Discipline

[iacas]

I'm going to use the same image I used in this thread about good practice being boring practice to kick off a discussion specifically about the word in the title: discipline. That image is to the right here. --->

Whether it's Scottie Scheffler using his training grip every day, or Justin Thomas learning that he needs to re-find his "home base" (X link) for his putting, or Tiger taking a year working on something before he calls Butch (or Hank, or Sean, or Chris) to say "I've got it," or even a golfer on the course aiming away from a flagstick, discipline may be the single most important skill in golf. Top three for sure (don't hold me to that! 🤣).

I don't always stay disciplined. I don't record video quite as often as I should… I don't go quite as slowly as I should. And yet… I do those things about 15-20x as often as most golfers.

Discipline is making yourself practice something at home at least 15 minutes a day (even if that's five three-minute sessions). Discipline is making yourself see no evil, hear no evil when looking at social media swing tips and just focusing on your one priority piece. Discipline is doing it with nearly constant feedback — recording videos, training aids or "stations" — at the right (almost surely slower than you most can possibly imagine at first) speeds. (Here's a search on X showing a few of my practice stations. They're often pretty similar because… I'm almost always working on similar things.) A typical golfer thinks I'm nuts. I've said on my podcast and written it here on GolfWRX that sometimes, a great practice session includes 50% shanks. Discipline is often not caring where the ball is going.

More and more society seems to be chasing instant gratification. Can't beat that game? Just buy a level-up. Want to get some "likes"? Post an (edited, quite often faked in some way) selfie or something from the beach (ignoring the screaming kids 20 feet away, the sand fleas biting your legs, the sunburn you'll get from forgetting to put sunscreen on the back of your calves, etc.) and your friends will like it by rote and you'll feel a smidgen better about yourself. Golf is not that. Golf is not instant gratification. Golf is WORK. Improvement at golf requires trust that the light will be at the end of the tunnel, because unless you're highly sensitive to seeing light in a small change (or a larger change at a slowspeed), the light at the end of the tunnel is often a LONG ways off.

(This is one of the reasons why some people — I'm not saying anyone here — love the "work on your short game and putting" approach. It's one of the closest things to instant gratification that you'll find in golf, limited as the gains may be. They can see a few more balls going in the hole and see tangible relatively quick improvement. Again, though, it's often small improvement, and it doesn't necessarily stick.)

Few things are more frustrating than giving a great lesson to a 20 handicapper, having them pause, using mirrors, recording every third swing and reviewing it with them, making them hit the ball only 50 yards or so, and leaving them with a very clear message about what and how to practice… only for them to text you the next day with "I went to the range, it went horribly, here's a video of my swing (at full speed, with no rehearsals), what am I doing wrong?" (This is particularly frustrating when you've helped someone for free and they seem to understand and believe everything, and then you see the same type of response and no evidence of them actually putting in the work.)

Even super experienced golfers and lower index players often think (subconsciously at least) that they're going to "get better" from just taking a lesson and practicing for 40 minutes during that lesson. After all, most golfers start to hit it better at the end of the lesson than they were at the beginning. But… golf doesn't work that way. Not at full speed, not quickly.

Being disciplined isn't much fun (getting better can be, but there are a lot of valleys between the small peaks). It means spending 15-60 minutes a day (or five days a week, or whatever) being focused on taking small steps. It means knowing that some days you may actually take a step back, but it won't be as far back as going two or three days without putting in the work. It means knowing that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

How disciplined are you? Could you spend ten minutes less scrolling Instagram or X and spend that on your golf game? While you're waiting for your popcorn, could you use the reflection in your patio door window to work on your golf swing? Can you go at the right speed, with a station set up, and record yourself frequently?

Can you?

Or, more importantly…

Will you?

[Patco]

Thank you.

 

Pat

[saevel25]

15 hours ago, iacas said:

 discipline may be the single most important skill in golf. Top three for sure (don't hold me to that! 🤣).

