The Pen is Mightier than the Putter

The Pen is Mightier than the Putter

Can this be true I hear you cry!

You bet it is…..

If you have any serious goals or ambitions in golf the first step is to write them down because it crystallizes your thinking and lets your subconscious know that you mean business.

Now you have to start somewhere with this process and the past is a good place to begin because it provides the base point for charting your improvement.

Short term just writing down your personal history will lead to an improvement in your game BUT this effect will not last long unless backed up with the other techniques that I promote.

Just answer the following questions honestly and you should find that you learn something about your ‘golfing’ self:

  1. How long have you played golf?

  2. What made you take it up?

  3. What were your goals for the first year you played?

  4. What is your handicap and is it the lowest it has been?

  5. Have you performed to your expectations since you started playing?

  6. How do you rate your driving, iron play, short game and putting?

  7. What are the best and worst parts of your game?

  8. What are your mental strengths and weaknesses?

  9. How do you relate to the people you play with (e.g. nervous)?

  10. What is your temperament like (positive, negative, confident, etc)?

  11. What were the best, shot, hole and round that you have played?

  12. How did you feel before, during and after that shot, hole or round?

  13. How do you approach games against stronger and/or weaker opponents?

  14. Does your form vary with periods of slump and self-doubt?

  15. What aspect of the game give you the greatest satisfaction (e.g. winning)

  16. What’s your best shot and how consistent are you at producing it?

  17. What is your worst shot?

  18. What is the area of your game with the most improvement potential (e.g. driving, attitude, etc)?

  19. Which game format (e.g. match play, medal, stroke play) do you prefer and why?

  20. At what level would you like to be playing in one, six, twelve or twenty four months?

  21. Do you want to improve your golf game and how important is it to you?

Just by answering these questions and more importantly writing down the answers you have made a significant leap forward by crystallizing your thinking and bringing you and your game into sharper focus.

The answer to the first part of the final question is obviously YES but the act of writing it down is key in this process because it gives formal notice to your subconscious that to play better golf is your immediate goal and if the answer to the second part of the last question is VERY this reinforces this positive message.

What you have written as answers shows you the areas for improvement and what you have done confirms that you have the potential for this improvement.

This is just the first step BUT by writing down your experiences you have dramatically increased your chances of achieving your goals.