SHORTGAME2013

These thoughts are for folks who need a boost to get to the range…. Routines answer questions. Routines extinguish doubt and build confidence. Routines lend to stronger muscle memory. To achieve a level of what Zen masters call “no-mind” we must be so CONFIDENT in our stroke that we are no longer thinking. Others call this state “Unconscious Competence” - the ability to do something well without cognition. Ben Hogan admitted to losing sight of the ball immediately before the club struck it. This is a kind of “zone” - and if we’re to get “In the Zone,” we have to prepare for it! Too often, people see the range as a chore and the course as the fun. It’s time to change that perception. Consider the phrase “build confidence.” How can you increase your level of confidence? Wouldn’t it be great to feel more often like you’ve got this shot? Like the fairway is wide open? Like the green is HUGE? This feeling comes with practice. Iterations are the mother of skill. I don’t think people are necessarily averse to routines, but many golfers don’t play enough to feel a routine will change their game much. That is what is known as a “limiting belief.” Our goal is to change these limiting beliefs. Isn’t it better to maintain beliefs that things work? Since our mindset is connected to muscle performance, it is crucial to believe that our mental efforts have value. YOU MUST BELIEVE WHAT YOU DO WORKS! The following are merely guidelines - use what works for you! It’s not so important to focus on the details; it’s having a routine that matters ! Warm-up : Start with any iron and do 20 half swings. Slowly work into the full swing over the course of about 20 swings. Get a second iron and keep moving. Research says that stretching should happen after moving a bit so doing some half swings and then full swings should prepare you for some good stretching. Stretch arms, shoulders, trunk/back, and legs for a few minutes. The Basic Go-To Range Routine Start with your highest-loft club and do the reverse technique - swing first and measure distance. Start with a half swing. Note the distance. Go to ¾. Again, note it. The more you need a club (short iron), the more you should practice with it! Hit more short irons as you statistically use them much more often and then work your way through all the clubs until you finish with your driver. Left over balls? Hit shots you imagine you think you'll need on the first few holes (Driver, 5-iron....hole 2 is a par 3, so 7-iron, etc)... Course Simulation Routine Build a hole in your mind. Pretend it’s a 360-yard par 4. Create a fairway/OB line on the range and hit away - are you in bounds or out? Next shot, let’s say you’ve got a mid-short iron left. Create a green hit away (just count if it lands “on”). Play 9 holes or 18 and note your tendancies (Right, Left, Short, Long, Thin, Fat, etc) Go get 'em!

Please understand that there are a number of good ways to shave strokes. The following are merely recommendations, so please use only what helps, and leave the rest! To ease confusion, become something of a note-taker. Find out your habits through a system of markings on the scorecard. The course map is your best friend for marking all kinds of shots. I recommend drawing where your shots ended up on the course map, and marking spots in between with an abbreviation system. If you want to get really into it, plan it out the night before! You could also add up the errant shots vs. shots within a certain range of expected outcome. Say you planned to hit a drive right-center and it went more center but a bit right, you might (or might not) count it as "according to plan" - every golfer has to decide an acceptable amount of error. For mid-range handicappers, making a plan can really help the, as players realize when they work back from the hole they rarely need driver. Sticking to the plan to use 3-woods is a maturing player's course management choice, and strokes can be shaved there, to be sure. Put dots for putts below score. Slashes in an "x" for fairway hit (slash right) green hit (slash left). I also recommend noting if ALL putts are long or short. IF you only hit 2 putts long all day, you may want to adjust your putting approach to become more aggressive (unless you made all the rest!)... You could create a system for effective visualization (you might realize you don't visualize putts, or drives, and that could be helpful information). Another cagetory to analyze is super bad shots. We try to minimize these of course, but if we have a baseline number of really bad shots, we have something to work with. How many good results come from bad swings? IF we're going to be honest about improving we have to be a little tough on ourselves when it comes to bad swings that had good results. Mark on the course map shots which were swung badly but had a good result (GR). I once hit a thin shot to 5 feet, but felt I had to mark GR. This isn't a bad thing - I realized I was doing this often on approaches from 160-180, and that helped my restructure my practice time to get down better at that distance. If you can tell, mark how many thin or fat shots you hit. (T or F) You can analyze your last 10 rounds front and back - do you tend to rock the front 9 and peter out on the back? Or do you take a few holes to warm up and charge after the turn? You might be surprised at what you find. Generalities: Most golfers are short and right on approach, short in putting. Those are two things about 80-85% could focus on as meaningful metrics to measure improvement. Taking more club from the fairway and putting the ball to the hole or just past can yeild good results fast for the mid-range handicapper. Try practicing a little more before rounds. Most golfers show up, hit a few putts and they are off! That is a great way to maintain, but difficult to improve! Good luck!

Good point. Thanks!

I like it! We're all trying to make putts. Some people have difficulty seeing the hole on long putts, so visualization can help. My idea is to try to make sure we're erring long if we happen to miss. I like the concept of giving it a chance, and a frame of reference like the circle can help some people try to enlarge their target because, let's face it, while we always want the make, we never want a three-putt. My goal here is to try to help some people improve, and some people may wish to try this method. It's not for everyone. Thanks!

