‘Smart Golf’
This article is not about your golfing attire and wearing cashmere sweaters and fancy trousers. We are talking here about how to think your way around the golf course using simple common sense. Too easy? I make no apologies for this because failing to take a common sense approach to golf can have a worse impact than a faulty swing technique. Here are just a few ways in which you can improve this part of your mental approach:
Play the first tee shot in your head
When you are driving (carefully) to the course or before you leave the practise area, visualise and play the first tee shot in your mind over and over again because when your face this shot for real you will feel more confident and should see better results.
Stick to your game plan
Before you commence play you should have a plan or strategy for each hole and stick to it irrespective of how you are playing, your score, how the opposition are playing or the state of the match.
Do not turn one bad shot into two (or more)
Golf is a game or mistakes, you will make them, accept them and do not try miracle shots to recover the situation, accept your punishment and get on with the game.
Putting a good score together
When you find yourself in a position where you have a good score going do not get too defensive, trust your swing and stay aggressive.
Use your shots
The handicapping system gives you shots because you need them so use them to the best of your ability and do not waste them by attacking pins tight to bunkers or hitting woods out of the rough to low index holes.
Play the percentages
Do not attempt shots with a high risk of failure, simply get the ball back into play as safely as possible and get the best score that you can on the hole and get on with the rest of the game.
Eliminate your disaster shots
Golf is not about how good your best shots are BUT is about how bad your bad shots are and so identify what these shots are and take lessons to eliminate them.
Pay full attention
Each shot needs and deserves your full attention so do not play any shot unless you are ready to play the shot properly.
Commit to the shot
Select the club that you feel is correct to play the shot, have no doubts about your selection, be positive and swing with confident controlled aggression.
Take the positives from your round
No matter how badly you have played or scored on the day focus on something positive rather than negative from the round and take these with you to the next game as well as trying to work on the weaker parts of your game.
You see it really is a simple and easy as that!