Dean Walker

I obviously meant from the same tee boxes or next to each other on the range for instance.

Thats very true. I think if a 24 handicapper for instance (no disrespect to 24 handicappers) watched me vs my friend, they might notice only a small difference and might not be able to grasp just how much better he is.

I am good friends with a guy who has been on and off the European Tour. And I must say, he is on another level altogether from me and my other pals who are all low handicappers/club pros. The difference is massive...the relentless strike quality, control of flight, accuracy, wedge play is all far superior. I honestly think no matter how much I practice, his current level is unachievable for me to reach. Thats not being self defeating - it just is. And although hes had a couple of nice finishes, he cant keep his card for any length of time which is unfathomable to think when you watch him knock it round in 8 under for fun. Just shows how good the top players are. For the guy who thinks theres only a little bit of difference in every facet between a low handicapper and a tour player, please wake up. Im a decent golfer but I probably wouldnt break 85 from the backs at Augusta. These boys knock around in 65 with the most pressure they might face in a season. Difference is enormous.

Always use a tee because its just what I feel comfortable doing. Theres no real science behind the decision 🙂

This is exactly my view. I switch around premium golf balls all the time (even during rounds) and it doesn't make any difference (well anything I notice). Maybe for people who are more mentally attached to a particular brand, it may affect more. I have even gone from a PRoV1x to a Callaway Chrome soft (which is 30-40% cheaper) and barely noticed a great deal of difference. However, the difference between a premium ball and a cheap rock is very substantial and I think it is under appreciated by lots of golfers who could benefit. For instance, I see 15 handicappers playing with Top Flight stones in the middle of summer, so I think in cases like this, people could benefit paying a bit more.

Driver - Slightly underrated. I think not enough golfers are getting this done when it can make a difference. However, some get so warped on shafts and head designs, they think that's all there is to improving their game, but I think this is more of a minority. Irons - Overrated. Not sure how much difference it actually makes. I go with 2 up and 1/2 degree longer because that's what feels comfortable. 🙂 Wedges - Same as irons. Putter - To be honest - I don't really know the ''ins and outs'' of what's involved in a putter fitting, as I have always just picked a putter on feel and because it's the strongest part of my game, I have never felt the need to go further than that. But going from the opinions on here - my attitude certainly suggests its underrated and I may need to look into it.

Just my opinion, but I think unless you are getting paid or have aspirations of earning a living from this game, then its pretty pointless playing unless your main aim is to enjoy it. After all, it is a hobby for most.

Ok cool, I'll grab a copy and see if it changes my current plan. 🙂

Okey dokey. Thanks for that. Not that it really makes too jots to my game. I just try and improve in all areas the best I can.

Drive for dough, putt for show more like. I know this is a small data point, but I just looked at the average standings for the current top 10 in the world for Strokes gained in putting and driving for 2018: SG OFF THE TEE: Average position for top 10 is 15.9 SG PUTTING: Average position for top 10 is 71.20 Small amount of data, but I think this suggests that saying might be bollocks (for the pro game at least anyway) 🙂

I just don't get this illusion that most golfers believe that a driver or a shaft is the main ingredient to more distance. In the main - the golfers I meet aren't that stupid that they think a club is going to change them from Joe Bloggs to Dustin Johnsen. They realise it may only help a bit, which an upgrade or a properly fitted driver will do (obviously there are some exceptions). I think the problem is, changing ones technique, takes a fair bit of commitment and time which lots of people haven't got. People may disagree, but if you only get one (or less) practice sessions a week then it's going to be tough to see quick substantial improvements in your technique, so this often makes golfers bail out and go for a new club. And in some golfers, a new club can make a big difference, especially if they have been using a club which is 10 years old and setup for someone else. In a perfect world - you're right, focusing on impact factors, strike patterns, is in lots of cases, the optimal thing to do but lots of people haven't got the time to allocate to this and I think this is where the manufacturers win. Some of course are totally warped by equipment, but I don't think this is a high percentage and these guys get on my tits frankly. For the golfers with more time and commitment to put on golf, then I think all bases should be covered. Technique, strike pattern, ways of increasing speed and a properly fitted driver. And it comes down to the what the person specifically needs. If a guy is swinging at 95mph with optimal launch conditions and a good strike pattern, then finding ways of increasing his speed will be something to focus on. If a guy is swinging at 95mph with horrible impact factors and a strike pattern which is littered across the face, then adding more speed probably shouldn't be his main concern.

