As the season warms up, many amateur golfers will ponder where it all went wrong last year… What was the worst part, what was unfair and why didn't things go their way?
Reflecting on seasons gone by, or even your previous round, is all very well, and we can learn so much about what areas of our game needs improving. But often the art of letting go of the past and focusing on the present is what is really important if your golf is to improve.
Attitude plays a huge part of unlocking what we can achieve from the game. If you go in feeling frustrated, then that feeling will only be magnified. So, it’s really important to take some time to pinpoint what needs improvement and what will make the difference. But it isn’t helpful to play the blame game.
Embracing the new season and not over complicating expectations is key. You won’t find any pro golfer going into a new season clutching hold of the negatives from tournaments gone by. There will be zero bitterness and blame, zero fear of failure, only focus on a clear simple formula and agreement to take the positives from every round.
Lydia Ko struggled with golfing gremlins for some time before she decided to literally just “Let it go”. Relaxing into her golf gave a new found freedom to her game and with that came the wins. “There is so much more to life than what I just shot and there is always tomorrow,” she said.
It’s true that time and life events can shape a golfer's attitude to their performance. As we age we experience grief, love and life as a whole. This can give us a huge amount of perspective. As Ko finds herself happily married with support from her husband, plus the addition of Kai the dog, she’s found a level of enjoyment to her golf that wasn’t there before.
Make an agreement with yourself at the beginning of the season to take the rough with the smooth. Accept the bad shots and bad rounds. Take away every cracking shot and pocket it. You’ll find the whole game becomes less stressful and you’ll begin to find some peace within your own golf game.
It’s easy to say that every pro never gives up, never fears failure and never lets the hard knocks get to them. But I do think that as a player matures this becomes more evident. Life teaches us the art of perspective and helps us see the bigger picture.
What we need golf to be for us and what we need golf to give us is almost more important than shooting the lights out every time. Take some time before the start of the season to focus on what golf means to you. This will see you get the very best out of your game this year and most importantly it will see you walking those fairways with a grin on your face.
5 Ways To Reset For Success
Get A Journal
Write down what you’d like to get from your golf and list what you feel will help you to play better. Every day of the new playing season, write down all the good things you did during each round, what needs to be better and a snippet of where you see yourself in a month's time. Be responsible and accountable for how you play golf and for your journey of improvement.
Think About Your Energy Levels
If you’re going out on the golf course and you’re already tired, perhaps you haven’t eaten breakfast. You can’t expect to perform on an empty tank. Energy comes from so many places. One of the most important is how much you sleep and how well you’re sleeping.
This sounds simple, but people struggling with energy levels generally do nothing about it and then wonder why they don’t play golf well. To boost your energy - drink more water, drink less alcohol, eat more protein, eat less sugar, exercise, sleep and laugh.
Don’t Pick A Number
If you want to reduce your handicap, don’t do it by picking a number. I suggest a marginal gains approach. Do it by pinpointing where your game needs improvement. Focus on the areas that need polishing and your handicap drop will happen naturally.
To improve the bigger picture, focus on holing more 3ft putts, chip closer. Practice more in the back garden. Don’t get obsessed about a number because by doing this we put undue pressure on ourselves during every round and this makes it really hard to relax into your own game. Let’s face it, when we relax we play better.
Golf Gear Check
How old are your clubs? Were they fitted for you? Are there any gaps in your bag? Using the wrong equipment could be making this game tougher than it needs to be, so I would 100% advise on visiting your local PGA professional, get yourself fitted with the kit that suits you.
Our swings change as our bodies change. As we age, a more flexible shaft, lighter clubs will make the game easier. Sticking a 9-wood in your bag might be the making of you!
Look Good, Feel Good?
It’s amazing the confidence a new golf jacket, a new pair of golf trousers, or even a new pair of shoes does for your game. Stepping out in clothes that make you feel good will help you play better golf. The technical fabrics available will help you stay warm, stay dry, or keep the sun off.
