Learn What Your Weaknesses Are
Immediate Results!! I want them, you want them, but you look for them in the wrong places, at the wrong time.
When I practice, I do not practice with the thought of creating the perfect swing. I don’t believe it is out there. There is not “one swing” that works for everybody. There is a swing that will work for you and get you to have the golf game you want to have. But that swing that is perfect for you will not be perfect for anyone else. Therefore, each of you has to learn your swing, learn your faults and learn to “manage” them.
I believe there is not one person alive that is content with their swing, all the time. How many times have you heard a touring pro say, “I left some strokes out there?” How many times have you said, “if it were not for that shot or that hole, I would have had a good round today?” How many times have you heard Tiger Woods, arguably the best golfer to play the game, say, “ I had my ‘B’ game today?” Every one that plays golf believes they could have played better. Golfers are never satisfied. When you break 100 for the first time you want to then break 90, and 89 is good but then you think 85 will make you happy. Then 85 is ok but breaking 80 would be great. Then it gets hard, real hard if you do not practice effectively or learn to change your mental game. Shooting in the 70’s is awesome and that 79 could have easily been 75, right? Regardless of what you shoot you will always want to get better or post better scores consistently. That’s golf.
I will tell you now, that the first step to getting better is to hole every putt and post every score. It is okay to play a “practice round” where you commit to strengthening your weakness and not post a score. Hence the term “practice” round. Seriously. You have to allow yourself to play a round here and there, where the score does not matter. Using that round to sharpen your mental game and strengthen your weaknesses. You can not do this if you are constantly worried about your score.
When you practice you should structure your practice around your weakness. Learning what your weakness is, allows you to play away from it during a round. Recognizing your weakness allows you to structure the little practice time you have to learning how to manage your tendencies. Learn some drills that will exploit the weakness, causing some terrible results in the beginning, but allowing you to create a position or positions in your swing that make the weakness disappear and your misses better. Do not look for results here, rather look at your body positions and learn to achieve them, then the results will come.
When I find a drill that will make my weakness stronger, I focus my practice on the positions that will encourage my swing to grow, eliminating that constant miss and give me better results.
Let me know what miss: discourages you, seems to rear it’s ugly head at just the wrong time, or that you just cannot seem to fix, so I can give you a drill that will change your swing. I want to learn each and everyone of your swings so I can teach it to you and then teach you how to swing comfortably, achieving the result you desire.
I can not do this unless you email me a video of your swing. So get started now by capturing two videos of your swing: The first view will be from face on (across); the second will be from down the line (directly behind the ball, looking down the target line). Use your mobile phone, digital camera, or any device, then email it to livegolflessons@gmail.com. On the video, make the swing you want not a swing you “think” you should be making. Make the swing you wish would work, I’ll teach you how to make it work.
Then start learning to play golf…
GOLF YOUR WAY!
JB
It’s OKAY! No need to stomp, toss a club, use certain language or threaten to quit the game. We are going to hit bad shots; accept them, learn how to deal with them and then get over them.
On August 6, 2008, the USGA announced a rule change on golf club grooves. This rule was established or should I say re-established, because of the effect the rough was having on the tour players. The guys on tour were finding the rough not to be of any significance in the approach shot to the green. They were able to hit the ball on the green and get it to “sit down” or stay on the green. This meant that there wasn’t any fear of missing the fairway, unless in a major tournament. In a major tournament, such as the Masters, U. S. Open, PGA Championship and British Open, the rough is maintained at around four inches, if not more. At other tour events the rough is usually around two inches, if not less. In the British Open other factors such as wind, weather and basically tough venues do not warrant the necessity for a high rough. There is also a lot of unmanaged native grasses that can grow to one to two feet high, unplayable unless the ball ends up in an open spot. For most amateur players, the rough demands shots that most can’t play and presents an aspect to the game that is lost on tour, until now, hopefully.
While we’re playing good golf, our minds are peaceful and experiencing fun. While playing poor golf, our state of mind is busy, at best, and border-line chaotic in reality. Good golf may last a while but we always feel we “left one out there”. It may last for several rounds, a nine, or a round; front or usually back nine, a few holes or even a hole; usually the last hole or two. Our confidence levels rise and fall dramatically when playing poorly. When playing good golf, our confidence levels maintain but are challenged with each lie of the ball and every stroke. When playing we must accept every challenge and perform whole heartedly, commit 100% to the decision made. My question is why does the confidence level drop so much when begin playing poorly? This question requires an extensive amount of time gathering and analyzing data to establish, at best, an educated guess to mastering the psyche of golf.