Couldn't agree more with this one. I use slightly thicker grips (midsize) purely because they feel lovely in my hands not because they'll stop me from hooking the odd shot. Which they don't 🙂

Well that's absurd and I am definitely not suggesting this at all. Ok, maybe not the greatest use of statistics but I was just trying to express the point that a lot of people struggle with anxiety and there maybe quite a few outliers. I cannot comment on whether it directly affects their performance - I can only go by what I have experienced and it really does for me(as you would probably expect) At the moment you have suggested there are two groups. Non-outliers and outliers. But my performance anxiety didn't just happen overnight - it was much slower than that, so I would suggest, its more of a spectrum. Some golfers need no help, some may need a little direction, some may need a lot (outliers). I think the mental game can be the difference between feeling fulfilled by the game and not. I think that makes it quite important. Impossible to make this statement without being inside the outliers body 🙂 I wish I was Charles Howell :) Yes maybe or maybe I am just very open about my issues whereas some golfers who feel the same may not open up as much. We will never fully agree as we are coming from totally different experiences. Its impossible for me to fully see your opinion and vice versa. If I didn't feel nervous in tournaments (which is what you said about yourself) then I would think the mental game is bogus as well. But if you were me, you would find it impossible to feel the way you do about it. Haven't said that I whole heartedly agree, the main premise of the game is physical. I have not once disputed that - I just feel like their is more value to having good mental skills than you are suggesting. :)

I know I am an outlier or a 'headcase' as you politely put it but your total disregard for the mental game is astonishing. And that poll is just poll that most people who voted probably didnt really understand what you meant fully. (And probably didnt give it more than 4 seconds of thought) Peoples actions suggest that they know the physical part is by far and away the most important aspect. Most golfers are on the range having lessons on their swing not visiting their local shrink working on vizualisation. So for you to say that people are more prone to blaming the mental game is horse crap. And I have heard you say before you dont even get nervous in tournaments - well i would say that makes you an outlier. 1/3 people will suffer from an anxiety disorder in their lifetime so there are a lot of outliers going around. On a normal practice round with no nerves, i can comfortably shoot under par. Get me in a tournament with pressure and I can often shoot in the 80's. But hey im a headcase, but i think there are quite a few of us about where a mental coach could make a nice difference to not only our level but our wellbeing as well. And why is it that Faldo says even now that he thinks vizualisation is the most important tool with have? And why does Jack Nicklaus attribute a large amount of his success to vizualisation? And why does Jordan Spieth imagine highlight reels of his best shots? I think there is more in it than you give credit for. Maybe if you suffered with anxiety for more than 5 minutes you might appreciate it a bit more.

I think there is two completely different arguments going on here. The <5% side are talking about overall ability. This % I cant wholly disagree with, although I think for some, it is higher (probably like myself). Of course, a guy who shoots 130 could have the same mental game as a scratch golfer, therefore the difference between the two is 100% physical. I don't think anybody could really argue with that. I think where I am coming from (along with a few others), is what is the % contribution of mental/physical that would make that round a success for you. Yes, no matter how badly I am mentally or play, I will very rarely shoot over 78, but to me this is not a success. And If things went well, I could easily shoot under par. So for me, the difference between a round which is 78 and a round which is 69 is quite largely mental. Probably closer to 50/50. But again, this is very hard to quantify as they tend to rub off on each other. Look at Tiger this week for instance. Was his unsuccessful driving display 95% physical? Absolutely not. According to his former coach 'Hank Haney', he wouldn't miss a shot on the range and then he would spray his driver sideways on the course. Is this 95% physical? Yes, his worst shot is still better than anything a 20 handicapper could do but the difference between his own best and worst is largely down to mental fallacy's.

For me personally, this comment could not be further from the truth. I would love the game to be entirely physical. If I could fix anything by just working on my technique, then that would be amazing. You obviously haven't struggled with any part mentally, if you think it's an easy fix. Its far from it. Hitting a few hundred balls ingraining a new move, now that's easy.

This rings a lot of bells with me too and I have to agree that it's mostly a mental thing for me. For instance, at my old club there was the dreaded 7th hole. I say dreaded but it was about 340 yards - literally a 4/5 iron and a flick. For the guys I was playing with who were all category one golfers, this was a birdie chance and they were licking their lips on the tee. But for me - I was often happy with a bogey. I literally had a mental block on the tee shot. There were a couple of tall trees left and OB right but for a golfer of my level with a 5 iron in my hand, these shouldn't even come into play, let alone instill fear in me. I became so fearful of the miss right that I would aim in the left trees and kind of guide it up the left side. But we all know what happens to swings like this and often, I would end up reloading. Or if it came off, i would often end up left behind the tall trees and having to pitch out. This tee shot was entirely mental. It didn't matter if I have striped every shot for the first 6 holes and was under par, this same thought/feeling pattern would emerge on this tee. The fact is fear/tension are often the biggest cripplers to even the soundest technique, but I suppose, if you have never really experienced this, then it's hard to comprehend.