When I was golfing the other day, I observed two patterns (hint: look for patterns by marking down where your putts end up). When I took multiple practice swings while looking at the cup, I lagged them all just past withing tap in range! I'm not going to lie, I'm strarting to believe in strategy. I left one putt short that round. Not bad! All others were just long or in. That's great! Remember, your body is allowed to make mistakes. Billy Casper allowed 7 bad swings per round. That's lots of leeway, depending on your definition of "bad shots." I expect them, so that when they come (and they ALWAYS come), I'm not incredibly surprised or upset. I'm in charge, and while that wasn't a great moment, it was only ONE moment. I'm back in charge of the next shot. The other thing I noticed had to do with the mental game of noticing thoughts. I realized one putt where doubt/fear/something causing hesitation crept in. It was minor, but I missed that putt. I should have taken another moment or stepped away, telling myself with a solid mental voice, "YOU WILL RULE THIS PUTT!" We, ironically, get scared we'll run it by and THAT IS A MISTAKE! It causes us to make a weak stroke, which will often cause a miss! Outside of 7 feet (where pros only make 50% of putts), it's time to rewire expectations. I’m guessing you expect make everything. That’s great, if you can hold the expectation lightly. The roller coaster doesn’t help, so my recommendation is this: set your goal to be at worst a tap in coming back at the hole from the low side, having rolled it by on the high side. The high side is the key, as the ball always has a chance to drop in. The idea is to bring AS STRONG AND REALISTIC as possible, a VISUAL in your mind of the hole. If it’s, say, 30 feet away, try to see it vividly in your mind as you look at your ball. Try visualizing a number of different angles (from behind, same view as when you looked at the hole, with a semi-circle behind the hole, etc., until you find the proper visual that works for you). I have heard this a thousand times, the idea about this big circle 50 feet away that has a 3-foot radius around the hole. I used this for years, but my putts were often short (I finally realized). Can I be so bold as to propose an amendment? Here's my thought about long putts: Putts over 20 feet should only be 1 foot short but can be up to 3 feet long. You'll always make the comeback putt if you're long so it's really just more of a oblong shape with most of the space represented after the hole. Try this: go hit 10 putts at 30-40 feet. See how long it takes you to develop something of a feel (I bet it's less then 10 minutes) for that putt. You'll be amazed at your skill developed, and you'll have more confidence with the idea that you are now trying to roll putts just by. Lagging may be necessary on slippery putts or super long ones, but just try this. I'm betting on (and toasting to) your success!

Part of this Range/Course duality (great on range, rough on course) comes largely from one reason: Time between shots. The range affords the ability to build a totally different kind of momentum. You can hit a shot every ten seconds on the range, but it takes you at least 4 minutes to hit your next shot out on the course. You can get better! 1) When on the range, play a game. Design a par 4. Pretend it's 360. Hit whatever club you hit, measure distance, and see what you have left (you hit 200, you've got 160 in, hit your 160 club and see what happens!) The goal is to PRACTICE THE PACE OF COURSE PLAY. Yes, it takes a little longer when you switch clubs (perhaps you take a minute or two in between shots), but this gives you time to THINK. Remember that you are training your brain to tell the body what to do. Thinking about the way you are about to swing really helps!! 2) This one sounds a bit less fun (for me it sounds more fun) - double the amount of balls you hit in a week. The odds are good you can groove your swing much more to see an improved result on the course. In high school, my buddies went out to play most days, and I would join them sometimes, but many times I'd hit an extra 2 buckets instead. I maintained my #1 position because of the confidence I had in my swing - a direct result of hitting so many more balls than my teammates! Iterations really matter! Good Luck! I'm going to post my practice routine guidelines for the range soon.

