Want to play your best golf every time you tee it up? Read on!
I once shot 8 under par for 9 holes – yeah, that’s right. I’m the nuts.
Last Month, Justin Thomas shot a 59 – yeah, he’s the nuts.
But both Justin and I would be idiots to think that this is what we should be doing every time we went out and played – obvious, right?
What About You
An amateur, on the other hand, may have a great round one week. The stars align, and their putting, driving and iron play all seem to be firing on all cylinders, and they walk off having broken 80 for the first time.
What is running through this golfer’s mind?
Wow, I just shot a 79. That’s me now, I am a 70’s shooter and should be doing this every time I go out
One Week Later
Next week, this same amateur shoots an 87 and wonders how on earth they could completely lose it.
If only I could be more consistent
Woah, hold the phone a second. Let’s put this into perspective.
You shooting a 79 and following it with an 87 is the same as a pro shooting a 64 and following it with a 72 – an 8 shot swing. This happens EVERY WEEK on tour. What’s the difference? The pro is not more consistent with their scores, they are just BETTER.
You (blue) versus pro (pink) – same pattern of inconsistency, but just operating at a different level
New Goals
So slap yourself in the face, take a long look in the mirror and say this over and over to yourself;
From now on, I don’t care so much about consistency of score, I just want to get better. My best score is a reflection of my potential, not my average.
So, the answer to “how do I shoot my best scores every time” is that YOU CAN’T.
Don’t delude yourself into thinking that you should be shooting your best scores all the time. That’s the wrong mindset and will end up creating more inconsistency (as you become an emotional wreck every time your scores are not where you believe they should be.
It’s perfectly normal, and should be accepted, that you may shoot around 6 shots below or above your average score (not your handicap – that is more a reflection of your potential) from one round to the next. So if you shoot a 78 one week and follow it with an 89, don’t freak out.
Time To Get Better
If you want to get better at this game, understand that those high and low swings in score will always be there, but just make sure that both those highs and lows are lower.
Obviously there are many routes to improvement for the average golfer, ranging from
- Improved fitness and nutrition
- Strategy
- Better fit /more forgiving clubs
- Increased distance
- Improved psychology
- Improved technique
One of the quickest ways I have found for players to lower their scores and increase their potential is to improve their strike quality.
Flushed
Strike quality alone will result in;
- An increase in average distance
- Hitting your longest distances more often
- Improved accuracy (especially with the driver) and
- Greatly improved distance control.
When the average golfer hits 94% of their shots short (stats via GameGolf) due to fat/thin and poor face contact, strike improvements can really help you jump up to the next level. It’s the one thing that really separates professionals from amateurs.
If you want to find out more about the most comprehensive program for improving your strike quality, check out The Strike Plan by clicking the link below.
Or, if you are after the most in-depth book on golf improvement, pick up a copy of The Practice Manual – The Ultimate Guide for Golfers (available on amazon Worldwide). A best-seller in 5 countries and featured on The Golf Channel, this book is revolutionizing the way golfers train, learn and play Worldwide. Click the image below to find out more.