1) Genetics / Talent

I'd probably put discipline as 2nd. It tracks with other sports. Look at the NFL, you have arguably less athletic NFL players be 10+ year starters, and some uber elite guy just flames out in 3 years. It is 100% lack of discipline to stay on track with what matters the most. 

I agree that discipline is adherence. What helps discipline is creating habits. 

16 hours ago, iacas said:

How disciplined are you? Could you spend ten minutes less scrolling Instagram or X and spend that on your golf game? While you're waiting for your popcorn, could you use the reflection in your patio door window to work on your golf swing? Can you go at the right speed, with a station set up, and record yourself frequently?

Can you?

Or, more importantly…

Will you?

There is some evidence out there that discipline, which I place in the bin of being conscientiousness, is genetic. Which means people with lower levels of conscientiousness need probably a very structured system to stay on track and will more likely than not fall off the habit. It is a spectrum, like some people are just truly impulsive and won't stick to any plan or habit. While some, and you see this mostly in the uber successful in life, they are almost OCD in sticking to their plan. They are like clockwork. Most people are in between. Anyways. 

The tough part for me is definitely staying diligent in practicing and practicing the right way. I do get caught being too focused on quality of strike and result of the shot. I almost need to just get a net set up, so I eliminate the result of where the ball goes. 

I am trying to figure out better ways to organize my life. As work gets more and more busy. As I want to improve other things in my life (health primarily), hanging out with friends and family, golf gets lost a bit here and there. I think I need to be very structured and have some sort of app or alert system to adhere to. 

Also, I do bad when I am mentally drained. Which can happen a lot. Sometimes it gets tough to get off the couch. Especially when you are an introvert and get drained by being around people. It might be that practice needs to be done in the morning when I have more energy to spare. 

 

[mdl]

47 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

The tough part for me is definitely staying diligent in practicing and practicing the right way. I do get caught being too focused on quality of strike and result of the shot. I almost need to just get a net set up, so I eliminate the result of where the ball goes.

100% When I'm at the range I find it almost impossible not to be too focused on shot result. My best periods of swing improvement have happened with net and tripod in my (small) back yard.

[GolfLug]

1 hour ago, saevel25 said:

1) Genetics / Talent

I'd probably put discipline as 2nd. It tracks with other sports. Look at the NFL, you have arguably less athletic NFL players be 10+ year starters, and some uber elite guy just flames out in 3 years. It is 100% lack of discipline to stay on track with what matters the most. 

I agree that discipline is adherence. What helps discipline is creating habits. 

There is some evidence out there that discipline, which I place in the bin of being conscientiousness, is genetic. Which means people with lower levels of conscientiousness need probably a very structured system to stay on track and will more likely than not fall off the habit. It is a spectrum, like some people are just truly impulsive and won't stick to any plan or habit. While some, and you see this mostly in the uber successful in life, they are almost OCD in sticking to their plan. They are like clockwork. Most people are in between. Anyways. 

The tough part for me is definitely staying diligent in practicing and practicing the right way. I do get caught being too focused on quality of strike and result of the shot. I almost need to just get a net set up, so I eliminate the result of where the ball goes. 

I am trying to figure out better ways to organize my life. As work gets more and more busy. As I want to improve other things in my life (health primarily), hanging out with friends and family, golf gets lost a bit here and there. I think I need to be very structured and have some sort of app or alert system to adhere to. 

Also, I do bad when I am mentally drained. Which can happen a lot. Sometimes it gets tough to get off the couch. Especially when you are an introvert and get drained by being around people. It might be that practice needs to be done in the morning when I have more energy to spare. 

 

I think you are more disciplined than you give yourself credit for. Not patronizing at all, but consider this; of the 11-12 regulars that I play with only one ever hits the range (we have a really nice range) any other time than a pre-round 15-minute warm-up. And NONE of them even touch their clubs once they leave the parking lot until they show up next weekend. Of course, they complain about how little they practice (variety of reasons/excuses). I think you can run circles around these folk from a discipline aspect. 

