The Second Golfer

On April 28, 2020, in "i"Blog"it", by JB

PEACE OF MIND and THE SECOND GOLFER . .Okay, we have all done it; hit a less than satisfying shot only to drop another ball and hit it perfect.  Most commonly done while putting.  Miss the first putt then pull it back and drain the next one. I have played golf with thousands of people […]

PEACE OF MIND and THE SECOND GOLFER

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.Okay, we have all done it; hit a less than satisfying shot only to drop another ball and hit it perfect.  Most commonly done while putting.  Miss the first putt then pull it back and drain the next one.

I have played golf with thousands of people and have observed this phenomenon over and over again.  I have watched golfers try so hard to hit a good shot, only to be disappointed with the result, then drop a second ball and hit the shot the way they intended, with ease and calmness, only to be more disappointed.  They will ask me, “Why”?  They say, “If I could only play like that second golfer I could beat anyone”.

What I observe is that each golfer who “tries” so hard the first time, with poor results, then relaxes and makes their true swing.  This swing is free of tension and free of the effort to control the result.  The second golfer no longer fears the result, this golfer is not trying to hit the ball perfect, not trying to do everything perfect to achieve the result but instead, the second golfer is “free” to swing.  Not expecting a result but observing what happens.

I believe that golf should be played with the “second golfer” mind.  I know that, from my own experiences. When I “try” to control the result by doing everything perfect, I fail to perform.  Because of this, I am more frustrated causing me to lose confidence in my swing.  I have learned and want to teach you all, a more enjoyable way to play golf.  I have changed my mentality over shots so that I spend time preparing for a result.  I do this by analyzing the lie of the ball, the conditions of the shot and the playing yardage.  The playing yardage is not what is on the sprinkler head or the GPS device but what the conditions warrant.  Is the shot uphill?  Is the wind helping or hurting?  Is the flag front, back or middle?  After feeding my analytical mind with this information I choose a club and let the performance mind take over.  This is accomplished by getting into my routine and believing that I have made the right choice, allowing me to perform the best swing I can, at that time, without expectations toward the result.  What I have found, with this state of mind, is that the good shots come more frequently and I am continually surprised by the outcome.  Also, I am not so frustrated because I was not focused on trying to hit the ball perfect, therefore when the shot is off, it does not bother me as much.  The bad shot is just part of the game and where I am at that point in time.   I can let it go and get ready for the next shot more easily.

The joy of hitting a good shot, when not “trying” to, far out weighs the disappointment that comes from trying to hit it perfect and not doing so.  By changing from the analytical golf swing to the performance golf swing, I have found that my confidence stays high and I can deal with the misses more easily.

If you can keep your confidence up and frustration down you will find golf far more enjoyable.

One thing is for certain, confidence is contagious while frustration increases tension and tension is a toxin to the golf swing.

Good Golfing and learn to golf your way!

JB

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What The Mind Sees… The Mind Does

On March 31, 2011, in "i"Blog"it", "Rx" Fundamentals, by JB

  “DON’T HIT IT IN THE POND ON THE LEFT”!  “DON’T HIT IT IN THAT BUNKER ON THE RIGHT”!  These are very familiar thoughts during the course of a round.  I have thought them; you have thought them; everybody that plays has thought something similar at some point on the course.  The problem with these […]


 

“DON’T HIT IT IN THE POND ON THE LEFT”!  “DON’T HIT IT IN THAT BUNKER ON THE RIGHT”!  These are very familiar thoughts during the course of a round.  I have thought them; you have thought them; everybody that plays has thought something similar at some point on the course.  The problem with these thoughts, as innocent as they seem, they even seem encouraging when thinking them, is that the mind does not recognize the “DON’T” part of the thought.  Even though you are trying to encourage a good shot the attention is directed to the hazard whether it be water, sand, trees, out of bounds or what have you.  The focus of the mind is the hazard not that you don’t want to hit it there, just the fact that the focus is there.  The mind then executes the thought, absent the “DON’T”, so in translation the driving thought of the swing you perform becomes, “HIT IT IN THE POND ON THE LEFT”!  And that is what happens over and over again.

