into the best position to make their next shot easier.
The Monkey’s thought process while standing on the fairway preparing to hit a golf shot: “ok, this is my second shot. I need to get it close so that I can make birdie. If I make birdie here, I will be 3 over after 5 holes. Then if I par the next 4 holes I will score a 39 and break 40 for the first time.”
So after hitting a bad shot and settling for bogey. The Monkey is on the next tee saying “alright, I need a big drive here, because I need to give myself a chance to get on this par 5 in two shots. If I do that, I could make eagle and pick up that shot I lost last hole, but if I miss the eagle … at least I will have birdie. And then all I will would need to do is make another birdie somewhere on the next 3 holes to shoot 39.”
And then when they make double bogey on that hole instead of eagle … “I stink. I can’t ever make a consistent golf shot when I need it. I don’t think I’ll ever get it.”
80% of Golfers are going through a similar scenario (based on their level of play) before every shot on all 18 holes. It’s no wonder why these Golfers are not making good golf swings. Their mind is not focused on their PLAN or the shot they are about to play. There is too much running through your head that has nothing to do with successful, consistent golf.
Play For Your PLAN … Don’t Plan For Your Score
We have seen more than a few Golfers that prior to coming to see us, had never broken 85 … yet, after our morning session, when we go onto the golf course in the afternoon for our 9 holes of On-course Instruction — they ended their 9 holes at par or under par.
Now how is that possible? How is it that multiple Golfers that had never broken 85 (or come close to breaking 40 for 9 holes), were able to score at par or under par when going on the golf course with our Instructor? Think about it because that is a major tipping point for that Golfer. The confidence built will pay significant dividends in future rounds of golf.
It happens because they (and many others) have the ability to play better than they have ever played if they do not let their mind get in the way of their golf swing. And often times the mind interferes because you know the stroke number you are about to play.
These Golfers, just like you, have the ability to make good golf swings … yet, they had never been able to do it consistently. But they, like you, have a history of hitting good golf shots where you said “why can’t I do that every time? That was so easy!” Well, I’m not saying that you can do it 100% of the time … but you can do it more consistently than you are doing now.
Play For Your PLAN … Don’t Plan For Your Score
If you start to understand how to create a PLAN for your golf game, as well as including the ability to understand the “Feel” of your golf swing … you can do it. And for everyone that is confused by the word “Feel” – what this means is knowing the mechanics of your golf swing … not my golf swing … your golf swing. This will allow you to “Feel” how to repeat a good golf swing and how to “Feel” the correct way to fix it after a bad golf swing.
And if you can combine the PLAN with the “Feel” (as GMS does with our Golfers) … you will finally be able to start playing to the level that you only dreamed of.
The Monkey always knows the significance of their next golf swing
The Player is too focused on their PLAN and their “Feel” to even care
Go ahead, be a Player!
Regards,
Marc Solomon
