Have you ever played good on the front nine just to shoot terrible on the back nine? Or maybe you had a good round one day and then a bad one on the next. It is frustrating and we often leave the course upset without trying to understand what happened. In this series I am going to give you some ideas on what might be happening and how to improve your performance on the golf course.
Analyse your setbacks – When things are not going right on the golf course it is not easy to step back, take a deep breath and try to determine what is going while trying to play the game. In these circumstances it is best to wait until your round is over to determine what happened. Was it that you got tired? Did you change something in your swing? Did you get upset over a bad shot? Once you put your finger on the problem you can take steps to keep it from happening again.
Allow your practice to find you – Many times the things you’ve been working on at the practice range don’t pan out on the golf course. Making a swing change or a shift of strategy on the course may cause you to press your shots or cause you to get out of rhythm Sometimes all that is needed is perseverance and sticking to what you know worked during your practice sessions.
Listen you your game – Your game will tell you where you are underperforming and what needs to be worked on. You may be hitting your driver, fairway woods and irons good, but your chipping and putting might be substandard. Pay attention to where your shortcomings are and plan for extra practice to improve in that area.
Play with conviction and logic – The best golfers are the ones that know and play to their abilities. If the shot before you is difficult, but you have had success with it before, then go ahead and make it. Otherwise, a more conservative shot is advisable. In other words, don’t play recklessly by trying to make a miracle shot that might cost you a couple of extra strokes.
Understand that golf does not owe you anything – We only get out of golf what we put into it and often things still don’t go as planned. If you don’t practice or try to learn the fundamentals and swing dynamics, then you don’t have any business getting upset or feeling that your luck is bad. Play the game with appreciation, good health and enjoy your time on the course.
Ron Celano's Blog 