Compleat Golfer’s playing editor offers some sage advice for when your game goes awry.
One of the toughest things in professional golf is continuing to work hard when things are not quite going how you’d like them to go.
There are two main contributors to results not going your way.
The first is when you’re just not where you need to be technically. You might have a flaw in your golf swing that is constantly putting you in trouble. More often than not this is when your bad shots are going either left or right of the target.
In this case, the only way to get better is by working your ass off. As Ben Hogan said, ‘The answer lies in the dirt.’ But you cannot aimlessly hit balls for hour upon hour, day after day. You have to have a plan.
Whenever I was struggling with my swing, my coach and I would come up with a plan. More often than not it consisted of a maximum of three swing thoughts or drills to use in practice, and in practice alone. Having a plan gives you the clarity that will help you stay motivated during the tough stints.
The second aspect that leads to poor results is when it just doesn’t go your way on the course. I like to use the term ‘Being golfed’.
‘Being golfed’ consists of bad bounces, wind switches, bad lies and the most brutal of all – a lipped-out putt.
There is nothing more frustrating than when you feel like you’re playing well but can’t seem to shoot a score. But that’s the unique thing about golf, and especially professional golf. With there being so many uncontrollables (wind, bounce and lie) and the margin between the top and bottom is so small, it’s easy to see why the game drives so many professionals crazy.
The only way for this to change – as patronising as it may seem – is patience. I know that’s probably not the answer you were hoping for, but if your game is in a good place, and you feel like you’re playing solid golf, you have to stay patient.
Eventually the tide will turn and the golfing gods will look down on you favourably. And when they do, make sure you capitalise on it, because it doesn’t happen very often. That’s why this game is so addictive.
I’ve found myself battling all the above-mentioned scenarios. More than once, in fact. But if I can tell you one thing that I’ve learnt it is this: this too shall pass.
You feel like you can’t break 80? This too shall pass. But, also, when you feel the game is simple and shooting a 65 is easy, remember, this too shall pass.
The game of golf will always level out. And no one ever gets the better of the great game of golf. No one.
– This column first appeared in the June 2023 issue of Compleat Golfer magazine.
