So many amateur players get in their own way mentally before even starting a round of golf. Often times the negative thoughts start before even coming to the golf course.
One of the biggest beliefs among amateur players is that they do not hit the ball far enough. Did that catch your attention? I bet you said this at one time or another about your own game.
While long, powerful drives are nice, it’s accuracy that usually prevails.
Drivers are the longest clubs in the golf bag. They go the furthest and have the least amount of loft. Therefore, they produce the largest amount of curvature creating some of the most exciting and horrendous shots.
Holding onto a driver is a different feeling than any other club. For some people this is an intense, nerve-wracking feeling.
The ball is on a tee and it looks like it should be so easy. Everyone is standing around watching, and all eyes are on you.
Human instinct of course is to swing as hard as possible. Think about it this way, if you could add 10 yards to your drive what would that do to your game? It is usually the equivalent of a one club differential.
Is hitting a 6-iron instead of a 7-iron going to drastically change your score? The answer is no.
Swinging too hard creates an off balance swing, which generates shots that are not off the center of the clubface.
Where is the sweet spot on your driver? In the center of the club face. I would much rather see students take a smooth swing, which results in a center of club face hit.
Hitting the center of the club face and being in the fairway is a far better result than swinging as hard as you can to try to get 10 more yards and being in the thick rough or out of bounds.
In 2007 Zach Johnson won The Masters Tournament. He beat Tiger Woods, who finished tied for second, by two shots that week.
Johnson decided at the beginning of that week he was going to lay-up on every par five. This meant he would have no opportunities to putt for eagle.
He is one of the shortest drivers of the golf ball on the PGA Tour. Did he think Woods was going to have eagle putts throughout the week? Of course he would. Woods was one of the longest players on tour.
But Zach had a plan and refused to get out of his own way. Instead he stuck to his game and kept the ball in play.
I advise you to do the same with your own game. Have a game plan and stick to it. Understand that you don’t have to swing as hard as you can. I allow my students to swing as hard as they want if they can maintain balance.
Accuracy can beat power. You just have to commit to your game and not get in your own way.
