Using more of your mental ability to help break 90, is the focus of this golf instruction tips post today. I’m sure you already know about the 90-10 rule in golf, but how much attention do you really give to it.
Any amateur golfer who plays to a handicap of around 20 or so, may experience some level of anxiety surrounding the breaking of 90 in a round of golf. All targets you set yourself should be just out of reach, so that you have to really stretch yourself to achieve them. Yet if you approach this goal in a practical manner and with a real sense of purpose, it is perfectly attainable. In other words, if you have a smart approach, you can achieve it.
On par 72 golf courses, a net score of 90 represents playing bogey golf, or one shot per hole over par. That’s perfectly reasonable and acceptable in normal club golf. Of course the mindset of most golfers is always that of the optimist. Many golfers have made at least par on most or all the holes on a particular golf course, but have never achieved that all on the same round. So, why then do we expect to actually achieve this in a single round of golf? Equally, there will be holes on the course that we have managed to birdie as well, so consequently we might even expect to birdie them again every time we play them.
Let’s be realistic, a 20-handicap golfer will of course play some good shots in amongst some bad ones. Accept this as fact, and when you play a poor shot, treat the next shot as a challenge to minimize the damage. Try not to do what many golfers do, and beat yourself up and let one bad hole ruin a promising round, it’s not always easy I know, but lack of mind control is a major reason why many golfers never move forward to reach their full potential in the game.
Not only are they hard on themselves, they’re also guilty of attempting some incredible shots, if they come off, but usually don’t, only serve to compound the misery. What I’m saying is, when you are in trouble, look for the best solution which will cost you the least number of shots.
Is it not smart at the beginning of the round to actually ‘take’ the shots you receive at every hole and play that hole accordingly? What I mean is, treat the par 3s as par 4s, the par 4s as par 5s and so on. At the level of an 18+ handicap golfer you’ll be lucky to avoid at least one seven on your scorecard. If you do, that’s great, but be realistic. The worst feeling is the pressure you put on yourself by thinking that you have to make a three at a par 3, obviously sometimes you will, but there will be times when you will make a five or worse. Accept that result and use your shots to take the pressure off yourself.
Another option is, you can also help yourself reduce your handicap by practicing your putting whenever you can. Look at the pros, their best rounds come with the least number of putts, logical really isn’t it. But you don’t become a good putter through accident, it is by design and that entails practice. I suggest to players that they spend at least a couple of hours a week practicing putting on whatever surface they are near. Obviously grass is preferable but, if you are in the office or at home, then improvise using the carpet for a slow green, and wooden or tiled flooring as fast greens.
You can practice 6-10 foot putts by putting to a small coin or marker. You’ll soon adjust to the speed of grass much quicker if you have experience of other surfaces. It may sound silly but it works. The easiest way for a high handicap golfer to reduce their handicap, is to improve your putting, it’s a fact.
Here’s another fact, some days you will go out and play below your handicap and then have your handicap reduced. There’s no reason to change the strategy, just move the goalposts a bit, if you get down to 18, then set a target of 15, then use your 15 shots where you receive a shot on a hole. If you still play to 18, then you’ve played to your handicap. Doesn’t it make sense in the long run? Take some of the pressure off yourself. When you then play to 15 you’ve actually played 3 shots below your handicap, so it gets reduced again. Isn’t that what the game is about?
Many golfers complicate the game by thinking badly or not thinking too much at all. Yet you’ve been given options here that hopefully will help you play better and reduce your handicap. Just in case here are a few more tips that will help you with your mental approach.
We all experience nerves, it’s normal, but learn to turn nervous energy into positive adrenalin. We all get excited when we play well and the adrenalin starts to rush, but we need an edge, so take some slow deep breaths to control the adrenalin rush and learn to play and especially putt with your nerves within the control of your head. Often commentators talk about the players ‘golf swing’ holding up under pressure, it’s the ‘golfer’ who holds up under pressure and controls the swing, so let’s condition the mind.
Focus, play one shot at a time, stay in the present moment. This old adage is the best, so learn to do it. Concentrate on your game and never worry about how other players are doing. Just fix on maximizing your own god given talent.
A pre-shot routine is important, if you don’t have one, create a simple one that you can easily replicate with every shot. Combine that with a game plan and stick to it, conserve the strategy and confident swing!
Perfect practice makes perfect golf. Quality rather than quantity, focus on target and routine. Resist the temptation to analyze the bad shots in the middle of your round, leave that to the practice range. Avoid any mechanical thoughts when playing in competition and go with what you have. In your mind, actually see yourself shooting low scores, winning a tournament.
Above all have fun, golf is just a game and is to be enjoyed. Yes I know it can be annoying and frustrating at times but that’s largely due to the expectations we put on ourselves and the pressure you put on yourself. It’s much easier to just accept whatever shot you hit, enjoy the challenge and throw away your expectations, just have fun, your game will appreciate it.
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