I know you have a higher bar than these weekenders that I cited but discipline is on a spectrum. On that note, discipline and religion are similar in the way that you have to buy into an ideology of a 'greater good' in face of conflicting or even absent facts. Easier said than done. All we can do is be mindful and do our best. 

Edited May 21 by GolfLug

[saevel25]

2 hours ago, GolfLug said:

I think you are more disciplined than you give yourself credit for. Not patronizing at all, but consider this; of the 11-12 regulars that I play with only one ever hits the range (we have a really nice range) any other time than a pre-round 15-minute warm-up. And NONE of them even touch their clubs once they leave the parking lot until they show up next weekend. Of course, they complain about how little they practice (variety of reasons/excuses). I think you can run circles around these folk from a discipline aspect. 

Yes, but for the type of golfer I want to be I am not disciplined enough. They are probably just upset that they don't shoot the best rounds of their life every time. They shot a 40 last week and a 50 the next, and think they should always shoot 50. What they don't realize, once they break 40 all the time, they want to break par and get pissed when they don't break 40. Golf is a never-ending cycle of suffering. 🤣

Anyways, first you have to ask yourself, ok do I have the talent to be this type of golfer. If the answer is yes, then the next question becomes, what are you doing today to become that golfer you want to be. How are you training, how are you practicing, how are you mentally. If I want to be a + handicap golfer, which I can become. Then I need to practice much closer to that of a let's say a PGA Tour player than a weekend golfer. 

I have a clear vision of what I can be as a golfer, and I am not close in the discipline department. 

 

[pganapathy]

The reality is discipline is very very difficult.  The physical demands of any sport mean there is pain involved in practice and fitness.  Unless people are willing to undergo this, they will inevitably get a surge and train at some point before falling off the wagon due to multiple reasons/excuses.  Motivation is also a key here to keep a person going through the pain and unless a professional, the time involved, in practice

[Huffy]

The single worst swing change I've ever made is any grip change. I genuinely feel like I've never picked up a club before, to the point where I've tried to weaken my grip multiple times over the past 2 years or so and always give up. I think I got it close now, but I think grip changes are a great example of where you just need discipline and perseverance to get though.

[WillieT]

Discipline is hard, just like golf.  Over the course of my journey - I have made some solid steps in improving, but I have also had some steps backwards.  One thing the daily practice plan has done has instilled the desire to do something each day (only pausing when life happens).  While I don’t note it - many of the drills from the Covid-19 Practice Plan that Erik put out there…through it all, small steps have been my MO - as I have had to Lear to get proper weight shift on a lead foot with no toes, grafted skin and almost 24/7 mild pain.  All that to say it’s a journey of a million small steps - steps where one day I play like it’s all ease and a low 80’s score and days where I feel like I’ve stepped back and struggle to not hit 100.  Today I was literally thinking about what word I need to lock in on - competitive was the word. How does one get that mindset in the forefront? Discipline - to make small changes that become second nature.  The journey continues. 

[iacas]

11 hours ago, saevel25 said:

1) Genetics / Talent

I don't count those as "skills."

[billchao]

I've written and deleted a response to this topic a couple of times now and I still feel like I can't come up with anything coherent.

I'm more disciplined than the average golfer. I'm also motivated to be disciplined. Does that make any sense? Because it kind of does in my head. I suppose if I was the kind of person who expected instant gratification I would have stopped trying to get better years ago. I'm also the kind of person that is always trying to improve at the things I'm interested in. Even if it's say, cooking egg fried rice, which I've done countless times, I'm always trying to see what I did well, where I could do better, etc. Golf works the same way for me. It's an activity I am interested in and part of my expression of interest is the pursuit of improvement. I can't just go out and play two rounds on the weekend and then not do anything golf related until the following week. It's just not how I'm wired.

