Yet another week has flown by, and it appears that the season is rapidly winding down. But fear not, my favorite Fall golf weather is just about to make its appearance.

I hope you've got plans to hit the course soon and relish in the enjoyable weather, just as I'm planning to do.

What You’ll Learn Today

✅ How I reflect on a poor round of golf to know what and how to practice

✅ Shooting your lowest round can be nerve racking… learn how to train for the nerves!

✅ Where I would start if I was just picking up the game

Play Golf ➡️ Reflect ➡️ Make a Goal ➡️ Create a Plan

This week proved to be a challenging one for me at the Washington Open, held at Meridian Valley Country Club in Kent, Washington. My struggles were largely due to my lack of preparation in the weeks leading up to the tournament.

Entering the event, I had managed just a single round of play and a few sessions of hitting balls during coaching sessions. To say the least, it's not a strategy I'd advise anyone to adopt for their own game 😆.

One lesson I've learned is the paramount importance of being thoroughly prepared before stepping onto the course for a tournament. The famous quote:

“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.”

Benjamin Franklin

couldn't have rung more true for me this week. After a +2 performance in the first round, my focus shifted for the second round – the goal was no longer to finish in the top 10, but rather to put together a solid round and make the cut.

However, round two was a continuation of my struggles. This time, I couldn't manage to keep it together and ended up carding a +5. As a result, I missed the cut by just one stroke, concluding with a 2-day total score of +7, and had to pack my bags a day earlier than planned.

I share this with you to offer insight into my process of self-evaluation and improvement after encountering a rough patch on the course. The first step in this process is reflecting on the recent tournament or round of golf. Here's a glimpse into some of the questions I pose to myself for a thorough assessment:

• Did any penalty shots end up costing me more than the penalties themselves?

• How was my putting? If subpar, what were the reasons? Was it due to leaving myself excessively long first putts? Or perhaps missing numerous short putts within 5 feet? Regrettably, I experienced both scenarios this week.

• How was my approach game? Were my approach shots landing close to the target?

• How was my mental game? Did I maintain a strong commitment over each shot? Was I able to stay present and resist getting ahead of myself, focusing solely on the task at hand?

Upon reflection this week, I realized that I had been launching my wedges way too high. Moreover, I lacked confidence over my putts, never once envisioning the ball finding the hole before I executed the putt. My wedge distances were wildly inconsistent due to the excessive height, resulting in a surplus of long first putts. Consequently, I was faced with a multitude of 3-5' putts to save par – a challenging prospect.

I'd now like to share my current practice routine aimed at restoring my game to its optimal state:

Goal #1: Execute flawlessly on putts under 4 feet over the course of 72 holes.

• Engage in putting practice with tees positioned 4' apart. The aim is precision; a small target means a small margin for error.

• Dedicate ten minutes during each putting green session to the Wellstroke mat.

• Allocate five minutes each evening to recollect and visualize past successful short putts.

• Consistently convert 10 out of 10 4' putts from varying positions around the hole, with a minimum slope of 2%, during every putting green session.

Goal #2: Enhance control by consistently achieving a launch angle of 25-30 degrees with my wedges, achieved through decreasing dynamic loft.

• Enhance forward shaft lean by positioning the ball at the front of my stance and focusing on hands leading the shot.

• Utilize the Mevo+ launch monitor for feedback, monitoring launch angle metrics after every shot to ensure alignment with the 25-30 degree range.

• Achieve consistent launch angle measurements, and proceed to work on swing length control at 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30 positions. Chart the distances achieved with each wedge swing.

There you have it – my method for identifying and addressing areas of improvement in my game. While I can't predict what you may have gleaned from this account, I hope that you found some nuggets of wisdom to carry forward 👉️ .

On Course Game of the Week: “Go Low”

Have you ever been in the midst of your finest golf round, only to be inundated by the pressure of finishing strong, leading to a less-than-ideal ending, perhaps even a dreaded bogey… or three? This week's game centers around mastering the art of achieving a low score and cultivating a comfort with maintaining that low score. This way, the pressure won't catch you off guard when you find yourself facing such a scenario. This game is especially valuable for tournament players; consider playing it a couple of times in the weeks leading up to your competition.

How to Play

1. Play from tees positioned one or two sets forward of your usual teeing ground.

2. Aim to post the lowest score possible.

As you engage in this game multiple times, challenge yourself further by returning to your standard teeing position. Observe whether your mindset shifts towards a scoring-oriented perspective. By conditioning yourself to embrace the idea of consistently scoring well, you're developing an ingrained expectation of success which can give you more confidence from your normal set of tees to keep the low scoring trend going.

Bonus Knowledge - Know Which Tees To Play To Have More Fun

It's quite puzzling that many players struggle with the idea of moving up to a different set of tees. Frankly, I've never quite grasped this hesitation. I mean, why pass up the opportunity for those exciting birdie and par putts, opting instead for the daunting bogeys and doubles? If you're open-minded and prioritize an enjoyable experience on the golf course, here are a couple of equations to help you determine the ideal course length for your game.

Equation #1: Average drive distance multiplied by 25 equals the recommended course length.

Equation #2: Average 5-iron distance multiplied by 36 gives you the recommended course length.

Trust me, aligning your game with the right tees will undoubtedly amplify your enjoyment out on the course!

Questions from my Wife Who Doesn’t Golf

👩 Wife: If you were starting from scratch and embarking on the journey of learning golf, how would you go about it?

🏌️‍♂️ Me: I'd begin by acquiring a 7-iron and a putter. Then, I'd secure a tee time and head straight to the course for a 9-hole round, positioning myself 25 yards away from each green. I'd enlist a Golf Coach to accompany me for those 9 holes, focusing on imparting fundamental rules and etiquette, as well as chipping and putting pointers. Once I've achieved a specific target score – let's say breaking 40 – I'd proceed to purchase a pitching wedge.

With the pitching wedge in hand, I'd seek out a Golf Pro for a lesson to grasp the proper grip and setup for executing a 50-yard pitch shot. Once I've met the target score from 50 yards, I'd move back to 100 yards and repeat the process. I wouldn't consider acquiring another club until reaching the 200-yard mark, at which point I'd add a 5-wood to my arsenal. This would naturally involve another session with my Golf Coach, focusing on mastering the fairway wood shot. You catch my drift – the notion is to procure clubs only when necessary, simplifying the game's complexities in the initial stages. This approach would facilitate learning to swing at varying speeds and bridging yardage gaps with a single club. I would also be doing the most important thing… learning to PLAY the game and not just SWING a golf club.

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