Picking On Golf Skill To Hone
As an amateur golfer, I need work in all areas of my game. I am not the longest hitter, greatest short game player or smoothest putter in the game, but I try to emulate the resemblance of a solid game when I tee it up. I have learned over the years that some areas of my game need more focus than others, but that was a tough lesson to learn. Until I started recording stats on fairways hit, greens in regulation, number of putts, etc, I would work on what I felt like at the practice facility. This usually gravitated towards something I was already doing well, hence it did not translate to lower golf scores at the end of the day. I often wonder why and it took a very large ‘ah ha’ moment to change the way I approached my practice sessions.
About 40 years ago I decided it was time to play better golf. I had the makings of a solid swing and a pretty good overall game. Unfortunately, my game plateaued and I could not figure out why I was not improving. I was practicing a great deal and I felt like my game was improving. However, overall scores and ability to finish potentially great rounds was lacking. I was really stuck on where to turn next until…..
I was offered some great advice for a very good golfer who I respected. Bobby Fortune, you have heard me talk about him before, watched me practice and suggested that I was like approaching golf like I was lost. I was practicing the same things (the ones I like) with no real intent on improving . I was going in circles and until I change my mental approach to golf, I would not really get any better. I thought about his advice for about a nanosecond and immediately asked him how to improve.
The first question he asked related to shots around the green. I already knew that putting was very important and he mention before that I should spend a bit more time on that skill, so I guess this was our second lesson. He asked which clubs I used and for what shots. I looked at him blankly and repeated ‘clubs?’ I only used one club and that was my pitching wedge. He nodded sagely, as if he already knew the answer, and said perfect. I wondered about his response until he started to explain that every golf shot has a specific shot that would be create the conditions for success. How we executed that shot would determine if it was good or not. However, if we did not practice the various shots with different clubs then we are setting ourselves up to fail.
Bobby explained that I had to expand my shot making repertoire. I needed to understand how and when to hit all of my wedges (PW, Gap and Sand – I did not carry a lob wedge then) from various lies. Start with the easy lie then progressively make them harder and harder. I understood the basics of his teachings, but had to ask why I wanted to practice shots that took me out of my comfort zone. He said, “to properly hone your game, you need to sharpen each skill!” I never forgot that piece of advice and have used it going forward to improve my overall game.
So, 40 years ago I started a new path that has led me to where I am today. I focused on each club and practiced it until I felt I could successfully hit it 75% of the time. Funny thing is that I still practice specific shots from different positions today. That one lesson I receive so long ago shaped my overall game and allowed my to shoot under par twice this year.
Hone our golf skills is important in golf. If you do nothing else in your next practice session, try hitting a different club from position you normal practice from. Try making the lie very tough and used different clubs to see the results. You will be amazed and the improvement of your score around the green. If nothing else, have fun experimenting!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
