The Perfect Round of Golf
By Paul Wilson
What's your idea of a perfect round of golf? If you were to
shoot 72, would that be a perfect round to you? The best players
in the world only hit approximately 70% of their fairways and 12
- 13 of their greens in regulation when they play, and yet, they
can still shoot 72 or better. So if the pros aren't perfect, and
they still shoot great numbers, what should your idea of perfect
be?
You're idea of perfect is should be that you can never achieve
it. Why's it so important to understand that you'll never be
perfect? It's so important, because at your level, trying to be
perfect puts added pressure on your game. The game of golf has
enough pressure already without you adding more. So if you stop
trying to be perfect, you can lighten up a little and have more
fun playing this game.
Give Yourself Permission to Make Mistakes
If you can understand that you'll never be perfect while playing
this game, you can finally give yourself permission to make
mistakes when you go to play instead of getting down on
yourself. You can stop scratching your head in disbelief after
you hook that drive or miss the green because even the best
players aren't perfect. Permission to make mistakes will also
allow you to focus on your future shots, instead of dwelling on
the past. Before your next round, tell yourself that you're
going to hit some bad shots and there's nothing you can do about
it. If you tell yourself this, you'll reduce the pressure you
are putting on yourself allowing you to have a more enjoyable
round.
Pitching, Chipping and Greenside Bunkers
These can be some of the most difficult shots in golf. Because
these shots are so difficult, and because people rarely practice
them, it should be obvious that you're not going to hit all of
these shots within 3 feet of the hole. The next time you're
faced with a tough little pitch shot, a long chip or tough
bunker shot, instead of hoping to get the ball close, why not
think about just getting the ball on the green? If you just try
to get the ball on the green, you are not pressuring yourself to
hit a perfect shot. If you take this new approach you might be
surprised at how close these short shots will end up.
Putting
If you think you are going to make every 6 foot putt you're
mistaken. Putting guru, Dave Pelz, figured out that the pros
only make 50% from 6 feet, 20% from 10 feet and 10% from 15
feet. Once you realize these stats, you'll stop getting mad at
yourself for missing putts. If you miss a six footer and whack
your foot with your putter in disgust, not only will you have a
hard time walking to the next hole, but it will be more
difficult maintaining your composure on the next tee shot. So
the best thing you can do when you miss a putt, is to tell
yourself that it's no big deal. The stats prove that even the
best players in the world, only make a small number of putts.
The Practice Range is for Practicing
In teaching golf for over 15 years, I have been exposed to all
types of golfers. The main thing I see on the practice range, is
that people care more about where their ball is going than they
do about what they are working on. Because of this, they often
get angry when they hit bad shots. If this sounds familiar, you
have to realize that the practice range is the place you should
be practicing. You should be working on something in your game
that needs to be worked on. It is not a place where you should
be trying to hit every shot perfectly.
If you're working on a swing position or change, there's no way
you're going to master it in 5 minutes. This means you should be
hitting bad shots when you practice. Make sure that the next
time you go to the range, you use this time to work on
something. Forget about trying to hit perfect shots and think
about perfecting the positions you're working on. The faster you
make the changes, the closer to perfect your shots will become.
How Perfect Are You?
If you really want to see how perfect you are all you have to do
is put yourself to the test. Go out on a quiet Sunday afternoon
and hit 2 balls playing the best shot with each ball. Keep your
score and see how you make out at the end of the round. Once you
add up your score, you'll truly see how close to perfect you
really are.
Paul Wilson
Creator - Swing Machine Golf
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