by Mary Langan
Teaching Professional

It’s a gorgeous, sunny, afternoon. The trees are budding, the sky is crystal blue, and the air is warm. As you walk up the 18th fairway you take a deep breath. Is there a better place to be at this moment in time? So why is it you don’t feel happy? You feel tired, depressed, and anxious. Your foursome will soon be in the clubhouse adding up the scorecard. You had another bad round and the truth is, you won’t be lowering that handicap today. What’s even more disconcerting is that last week you actually felt better about your game. Ball contact was solid, it went straight, and swinging the club felt effortless.

What happened today?

Why is your game so inconsistent? After years of golfing, you rarely finish playing 18 holes with a positive feeling. You KNOW you can play better golf, you’ve done it before. And today you felt good and prepared mentally to have a good round. That last tip you got from your friend about that new followthrough technique really seemed to work two weeks ago.

And that article you read about relaxation in Tee Time last month made a lot of sense. And that guy at the range who helped you by suggesting that you shorten your backswing. That really made a difference….that day. Then when you played with that woman last month who thought you should change your stance? That seemed to work too….then. And finally, how about the starter the other day who suggested you bring the club more inside to out on the downswing? Now that was something to concentrate on! A great thing about golfers is that they’re more then happy to offer help when they see us struggling. And so it goes... At some point, collapse is imminent.

The unfortunate fact is that you’re continuing to add on to a foundation that was suspect from the start. And we all know that adding more floors to a building with a less than solid foundation is flirting with disaster.

Are these tips really helping your game? Unfortunately, these types of “lessons” are only going to complicate your game and send your brain into overload. To attain the consistency and improvement you desire, you need to simplify your swing thoughts.

Take a look back in your golf history!

Think about how and from whom you learned to play golf. Was it a friend, spouse, sibling, parent, ex-anything, or all of the above? Over the years, your brain has become cluttered with lots of conflicting information, none of which has taken hold or made much sense to your body. You’ve attempted many changes in order to improve your swing, but consistency is never attained and your frustration continues.

Time for a change!

If you’re tired of your lack of improvement and inconsistency, I suggest that you find a teaching professional and learn to play this game from scratch.

Commit to three or four lessons.

A single lesson could turn out to be no different then that tip from the starter, therefore make a long-term commitment to a series of lessons. Ask the pro to re-teach you the basic fundamentals: the set-up, grip, stance, your posture, alignment, and the ball position. These are the life preservers for a floundering golf game, and more than likely, they’ve become lost underneath all that advice you have been given over the years.

A piece of the puzzle.

You’ll need all the pieces in order to see the total picture. With the help of the right instructor and practice, all the pieces can come together. Your confidence will return when you discover how uncomplicated the basic golf swing can be.

Practice... practice... practice...

For these fundamentals to take hold, practice is essential. There are no shortcuts. Practicing what you have learned is the only way to eliminate the bad habits and introduce the new skills to your brain and your body.

Drill it in!

Your professional can show you drills which reinforce concepts covered in the lessons. Take these drills to the practice range and rehearse them, ONE AT A TIME. Go with a specific goal in mind and a plan that you will adhere to. Perform only one drill at each practice session; refrain from jumping back and forth from drill to drill every few minutes. Make the practice time productive and worth your effort. Stay focused. You will succeed! Give your brain and body a chance to more easily assimilate the changes you want by keeping things simple.

A fresh new beginning!

The golf game you’ve always wanted is waiting within you. It’s probably buried underneath years of poor advice. Uncover it with a fresh beginning and in no time your walk down the 18th fairway will be quite different. You’ll notice the birds singing and the flowers blooming. You’ll be full of energy, having fun, and feeling sad that the round has ended. You’ll feel as if you can’t wait for the next time, because now you’ve got a simple swing built on a rock solid foundation.

Here’s to your “New Beginning” and “Happier Ending!”