Following are two guidelines I provide to all of my up and coming junior players that want to start competing. But, the guides can be used by any golfer whether they want to compete or just be the best player they can be. The guides are simple and will help you understand your current ability and the steps needed to get to the next level. The first guide is "Manage your Game" and the second guide is "Tournament Golf".
Manage Your Game to Lower Your Scores on the
Course
Managing your game includes managing
the physical as well as the mental. The
number one rule is to stay in the present during your round. You cannot predict what you are going to
shoot. You are setting yourself up for
disappointment if you do. Just because
you are getting ready to play a short or easy hole does not guarantee a birdie. If you are not careful, you can walk away
with a double bogey.
The best way to gain control of your
game is to:
a) Evaluate the state of your game
b) Improve mechanics and physical conditioning
c) Improve your thought process
(target/routine)
d) Improve course management (club
selection/aim)
e) Emotions- suffer in solitude and enjoy in
quietness
Before you learn to manage your game,
you have to know where you are starting.
It is a journey. Once you
evaluate, you will have a better understanding of the physical and mental work
needed.
I will say that playing the same
course every day can make us complacent in game management. We put our brain in auto pilot and go through
the motions. You may not know yardages but you know you hit an 8 iron when you
are by this tree on #1. When you take
your game on the road, you may not play as well because you have lost the
ability to go through the process of hitting a shot. Lack of attention to detail leads to
inconsistency.
a) ******Review Game Evaluation*****
# Years played ____ Current handicap or
average score _____ +/- Prev. Year ________
1. How often do you play?
_________________________________________________
2. How often do you practice your full swing? _________________________________
3. How often do you go to the putting green?
___________________________________
4. How often do you practice
chipping/pitching/bunkers? _________________________
5. What is your lowest round this year?
____________ lowest round ever? ___________
6. How far do you hit your average tee shot in
the air? __________________________
7. How far do you hit your average 7 iron? ____________________________________
8. How often do you visualize your shots? ____________________________________
9. Do your emotions prevent you from playing
your best? ________________________
10. Do you have trouble staying focused for an
entire round? _____________________
11. Which club do you hit the best? ______________
Worst? _____________________
12. What does your typical bad shot look
like? _________________________________
13. Have you been professionally fit for your
clubs? ____________________________
14. Track these stats your next 5 rounds: Fairways hit ____
15. What are your 2018 goals? ________________________________________________________________________
16. Have you had professional instruction? ____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
b) Improve Mechanics and Physical Conditioning.
An example of improving mechanics
would be making a set-up or swing change to improve ball striking, add length
and consistency. Try to keep swing
thoughts few and simple. Learning to hit
shots left, right, high and low would be another example of improving the
physical. These are the shots that get
you out of trouble. Part of managing
your game is knowing how far each club goes in the air (see Set Make Up below). Working on short game mechanics is very
important and will give you the
fastest improvement to lower your scores.
Learn to be more creative around the greens ie. know when and how to hit
a short shot high or low. Also part of physical management is your
actual physical conditioning. Fitness now plays a huge role in TOUR players
and should play a role in your game as well.
It should include core workouts and walking. Stamina is very important especially toward
the end of the round. If you are getting
physically tired, you will not perform as well.
You have to play all 18 holes and all are equally important. Drink plenty of water during the round, not
soft drinks or alcohol.
Evaluate
Your Game
Your answers
to these questions will help you better understand which parts of your game
need improvement so you can meet your goals.
Greens hit in regulation ____
Total
putts ____
Sand
saves ____
Penalty
shots ____
Three
putts ____
 |
| Kevin Na at the Dell World Match Play Championship |
 |
| The Russian Twist Core Workout |
Set Make Up
Lofts and Yardages
Make/Model Irons:
____________________
Loft Distance
Wedge 1
Wedge 2
Wedge 3
PW
9 iron
8 iron
7 iron
6 iron
5 iron
4 iron
3 iron
Hybrid 1
Hybrid 2
Hybrid 3
Fairway
Fairway
Fairway
Driver
Visit www.golfclubspec.com to find the specs of your set.
The list for mental improvement is much longer than physical!
c) Improve Thought Process-target/routine
One of the best pieces of advice I have heard is "make an aggressive swing to a conservative target". Instead of hitting an easy driver, go ahead and make an aggressive swing with the club that will not reach trouble. When we are not committed to the shot we usually make bad swings. Always hit the shot you know you can hit. Always pick a target for every shot. It is OK to acknowledge the hazards, then focus on your target. For short game shots, your target is the spot you want the ball to land. Your pre-shot routine is important. This should be in process while the others in your group are playing their shots.
 |
| Matt Kuchar at Dell World Match Play Championship Preparing to Play |
2. Pick
target and intermediate target-this is done from behind the ball and will help
you with alignment.
3.
Visualize and feel the swing
4. Let
it go!
d) Improve Course Management- club selection/aim
You should play the course based on your
current ability. Again, you have to hit
the shot you know you can hit. To me,
course management is connecting the dots on every hole. You play from point A to point B, go through
your routine and then add the score when you are finished. As an example, if you are playing a long par
5, divide the hole into thirds. Let's
say the hole is 540 yards long. If you
divide into thirds, you only have to hit each shot 180 yards. Now, if you hit your drive 220 right in the
middle, you only have 320 yards to go.