[GolfLug]

I think the OP's point is discipline is a skill since it often requires one to ignore/contradict our innate inclinations/type of person we are/desire for immediate evident improvement, etc. It is counterintuitive and hence a skill. That's how I interprete it anyway.

An everyday example that comes to mind is most of us need to aim at the center of green majority of times. We all know it but not many of have the discipline to consistently stick to the game plan.

[saevel25]

10 hours ago, iacas said:

I don't count those as "skills."

gotcha, then I would rank it #1 skill to learn in golf. 

5 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

I think the OP's point is discipline is a skill since it often requires one to ignore/contradict our innate inclinations/type of person we are/desire for immediate evident improvement, etc. It is counterintuitive and hence a skill. That's how I interprete it anyway.

If a person's ability to be disciplined is on a bell curve from totally impulsive undisciplined to OCD disciplined, then I think training probably shifts discipline a bit. It would be interesting if there was a study on this and what aids could help, and does it get easier over time if it becomes a habit? 

 

[GolfLug]

17 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

gotcha, then I would rank it #1 skill to learn in golf. 

If a person's ability to be disciplined is on a bell curve from totally impulsive undisciplined to OCD disciplined, then I think training probably shifts discipline a bit. It would be interesting if there was a study on this and what aids could help, and does it get easier over time if it becomes a habit? 

 

Oh I think it definitely gets easier like distance running with proper/sufficient mind/body conditioning. You gotta convince your ancient brain/subconscious that whatever you are doing is good regardless of what your immediate perception if telling you. You can convince it by simply grunting through the 'pain' till it becomes easier or somehow come up with a secondary reward system for your subconscious mind.

I enjoy swinging a club at night without a ball or anything for a few minutes every night and in the morning before I jump into the shower. Visualize a 240 yard drive like a 12 year old/burning calories/keeping my muscles supple, etc are all brain placebo tricks I use to make it 'rewarding'. No expectation of any 'improvement'. Just the act. 

One more thing while I'm at it.. I don't continue telling myself discipline is hard. It unnecessarily elevates it to some challenge it isn't. 

Edited May 22 by GolfLug

[iacas]

1 hour ago, GolfLug said:

One more thing while I'm at it.. I don't continue telling myself discipline is hard. It unnecessarily elevates it to some challenge it isn't. 

Many things are hard until you make yourself do it a bunch.

[GolfLug]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Many things are hard until you make yourself do it a bunch.

Yes, of course gotta condition it with repetition...😊. No way around it. Just don't want to simultaneously keep signaling to myself that being disciplined is hard all the time. I find it self-defeating. Like you said, got to make yourself do it, but without the fuss. 

Edited May 22 by GolfLug

[mdl]

12 hours ago, saevel25 said:

gotcha, then I would rank it #1 skill to learn in golf. 

If a person's ability to be disciplined is on a bell curve from totally impulsive undisciplined to OCD disciplined, then I think training probably shifts discipline a bit. It would be interesting if there was a study on this and what aids could help, and does it get easier over time if it becomes a habit? 

 

The answer to this is definitely yes. There's a good amount of research on behavior modification and habit formation. Obviously it's different for everyone in terms of neurotype (I maybe made that word up?) and that kind of thing. But doing very small, easy versions of things that you can maintain consistency with do over time make it easier to remain consistent with more and more dedicated habits.

This is a good popular roundup of the research framed in a self help style, at least up to the time it came out. 

Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear

---

Packed with evidence-based strategies, Atomic Habits will teach you how to make small changes that will transform your habits and deliver amazing...

 

[StuM]

I clearly need to take this thread to heart and get more disciplined.  My practice of late has been minimal and not focused as it should be.  

For me, the discipline needs to be:

• Do it consistently
• Work out a "Plan" 
• Cut out the excuses - We are all busy but we all can make time for what is important to us.
• Work not only on is "Fun" but what is "Needed"