Pounding balls is probably a bad phrase to use. I think you get the gist of what I meant.

Due to our life experience in golf, we are never going to fully agree on this. The mental aspect has plagued me therefore I am going to give it a much higher value. For you, you don't even get nervous in tournaments, therefore, it's not even a thing. And TBH, it used to be like that for me. I got down to a 2 handicap fairly early on (I think I was about 13/14) And back then, the mental thing was nothing. I couldn't really understand nerves or self doubt because I hadn't really experienced it a great deal. And it wasn't until it spiraled a little out of control that I gave it such a high regard. I went from a 2 handicap to barely breaking 80 with the same physical ability. So, now I have to put a tremendous amount of mental work in to be able to play even to same level as I did 17 years ago. Just to name a few things I do. - I do visualization techniques. I imagine playing my best 9 holes which takes about 15 minutes. - I really focus on my post shot reaction. Try to keep it as neutral as possible. - I focus on my process goals. Pre-shot routine, breathing etc. - And a few other things. For me, the ROI on these things is higher than pounding balls all day. I could pound balls until I was blue in the face but if the above factors weren't good, I wouldn't break 75. But that's just me. I think the mental game isn't a thing until it becomes a thing. And I do however think we regard mental and physical slightly differently but there's no point in nit picking, we won't agree. :) Also, maybe for PGA Tour players, the mental game it hasn't really become a thing otherwise they wouldn't be where they were. They already have great golfing minds and how much work they put into that, they could only tell us. P.S It's great to be here. Seems like there's a lot of very knowledgeable people here to learn from.

Cheers bud. Putting is a slightly easier fix than chipping as there are lots of technical adaptations you can make to reset the brain. I do however find that chipping one handed works. I just feel a bit of a tit, pitching one handed from 60 yards. (hand over face)

Thank you for the advice. One handed seems to be okay at the minute. It allows me to get it around and somewhat enjoy it...I just have a tough time answering all the annoying questions about 'WHY' I am chipping in this way. I suppose it must be weird for an average golfer to see someone hit it great off the tee and then have to chip with one hand behind their back :) I do really like some of the points you make in your original post and I can tell it was from someone who is on the other end of the spectrum to someone like me. But I do however think that the mental/physical components of the game are far more intertwined than maybe you have articulated in your post. I could have misunderstood you but I would just like to explain... Swing Change/Improvement People could argue that making a swing change is 100% physical. You go and see your coach, he tells you to do X over a certain amount of time and you physically perform the motion until completion. But in reality, for a lot of golfers, it's nothing like this. Most golfers could perform physically what they have been showed to do (if not the coach is not doing their job). But why is it that so many golfers never improve their swings?. Of course for a variety of reasons, but I believe a huge reason is the mental barriers that you have to barge through when making swing changes. - Often you have to learn to trust something that feels totally alien for a while. This is mental. I remember when I changed my faulty inside back swing, I had to feel like the club was almost coming back vertically. I could easily perform the motion required but the mental strain of trusting something that felt so wrong held me back. - Being able to ignore the outcome. Of course changing your technique often results in a loss of performance (not always in my experience). This is another mental hurdle golfers have to overcome to make positive changes. Seeing the ball fly off at right angles and trust you are actually getting better is a mental challenge. - Changing something in your swing requires patience and persistence. A lot of golfers do not acquire this mental skill and go chasing for the 'quick fix' on Youtube which sends them into a cycle of never really getting better. So, although there's no denying Dustin Johnson's swing is physically amazing, it would have no doubt taken lots of mental strain to get it that way. Lots of golfers do not barge through these mental barriers and therefore never get physically better. Confidence Of course confidence is largely down to knowing you can do something. If you have the physical ability to hit that 210 yard 4 iron over water, then you are going to be more confident than say someone who hasn't. And no amount of confidence will enable the person who hasn't got the physical ability to hit the shot. But also, a large part of confidence is due to perception. For instance, you could have two 5 handicap golfers who both shoot 76 and both hit the exact same shots during the round. One could come off the round gaining confidence and the other could come off the course destroying it, by just how they perceive the round. ''I played awful today and was very lucky to get away with that'' ''Didn't have my best game but fought well and did great to shoot an okay score'' You'll notice that most of the top golfers are very careful with what language they use in interviews etc. Language is a hugely powerful thing and depending on how you use it will change your perception of the experience. I was always that golfer that dwelled on all the negatives. I believe viewing mistakes is an important part of learning, but golfers who dwell on them far too much and forget all of the good stuff, have a much harder time improving than the golfer who perceives the round in a much healthier way. I believe confidence is a snowball effect and a little more than knowing you can do something. I knew I could physically hit the 210 yard shot over water but I wasn't a very confident golfer. I would trade some of my physical talents for being able to think in a more helpful way. Setting Goals/Practicing with Intent This area I believe is mostly mental which again has a direct influence on how physically good you become at this game. I believe golfers who 'learn how to learn' have a much better chance of becoming better than your 'scrape and hit' kind. Of course other variables come into play like how much time you have to attribute, natural talent etc. But going into each practice session with goals and intent is a mindset and one that will have an overall effect on your physical performance. The best golfers are often the best practices. Nerves/Fear You hear a lot of the golfers on tour talk about getting nervous... But do you ever really hear them talk about fear? (Maybe the 17th at the Players :)) Nerves and fear are so different in my view. Nerves help you, fear destroys you. But also I think there is a fine line between the two. The guys on tour see nerves as a help rather than a hindrance. I myself used to see them as barrier to playing my best golf. I had this limiting belief that I couldn't play well when I was nervous. When in reality, a healthy amount of nerves is great for performance. My mindset then caused me to worry about being nervous. Which any nervous person would know is like adding fuel to the fire. And this mindset had nothing to do with my physical ability. Deep down I believed I was a good golfer who could hit all the shots. It was mentally where my belief was waning. And this mindset had a negative impact on my physical performance. These are just a few quick examples where I believe mental and physical come as a complete package. I think it might be wrong to separate them because in reality they have a huge knock on effect on each other. What are your thoughts guys? You have described to a tee what it can feel like to have the chipping yips. I too have had it sometimes with my long putting. The only thing that has stopped it 100% for me, is chipping one handed. I use my right hand (right handed golfer). The only issue is, I get an insane amount of release which is hard to control, so although I never yip it, it's not as good as if I was fluent with two hands. I practice one and two handed and I am far superior with two hands. Such a shame the same cant be said on the course. Try one handed though bud, it has really changed my outlook.

