Is “Fire in Your Belly” a Good Thing?

photo credit: ilovememphis   Playing golf, from your first drive until your final putt, is an exercise in fluid motion.

If your adrenaline is flowing too strongly and you have “fire in your belly,” your tempo will disappear before your eyes.  When that happens you might as well kiss your round goodbye.

The best golfers in the world almost never get all charged up about a good shot they may make.  They are the picture of coolness and there is good reason for this.  Being emotionally stable is the key to keeping your swing “in the groove.”  A nice smooth swing tempo is very difficult for the average golfer to maintain throughout 18 holes.  Top Pros do it consistently.

Golf is like ballet.  Think of the smoothness of a ballerina, that’s how your golf swing should be and don’t exclude putting.  Keep this in mind whenever you make an outstanding shot.  Just stay cool and go about your business, it’s good for your game and your calm and collected manner will wreak havoc on your opponents frame of mind.

Stop Trying so Hard

photo credit: ilovememphis  

Beginners and amateurs alike simply try too hard to get off good shots and play well.  Now there is nothing wrong with trying hard but that doesn’t mean forcing your shots.  Next time your at the course, notice how many golfers look like they are struggling and straining to get off a good shot.

The golf swing is a fluid motion, balet dancing is a good example.  A balerina cannot create good balance by making quick, choppy moves.  Likewise,  a golfer cannot make good shots with a quick, choppy swing.  Fluidity is the key. 

Don’t try to mimick the way the PGA Tour Pros swing, you will defeat your purpose.  They have their swing down pat and most have the benifit of a watchful golf coach.  The idea here is to swing with grace, swing smoothly with a very loose feel.  Any tension anywhere in your body will ruin your chances of hitting a good shot.

Try to improve in small stages….a little here and a little there.  When at the range, work on one thing at a time and keep it very simple.  Golf is a lifetime process, if you want to play it well be patient with your own abilities.  Let’s face it, most of us will never be par shooters but that shouldn’t stop us from taking on the challenge of the game and having fun in the meantime.  Remember, keep it simple and smooth.

Liability on the Golf Course

photo credit: dougtone   No matter where you play, there will invariably be golf holes that parallel busy roads.  In the Phoenix metro area playing under these types of conditions  is especially prevalent.  Most golfers don’t realize it but the liability consequences for an errant golf shot can be substantial. 

If you hit a shot which damages a vehicle or, worse yet injures a passenger, you can be held completely liable for damages.  The same holds true for hitting another golfer.  Your greens fee does not include an automatic inclusion into the course liability insurance policy.  You are on your own.

The safest bet, is to be extremely cautious at all times.  When hitting a shot, wait until the roadway is void of vehicles.  if there are other golfers to your front or sides simply let them pass.  “Play safe,” as the saying goes and the liability factor becomes non-existent.

Arguments on the Course

photo credit: Johan Lange   Golf is a stressful game which can turn into an emotional roller-coaster.  Whenever feelings run this high, the possibility for confrontation is always lurking.  Sometimes, for the smallest of reasons, an argument can disrupt and ruin what was, a fun round of golf.

Golf is known as a ”gentle-men’s game” but sometimes even a gentle person can get caught up in a vocal broo-ha-ha.  If ever an argument occurs, keep your opinions to yourself and stay out of the conversation.  Remaining quiet provides a way for any argument to lose steam.  In almost every case, expressing an opinion adds fuel to the fire.  If things get too heated, simply call it quits and head for the clubhouse.  It may be time to look for some new playing partners.

Proper Club Selection

photo credit: nsaplayer   Going over your past approach shots you will find that most come up short.  Do you know that the majority of amateurs, if not scratch players, land short of the pin?  The real question is what causes this problem.

The problem is by ”wishful thinking.”  If you are 130 to 150 yards from the pin, do you go with a 7-iron or a 6-iron?  Most golfers would use a 7 and come up short.  Using a 6-iron may put you on the back fringe but that’s not all bad, there’s usually minimal trouble on the back side of most greens.  The trouble on most greens is on the front side.  Remember, it’s better to over-club than under-club in almost every situation.

Kids in Carts

photo credit: nimish_gogri   Golf is a game that is meant to be played while walking.  For most of the game’s history, carts were non-existent.  Players would walk in all sorts of conditions, over all sorts of terrain. 

Kids need to understand that the real joy in golf comes from the sensory sensations of walking and enjoying nature at it’s best.  When youngsters play in carts, they lose the meaning of how the game is meant to be played.  Walking slows things down, it gives the golfer time to think, which is what you can’t really do when riding. 

One of the keys in playing good golf is maintaining a consistent tempo.  When riding a cart the game speeds up but so doesn’t your tempo.

What did I do Wrong?

If you miss a shot, do not think of what you did wrong. . . just go to the next shot and think of what you must do right ! 

This advice is far easier to give than to get you to actually do it.  When you hit an errant shot, don’t say “what did I do wrong?”  Instead, ask what you “didn’t do right.”  Thinking about doing it “wrong,” can mislead and confuse you.  Keep your focus on executing shots the right way instead of the wrong way.

Do not think while making your stroke, do your thinking prior to the stroke.  Because you cannot think about any more than one detail at one time, it is futile to think at all during your swing.  Keep your mind clear and just make solid contact.

Inner Strength

photo credit: plasticrevolver   As golfers, sometimes we have to call on our inner strength to get over a bad round.  Bad rounds are a normal phenomenon that happen to every golfer, no matter what their level of play.  For a Tour player, a 73 may be a bad round but for most amateurs, a 73 would be a gift. 

When a bad round does occurs, it’s human nature to get mad at yourself but it’s a normal reaction for anyone that truly loves the game.  Realize that bad rounds are just part of the game, everybody has them but it’s how you handle them that counts.  These kinds of rounds will never really go away because that’s the nature of this wonderful game.

Wasted Shots

photo credit: Kelowna09   Every golfer, amateur or Pro, knows what it feels like to waste a shot.  A “wasted shot” is any shot that you could have avoided for any number of reasons.  Some examples are:  topping the ball, slice, hook, shank, chunk, choosing the wrong club etc.  When these type of shots occur they almost always cause anger and regret.  

Keep in mind that Harry Vardon once said ” I’m happy if I hit seven really good shots per round.”  This means that bad shots are to be expected during every round you play.  

If you make a wasted shot, put it immediately out of your mind and think of how to play the next shot.  Just try to ignore bad shots, no matter how bad they are.

Drinking and Golf

photo credit: star5112   Anyone who drinks on the golf course cannot take the game seriously.  Since alcohol is a depressant, a player’s thinking is usually distorted.

Playing with someone who is drinking, makes as much sense as being a passenger in a car being driven by a drunk driver.  To some players, drinking on the course is “cool,” but it can and will lead to serious trouble at some point.

Being “loaded” and driving a golf cart is just asking for trouble.  The potential for an accident is increased 100 fold and litigation may ensue if the passenger is injured.

If you’re a serious golfer and not just out for a quick “buzz,” do yourself AND others a big favor, and don’t drink on the golf course!

Next Page »