THE REAL GAME OF GOLF

THE REAL GAME OF GOLF

The game of golf can be split into two parts if we strip it all back. The technical element, and the playing element. In this blog we're going to focus on the playing. Below i've embedded a YouTube video from the European Tour YouTube channel. The reason i've featured this video is to highlight something often overlooked by golfers when they're watching golf coverage on television. The typical notion from golfers is that the worlds best players hit great shot after great shot; and continue to shoot insanely good scores time after time. This is quite simply too much of an unrealistic way to view things. Let me start by saying that even the best players in the world cannot sustain perfect golf time after time. Their games peak and flow, you'll often see a win followed by a missed cut, or a slump and then a really good performance. It's really fine margins in this game when looking at the highest level. Don't worry about charts, pages and pages of data in this blog because it's not required. I just ask for one thing, watch this video (the video shows footage of every top tracer shot recorded on the European Tour this year). Now concentrate on some of the golfers featured and watch their shots, the footage is showing several players being recorded on the same rounds of golf then look at the following:

                 *Their own numerous ball flights*
              *Their own reactions/body language*​

​You'll notice that their ball flights differ, there's some wild shots in there and there's some reactions that will be similar to what you'd see in the weekday chuck in, or weekend comp. What these talented golfers can do though is to play the game well with what they have on the day. Yes they'll make bogeys, however if they make more birdies than bogeys then they're ahead of the game. The average golfer often subscribes to hitting the perfect shot, and trying to play to par even if their handicap is someway off scratch. These golfers don't, they simply pick the right shot more often than not, play the averages in their favour mostly and don't rely on hitting their country best time after time. Now i'm not saying don't be positive, i'm saying be realistic with what you bring to the table. This video highlights perfectly that the game of golf means you need to take the rough with the smooth, don't think about golf as a game of perfection, treat the game like this: Realistic expectations along with keeping the big numbers off the card. If you start to free yourself up from hitting the perfect shot each time, and start to just play golf when you're on the course with some good thought processes and maybe a simple single swing thought, you will start to play better golf. There's a huge difference in being able to hit a golf ball, and playing the game itself. Many golfers learn to swing a club, yet they never learn how to play the game. Take a playing lesson from your local PGA Professional, you'll undoubtedly learn how to shave strokes off your game without you even worrying about technique. As always if you have any questions feel free to comment or email us.

​Happy Golfing