Unfolding Process

Week 6:

 

    In a game where score is a benchmark of success it’s surprising how many golfers believe that their score is in direct relation to how well they swing the club; good swing = good score; bad swing = bad score. This concept excludes the idea of scoring well when you are swinging poorly, a must skill in a game where the best ball sticker ever, Ben Hogan said he expected to make only six good shots a round. Of course Hogan’s concept of good was a bit different than everyone else but none-the-less the point stands – the swing ain’t the only thing!

    This week cultivate the concept of golf as an unfolding process: As you progress from the tee, where by rule, all positions are equal, you either increase or decrease your positional advantage until you hole out -- the ultimate positional advantage.  This is the same process for every hole you play and to maximize your performance you need to develop a plan that maneuvers the ball to favorable positions just as the good billiard player controls the cue ball to run the table.  Thus the strategy for scoring golf is POSITION and those who consistently gain positional advantage consistently score well.

    POSITIONAL ADVANTAGE

    Like your swing concept, your golf game will never be any better than your concept of what a good golf game should be. If your concept of the game is hitting pretty shots, having fun or hitting it farther than the next player then you will focus all your energies toward your goal and scoring will become an afterthought.

    You may not even be aware that you're doing this and if somebody asked you, you'd say that score is most important, but subconsciously your priorities drive your behavior.  Scorers prioritize for low scores and use the swing as a vehicle.  How the shot effects their position is the important factor for scoring.  This way they keep a clear mind that can focus on their most important goal -- scoring.

 

If you can get on the golf course this week focus on the process of your play rather than your swing. If you’re snowed in watch one of the many tournaments on TV, pick a player and after you’ve watched them play, track them on PGAtour.com where their round is outlined shot by shot. You’re not looking at their swings but how they position the ball around the course.

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