Game Improvement Key is Level of Commitment
The New Year is upon us. How many articles have been written over the years about goals for one’s golf game regarding the coming year? Slam dunk, every year, all the magazines, all the teaching pros, will be coming at you hard with their version of can’t miss systems of swinging, ways to think better on the course, and the new physical fitness push. Fact is, not much is new in this game. We’ve been trying to figure out better ways since before the gutta percha ball when wooden shafts ruled. Obviously, enhanced equipment has enabled us to play better. Bigger, stronger, faster bodies on tour are showing us how important physical fitness is to our end result.
But the fact is, that “best way to swing” the club remains whatever way you are swinging it that gets you out there as much as possible. Sure, the type A’s are all screaming about “perfect practice”, convinced that a heightened degree of organization and detail to ones practice regimen will produce the best and quickest results. Fine, that works for them. But whether you play to practice or practice to play, you gotta get your reps in.
That brings us to the only game improvement non-negotiable: The biggest key to your improvement in our game for 2014 is found in your level of commitment.
Can you get out two more times a week? One more time? These can be 20 minute putting sessions or a small bucket of balls. It can be playing the loop on South (1,2,3 brings you right back to the clubhouse). Doesn’t have to be a half day of ball beating to do yourself a ton of good. I’d rather see my students get out to practice for 30 minutes four times in a week than have two sessions of 150 balls painstakingly taking 2 hours to obsess on minutiae.
Our lives get so jammed full of obligations, responsibilities, errands, work, school, family and even with some required down time, that making time for our golf game can be a daunting task. I challenge you to create practice times that you commit to throughout a week. Whether you seek instruction or not (obviously I think you should!), keep these game improvement dates with yourself at all costs. Ramping up your level of commitment will be the first and most important step on the way to game improvement in 2014.
Tony Roberts, PGA Director of Instruction
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