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The next ten “Tip of the Day”s are being taken from an article by Dr. Bob Rotella for Golf Digest, titled “Inside the Golfer’s Mind.” We’re paraphrasing, changing the language a little, and condensing his typical three to four paragraphs into one or two. This is tip three of ten: meet small goals.

When I played baseball, and pitched, I would not throw to the glove. I wouldn’t throw towards the plate. I’d throw towards a stitch on the glove – the smallest thing I could see. When I play golf, I don’t try to “break 80” – I try to hit solid shots. I try to hit the ball in the right position. Golf is a game of small goals: hit the next shot well. Achieve the small goals often enough during a round and you’re more likely to achieve an overall goal without even thinking about it.

Continue reading “Meet Small Goals”

The next ten “Tip of the Day”s are being taken from an article by Dr. Bob Rotella for Golf Digest, titled “Inside the Golfer’s Mind.” We’re paraphrasing, changing the language a little, and condensing his typical three to four paragraphs into one or two. This is tip two of ten: them’s the breaks.

Golf is an unpredictable and sometimes unfair game: your opponent thins his approach, bounces it off a turtle swimming merrily in the water, and ends up three feet from the pin. Your drive, 30 yards past him, sits in a divot, hits the flagstick, and careens into the bunker. Them’s the breaks – learn to love ’em. After all, they’re a big part of the game you chose to play. (Golf, in case you were confused.)

Nobody perfects the game of golf. Sometimes a perfectly struck drive windsd up in a divot. Sometimes it’s the divot you took yesterday. And sometimes the same thing happens to your opponent. Golf is a game of breaks, and it’s the game you’re playing. Getting mad won’t help. Getting frustrated won’t help. Roll with it – there’s nothing you can do. Them’s the breaks.

The next ten “Tip of the Day”s are being taken from an article by Dr. Bob Rotella for Golf Digest, titled “Inside the Golfer’s Mind.” We’re paraphrasing, changing the language a little, and condensing his typical three to four paragraphs into one or two. This is tip one of ten: play to win.

Playing to win doesn’t mean playing recklessly – it means playing smart, controlled, and confident. As Phil Mickelson’s 59 yesterday taught us, you don’t need to be 300 yards down the middle of every fairway (he hit 5) to play well. You don’t need to be two feet from every pin. Some of a player’s best scores come when his ballstriking isn’t at its peak.

Playing to win means holing putts. It means keeping yourself in the game. Playing to win doesn’t mean trying to pull away from your opponent on the first six holes – it means putting yourself in a position to seal a victory with great play down the stretch.

Many golfers are tempted to play “winter rules” when inclement weather rolls around. Instead, we suggest playing the ball as it lies. Get creative – hit the shot with a little mud, or sitting down in some damp grass. Play out of the bare spot or off of the slightly soggy ground. See what you can do.

Playing the ball down teaches you these things, and allows you to more easily face obstacles when they present themselves to you in tournament play. Besides, posting a score two or three strokes over your normal score can’t hurt your handicap too much. And if this tip helps you take another five bucks from your buddies, it was worth it.