When you cross over inside of 100 yards to the flag, things start to happen. I feel a surge of confidence about being able to get it close. I feel that the shot I'm about to hit is going to be a short putt away. I love to consider the concept that I'm trying for and Up-and-Down from here. I've got this. I've put in my range time, and this one's mine. IF you don't have all these emotions standing over the ball from this distance, you might want to keep reading. There are a few strategies I use to will that ball TIGHT. Anything that improves your game dramatically is worth repeating until it's time to pivot for the next new idea, right? ATTACK THE PIN! One thing golfers do from this distance is hit behind the ball, leaving a massive divot about 3 feet beyond your ball. When we decellerate, we break our wrists early. Fear makes people steer away from traps, but most golfers can carry the ball 100 yards, so FLY THAT SUCKER! I just heard from my retired neighbor about overcoming her fear of traps and when she actually knocked it right over, she felt ELATED! That is the JUICE of golf - that moment when you know you've beaten that fearful corner! Now to the next... TAKE ENOUGH CLUB. GET IT UP THERE! People hit their sand wedge different distances. Ego is a KILLER, so get over it! If you hit a lob wedge there, great! If it's your 8-iron, awesome! Do you know what you hit 100 yards? 90? 80? Golfers are tremendous at coming up short, time and time again. The key is to check your ego at the door and let your score speak for you at the end of the day! Mike Reid was famous in the late 80's and early 90's for hitting all his clubs shorter than the other pros but he made up for it by being extremely accurate. His nickname was "Radar" - What is our worst club? Our ego! Take good notes on your next round. How many approaches were you short? How many long? Let the data guide you. KNOW YOUR YARDAGES ON HALF-SWINGS! From about 60 yards to 20 yards, the problems are MANY. We are thinning shots and rocketing them past the green. We are chunking shots. We say hello to the shankopotamus, and wish we had bacon to go with that fried egg bunker lie. The way around the guesswork is to simply take one club to the range and hit it for a whole bucket with half-swings. Iterations will help you OWN shots, but repetition is the mother of skill, so sweat a little for this game that brings you so much joy! I recommend asking someone next to you at the range to grab a quick video of your attempts so you can see if you are really doing a half or a 3/4....it's crucial knowledge!! Remember, attack every shot so you can get crisp contact. GET CREATIVE! TRY IT OUT! My coach in Port Townsend, Washington, once took us to a 15-foot tree about 20 yards from the green. He placed two balls on the ground. With one ball, he showed us a low-running 5 iron that bounded up close. He then proceeded to take out a sandwedge and flop one over the tree, nestled just inside his first ball! I was shocked at his skill. While his idea was to show us options around the green, what I learned was a more fundamental fact of golf: with each shot comes a vital necessity to fully commit. FULLY COMMIT. Most golfers I play with are unfocused, rushed, and their score shows it! Life is short. Be present in your game. Get creative with your shots, swing like the great Seve Ballesteros! Golf is a game of daring, of high stakes, of tremendous success and crushing failure. The drama of this game makes it great. Believe in yourself, practice often, and SHAVE STROKES!

I'd like to see a column on the right with percentages of hit fairways/greens/putting average. Anyone take these kinds of notes on their game?

Jack Nicklaus' father would hold his hair to keep the head still! Good for you on working hard to get it right!!

WAY TO GET HELP AND FIX THAT SWING!! THE USE OF VIDEO IS A GREAT IDEA, ALONG WITH AN EXPERIENCED GUIDE!

Hey Folks, I use a blade putter also -an old Ben Crenshaw classic, the Acushnet Bullseye! It's like an old friend. The light-weight nature forces me to keep a light grip and really stay relaxed over the ball. I use the slightest forward press to insure I'm stroking the ball for a true roll. If you like your putter, it's a GOOD PUTTER! If anyone is interested in putting routines, I put one together down below. It's made a huge difference in my life, thinking about acceleration through the shot, and accountability to make so many in a row of certain kinds of putts. Also, it's a great measure of a great question: How good a putter are you really? Perhaps you are better than you thought! Maybe not. Note: Use this guide as a practice guide, and if you are a high-handicapper, try to check off only a few boxes each time. My 2 cents! The Putting Practice Routine: Putting Practice Checklist - Do your routine each time to really make each putt count! Increased focus will yield great results!! Stay with it! Add to this list if you have a particular weakness to work on. This may take some time. Perhaps you’ll only be able to check one box in a practice session. Great! Next time, go for two. The key is to use this chart as a tool - use it as YOU need. 3-Foot uphill putts - 10 in a row 3-Foot downhill putts - 10 in a row 3-Foot Sidehill - 10 in a row WAY TO GO! Now stay focused and continue!! 5-Foot straight uphill putts - 4 in a row (5 for mid-low handicapper) 5-Foot with slight break back toward feet - 4 in a row (5 for mid-low handicapper) 5-Foot break the other way - 4 in a row (5 for mid-low handicapper) YOU ARE ROCKIN! Remember to read each putt, and follow your routine! 7-Foot straight uphill - 2 in a row for high handicapper, 3 for mid-range/low 7-Foot sidehill R-L - 2 in a row for high handicapper, 3 for mid-range/low 7-Foot L-R - 2 in a row for high handicapper, 3 for mid-range/low A great accomplishment! Now feel the surge of confidence to tackle 10-Footers! 10-Foot straight on flat - 5 in a row made or just past (if short or more than 2 feet past, start over) 10-Foot straight with slight break - 5 in a row made or just past (if short or more than 2 feet past, start over) 10 Foot downhill - 5 in a row made or just past (if short or more than 2 feet past, start over) Now take 10 steps from the cup - 25-30 feet. Here’s your long putt routine: Crouch behind to get line, like all other putts. Pick your spot. Look at a place on your line about 10 feet from the cup. Walk over there and practice swing at your putt to see how it breaks close to the hole. Find your spot, line up clubhead, take two practice swings looking at the hole, breathe while looking back at ball, focus on making it, and stroke it! Be that rare golfer who has a routine, and actually gets better! 30-Foot with little break - 3 in a row no more than 1 foot short and 4 feet long, 2 feet left or right (low handicappers go for 4 or 5 in a row - how many can you get?) 30-Foot uphill with some break - same rules as above 30-Foot downhill with some break - same rules