It was my birthday yesterday (40!) and as I sat at my desk I officially “couldn’t be arsed” to do any work. The great joy of the way I changed my life after the challenge was that I can do now pretty much do what I want, when I want, as long as I get some work done eventually. And what I wanted to do was play golf.
So I toddled out onto the course and met up with an old friend who was a PGA professional trainee many years ago when I first proposed the challenge. We chatted and decided to play a round together. As we stood on the first tee he asked me how many shots I wanted. Being brave I said “none, let’s play a flat match” Playing flat with guys at the pro and scratch (or better) level is a hugely efficient way to improve your game.
I wasn’t striking the ball well at all to be honest but, with some brilliant wedge work, managed to “up and down” countless times and held him pretty level. He played a level par round and ultimately only beat me by four strokes. But the lesson was clearly there in the wedge play. Striking the ball messily I was still pretty much able to keep pace with him and it was all down to the my trusty sand wedge.
The big difference that I find playing with these guys is the sheer quantity of different shots they have in their bag versus mine. It was a windy day and he created some beautiful little low draws into the wind that are something I could only dream of. This ability to craft different shots for different courses and wind conditions is the current challenge of my game but I made a conscious decision during the year not to do this.
To begin with in golf you need to hit the ball straight and consistently. That’s all. Straight and consistent, a decent short game and decent putting will produce a par round. That’s all you need. Play to your strengths and maybe see if you can work a little harder on an area that you enjoy (for me that was wedges) but don’t mess about with the fancy stuff until you have the basics right. And if you want proof that a simple game can get you to the highest level just look at Zach Johnson.
The great joy of playing with teaching professionals is also the fact that they keep drumming into your wee brain the importance of fundamentals…. but that’s for another post.
You are so right.
Us amateurs spend years, hitting thousands of balls, grooving our swing to hit it straight and keep the ball in play.
What do we then do? Start messing about trying to hit it ‘not straight’ like the pros. I think we all try to run before we have truly mastered walking regarding shaping our shots.
Yes, that high draw looks soooo impressive, but a lot of players know their strengths and stick to them. When did you ever see Trevino hit anything other than a fade?
Anyway, Happy Birthday S2S, does the big four-o mean you start using a buggy now?
Thanks matey.
Rather embarrassingly I have just bought a motorised trolley. My dear auld Da at the age of 70 still pulls his bag round and he’s had a hip replaced and I have had to succumb to the pleasures of the modern game.
Happy Birthday! Glad you got to 40 before I get to 50
. More good advice too! I’ve stuck w/ my old intermediate Ping ZING2 irons that I started w/ 2 years ago because I can hit ‘em straight. Working the ball is simply overrated. You can shoot scratch golf my just hitting the ball straight – or even by consistently hitting fades or draws only. I highly recommend golfers go with cavity back irons and hybrids. Blades won’t lower your score, no matter how lovely to look at.
Thanks matey.