What is necessary is a mindset that does not recognize the hazards but puts the focus on the truly desired result.  A thought similar to, “I want that ball in the middle of the fairway, I don’t care how it gets there”!  A thought like this allows the performance mind to create and perform a swing that will produce the result.  Now sometimes the ball will end up where you want with a shot that is not considered “good”, this is the hard part.  When you achieve the result you desire, the way it happens needs not to matter.  If you allow yourself to concern yourself with “how” it happened more than you concern yourself on the result, the mind will loose focus on the results you desired and focus more on the technique you “think” you should have used to create a “better” shot.

When you are trying to break 100, 90, 80 even 70 results are what are going to take you to the next level.  There is an old saying that goes similar to this, we are not drawing pictures on the scorecard, just writing down numbers.  No one cares how you shoot a score that is lower then usual, they just wish they could have done the same.   I promise there are very few times one is happy with the way they played, regardless of the score and when one is, it does not last long.  This holds true at every level, when you break 100 you are going to want to break 90, when you shoot even par you going to say, “I could have easily been under par”.  This is evident in most interviews after a tour event, many tour players say. “They left some out there,” they could have gone lower.  We are all in the same boat!

On the golf course, and in life, results are first scripted in the mind.  If you can learn to see what you want to happen in the mind first, the desired result follows.  I ask you to change your mind to see or at least think that what you want to happen will.

Learn to experience the power of the mind!

There is no real reason that you can’t play better golf!  If you want to, than you will! We will start providing videos and products, here at LGL that will give you the tools to get as good as you want.  Keep visiting and participate in upcoming surveys.

Good Golfing,

JB

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“WHICH SHAFT”

On July 25, 2010, in "i"Blog"it", by JB

STEEL VERSUS GRAPHITE There is some debate about which shafts are best; the traditional steel shafts or graphite shafts.  In the early days of the steel shafts, which came out during the Bobby Jones era; these steel shafts were performance shafts giving the players more control of their shots versus what they had in the […]

STEEL VERSUS GRAPHITE



There is some debate about which shafts are best; the traditional steel shafts or graphite shafts.  In the early days of the steel shafts, which came out during the Bobby Jones era; these steel shafts were performance shafts giving the players more control of their shots versus what they had in the hickory shafts.  In the early days of the graphite shaft, the belief was that graphite shafts were used by old men and ladies because of how much lighter the clubs were.

Technology and the way the companies study the effect their clubs have on the ball, has tremendously narrowed the gap between the differences of the two shafts.   I still believe that if you are an older person or you are buying a set of clubs that may be your last  set, as they are quite expensive, graphite is the way to go.  If there is any conditions with your hands, then graphite will limit the amount of vibration that reaches your hands, which may in time cause aches and pain from mis-hits.  If you want to reach that level of play that most do not, and you practice, steel shafts will be the best shaft.  Steel shafts can be made as light as graphite these days but you will lose some of the playing characteristics of the shaft that allows you to perform better.  I believe the biggest advantage of steel over graphite is known as torque; this is what happens to the shaft when the ball hits the clubface slightly off of center, the impact of the golf ball on the toe or heel of the club creates a twisting motion in the shaft. causing the clubface to point off line when the ball is released.  Steel shafts are more suited for less twisting, resulting is straighter shots.  The steel shafts also give you more feedback in your hands for the feel of your shots.

There are many different graphite and steel shafts out there so take the time to investigate what you want from your game and then find the shaft that will help you get there.  There is one thing to remember; make sure you get the right “flex” by getting your swingspeed tested or getting your clubs fit by a PGA Golf Professional in you area.

Karty K-  I hope this helps you.  If you, or anyone reading, would like more information on this subject let me know and I will post more.