Would like to add something to this...I am a 3 handicap golfer who has had a terrible time with the chipping yips. I have duffed and knifed more chip shots than I care to remember. But if you watched me practice around a chipping green in practice, you would never know. I can physically hit every shot in the book to a very good standard. But get me out on the course and in a pressure situation, my chipping literally falls apart. You wouldn't believe it was the same person. I have double hit chips on occasions. I have even resorted to chipping one handed at times (this can work because it tricks the brain into thinking you are doing a different task) The fear I feel on these shots is indescribable at times. And it leaks into the rest of my game. I begin to fear missing greens which adds tension to my long game. I have a very efficient long game but this is sometimes interrupted by the severity of the consequence if I miss the green. I appreciate the yips is a complex subject but for me it is mental. I know I can hit the shots physically, I prove that to myself in practice.But when I get out on the course, I seem to mentally crumble over these shots. You hear a lot of people say ''the yips starts as a physical issue''. ie you duff a few and then it gets into your mind. The problem I have with this, is everyone duffs chips but not everyone gets the yips. This I believe is largely due to how well you 'mentally' let go of your poor results. As a youngster, I couldn't. Every bad shot was met with self destruction. And I believe it was largely this that is the root cause of why I have this issue. It's important to realize that the brain will have a much easier time remembering emotionally charged events over your average day. So by adding lots of emotion to your bad shots, your brain will store them easier. So react negatively like I did and those bad memories will be at the fore front of your mind when your next in a similar situation. So for my game, the mental side is huge and far larger than 5% (I won't put a percentage on it as I don't really know). But I do know that working on my chipping technique wont improve this issue. I have tried every technical adjustment in the book and the only thing that enables me to chip with any kind of success is a clear and calm mind. But when you have duffed and knifed as many as I have, this is easier said than done.

Couldn't agree more with this. you should only be working on one maybe two things at a time max. Self-diagnosis is pretty dangerous and can leave you more confused and frustrated than ever. Have one coach who you trust and one blog/site you can gain inspiration from. That's all you need. Dean

I think my best advice with this - you need to find a coach you trust and believe in. This may take time, I have jumped from coach to coach and now I am completely settled with someone who I think knows and cares about my game. There are lots of coaches out there that couldn't give two hoots if you improve, as long as you keep coming back, they will be happy. So analyse it after a few lessons to see if your game is going in the right direction. I mean all these coaches know how to swing a golf club but not all of them know how to convey it to their pupils. I suppose this is the key to being a good coach. Also once you get a coach, don't start you tubing as well. You need to stick to one person's philosophy otherwise you'll be more confused than ever.