At this point you can divide that in half and play it as a short par 4
by hitting two 160 yard shots or hit your second shot 180 leaving only 140 to
the green. You get my point. If you hit your driver 275 yards but out of
play, now you are looking at bogey or worse.
I use this same technique on par 4's.
Only I divide the yardage in half.
I usually look at the yardage and then figure "how far do I have to
the 150 marker?" The bottom line is
what did you shoot, not how you did it.
That's why the box is so small on the scorecard.
Depending on your ability and weather conditions, you may play this par 4 cautiously by laying up both the tee shot and second shot OR go ahead play it as normal. The beauty of golf is there is only "your" way of playing the hole.
Remember:
loft is your friend- loft keeps the ball in play.
On the practice tee, go through your routine
on each shot you hit. It is your quality
of practice and not necessarily your quantity that will help you improve. Visualize playing a golf hole on the
range. Don't just go bang 150 seven iron
shots. Hit a drive, based on how you hit
it, choose the club you need for a second shot and hit that. This will help your visualization skills.
Don't let them ruin your game. It is just a game. Suffer in silence and enjoy in solitude.
Each shot deserves to be hit with the same
focus and attention. Don't follow a bad
shot with another bad shot. Breathe,
keep your head up.
Review: Five
F's
Play with
Focus, Play Fast, Play Fair and you will play Fantastic and have more Fun!
2. Identify areas of concern and address them.
Tournament Day
Keep stats,
learn from them, and then go play golf…not golf swing!
There’s Golf…then there is Tournament Golf
The
difference in social golf and tournament golf analogy: Social golf is like walking on a 15’ long 2x4
on the ground. As the competition
expands, raise the 2x4 two feet off the ground for each level you grow (club,
city, state, national). Raising the
board increases your intensity level! It's
the same 2x4 so you have to embrace the challenge and walk that 2x4 with
confidence at each level.
 |
| On the Range at the Dell World Match Play Championship |
Remember: Half the field does not care what you shoot
and the other half wishes you would have scored worse! Play
your own game!
From 30,000’
in the air looking down you are just a speck on the course…golf is not that big
of a deal in the grand scheme. Just go
PLAY golf and add up your score at the end.
It is the little
things that will make you better. Have a
good grip and set up. Then line up
properly and go from point A to point B!
Play with
better players and you will improve and learn what they do well.
Prepare for Competition
1. Love every club in your bag!
2. Identify areas of concern and address them.
3. Instruction: don’t wait until the week before
and decide you need to fix your swing.
4. Get in shape: exercise to improve strength,
flexibility and mental toughness.
5. Know the basic rules of golf for your benefit
and to protect the field.
6. Foul weather gear: have a great waterproof
rain suit, sunscreen, umbrella, towel, band aids, insect spray, etc.
7. Develop practice schedule: treat like a job
to get prepared, and make time for long game and short game.
8. Putt everyday: work on 3-5’ putts and 30-50’
putts.
9. You will score lower with a great short game. Practice chipping, pitching and bunkers. Learn to be creative when needed.
10. Narrow focus when practicing: use one side of
the range and work on alignment.
11. Practice course management: easy to get lazy
when you play the same course daily.
12. Develop a pre-shot routine to improve
consistency and better prepare you to hit a shot. It never varies regardless of the situation.
13. Practice round for event: DO NOT KEEP SCORE! You are there to learn the nuances of the
course.
14. Night before the event: visualize each hole
in your mind and how you are going to play the hole.
15. If a large event with a starter, gallery etc:
start practicing the first tee shot a week in advance. When on the range imagine the starter calling
your name and then visualize the shot and hit it.
16. Prepare clothes/snacks/directions etc. the
night before the event.
1. Give yourself plenty of drive time. Don’t arrive rushed.
2. Walking/Riding? If riding in a cart, try to drive so you are
in control.
3. Stay hydrated/carry snacks, no soft drinks or
candy.
4. Putt first then hit balls before the
round. The putting green is usually
empty at first so you can find a short putt and make 25-50 putts. Then put some long putts to get the feel of
the greens for the day. They may be
faster for tournament day.
5. Warm up: feel tempo, not mechanics. Hit enough balls to feel tempo then hit a few
bunker shots and pitch shots. Do not
wear yourself out!
6. Arrive to the tee early. Read the rules sheet. Don’t forget the hole location sheet!
7. Attitude:
be the player you would like to play with. Maintain even keel with emotions.
8. Play your game, not your fellow
competitors. If you planned on laying up
on a hole and he/she hits driver…who cares.
9. BREATHE and keep your head up. Remember animals in the jungle that keep
their heads down get eaten!
10. Course management: Remember 6 is better than
7. Don’t follow a bad shot with an
equally bad shot or bad decision.
11. See positive, not negative on each hole. Remember, acknowledge the trouble then play
from point A to B.
12. Stay in the present: don’t fall into the trap
of looking ahead to the easy 15th hole thinking you will make
birdie.
13. Play every shot as if it's your first shot of
the day...there is no history on the first shot.
14. Be prepared to play when it is your
turn. Don’t start taking more time just
because it is a tournament.
15. Double check your scorecard and sign it. Thank the volunteers for their time.
16. If it is a multi-day event, go work on any
issues at the range, but do not wear yourself out.
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