Good Golfing,

JB

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Same Mistakes

On June 19, 2010, in "Rx" Fundamentals, by JB

A great writer once wrote, “If you keep making the same mistakes over and over again you will never change.  If you make different mistakes you are creating change.”  No truer words have been written when it comes to your golf game. The same mistake you make over and over again is not change but […]

A great writer once wrote, “If you keep making the same mistakes over and over again you will never change.  If you make different mistakes you are creating change.”  No truer words have been written when it comes to your golf game. The same mistake you make over and over again is not change but is the same mistake over and over again.  If you find yourself slicing the ball over and over again or find yourself in the same situation again and again on the golf course, then you are repeating history, playing on negative history.  Create something new, play the hole a different way, play from a different spot on the golf course, and create a new history.  Succumbing to the same old “same old” is what golfers feel comfortable doing.  I hear, “At least I know what is going to happen.”  Why is knowing what is going to happen so acceptable in golf?  Why do golfers accept that they are going to hit bad shots regularly?  Why do golfers wait for failure to rear its familiar head?  This is what I cannot understand!

Every golfer, deep down inside, wants to get better but I think golfers are afraid of getting better. Afraid of success, they expect bad shots and accept those shots as what is supposed to happen. Why is that supposed to happen?  Why can’t something good happen?  Because golfers wait for failure.   They are comfortable when things go bad and uncomfortable when things are going good.  I spoke with a golfer today who was less than excited about shooting even par for nine holes.  He mentioned that he had his best round ever the other day when he shot 94.  He then went out and shot 84 the next time he played.  But his comment was, “That is not me, I will not keep it up, I’ll be back to shooting 100 soon.”  I am thinking to myself through the whole conversation, “but that is you,” you are the one who shot the 84, you are the one who shot even par for nine holes, why not do it more often?  Why wait for failure?

I was told once, along time ago, by an old pro who is now in the golf hall of fame, that I had a “nice” game.  He then told me I had to learn how to score, how to be comfortable playing good golf.  I never really understood what he meant until I began to teach.  He meant that I had to get comfortable playing good golf and get over the emotions that come with playing out of my element.  I had to create a new comfort zone!  This is true for every level of golfer that plays the game.  Instead of wondering when the good fortune is going to end, one must learn to accept the change and embrace the new golfer.  Sure you’re not always going to play better, sure the bad shots will come, but don’t wait for them.  When you play better golf, whether for a hole, a round or two, tell yourself this is what I want, this is what I work for, this is my new game.

This, my friends, starts on the range.  Instead of hitting, slice after slice waiting for that one good shot, do something different.  Make a swing that is comfortable, make that comfortable swing again and again.  Find a balanced finish; create a different miss, a consistent miss.  Check your alignment, there are too many golfers that aim incorrectly and make a beautiful swing only to have the ball end up right of the target.  They then precede to breakdown a somewhat nice golf swing to find that fleeting “good shot.”  Golfers will hit shot after shot that is not acceptable to be satisfied for that one good shot.  I ask you to set up an alignment club, find a balance finish and create new misses.  These new misses are going to come from the performance mind trying to satisfy you by creating the result you desire.  If you aim correctly and find a balanced finish position you will create a new swing, but only after creating new misses.  Now these misses will be frustrating and ugly at first, but if you allow your performance mind to “declutter” all the bad habits that produced the “fleeting” good shots, your new misses will then be “fleeting,” creating a better swing.  The end result is a better golfer.  So change your golfing history on the course by playing a nemeses hole differently and by creating different misses on the range.  Create different mistakes to create a change.

Then play golf…

Golf Your Way.

JB


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Create Your Results

On June 18, 2010, in "i"Blog"it", by JB

I see too many golfers try to control the result by manipulating the way they swing the club. As many of you may or may not know, golf is played in preparation, not in execution.  If you take the time to learn the fundamentals of a shot, whether it be a chip, pitch or a […]

I see too many golfers try to control the result by manipulating the way they swing the club.

As many of you may or may not know, golf is played in preparation, not in execution.  If you take the time to learn the fundamentals of a shot, whether it be a chip, pitch or a full iron swing, then performing when conditions are less favorable, will be much easier.  Once you have learned to perform a motion that creates a standard result, when conditions change you will only have to prepare differently while performing the standard motion, creating a different result. Practice chipping, pitching and the full iron swing on flat favorable lies.  After you have learned how to move the clubhead in your “base” motion, you then only have to manipulate the clubhead with your, grip, stance and aim to “create” a different result.  Once your “base” stroke is honed, you are then only limited by your imagination in creating different and the desired results.

Good Golfing,

JB

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