Do you play Golf?
Sounds silly. If you're reading this blog chances are you think you play golf. However, most people on the golf course are not playing golf. The first four years I was on the golf course, I played the same game most of you are playing today. It wasn't golf.
July 1968. Clarkston, Michigan. Spring Lake Junior Invitational. My first tournament away from my home course. It was my first tournament I was required to hole out all putts. No big deal. Right? Wrong. I missed several putts under three feet. Since that tournament, I putt out everytime. No gimmes.
Why is putting out important? In every stroke play tournament you will be required to putt out. If you are used to putting out, it's not a big deal in tournament play. A better is reason is your brain seeing your golf ball go into the hole 18 times during a round. If you take gimmes, how many putts do you see actually go in? The more putts you see go in, the more putts you'll make.
Forward to September 1972. Freshmen at Western Michigan University. Qualifying for the golf team. Not only do we putt out, we also play the ball as it lies. Now we're having fun. Another shock to my golf system.
I found out by always playing the ball as it lies, it gives me an advantage over the other players. Bad lies don't upset me. It taps into my creative side. I have always played and practiced at public golf courses which tend not to be as manicured as country clubs. The lies I encounter every day are usually much worse than I see in tournament play.
I do take relief where allowed by the rules. Drainage, hole made by a burrowing animal, immoveable obstruction, cart paths, aerification holes, and areas marked as ground under repair.
In tournament play, if I get a bad lie, it's not a big deal. Knowing what kind of shot is possible from the lie and that I have hit the shot before, is a great comfort under tournament pressure. Would you have the same comfort?
Know the rules. Unplayable lie, out of bounds, lateral water hazard, regular water hazard and obstructions. Do you know the proper procedure for each?
When you begin to play golf, your handicap may go up. Don't sweat it. You will be prepared for any circumstance you will see in tournament play.
On the PGA Tour, any record round shot while playing perferred lies is not put in the record book. Why? Because the course was playing easier. Scores are lower. If you play golf, your scores will be better under preferred lies. Would that be advantageous?
Sounds silly. If you're reading this blog chances are you think you play golf. However, most people on the golf course are not playing golf. The first four years I was on the golf course, I played the same game most of you are playing today. It wasn't golf.
July 1968. Clarkston, Michigan. Spring Lake Junior Invitational. My first tournament away from my home course. It was my first tournament I was required to hole out all putts. No big deal. Right? Wrong. I missed several putts under three feet. Since that tournament, I putt out everytime. No gimmes.
Why is putting out important? In every stroke play tournament you will be required to putt out. If you are used to putting out, it's not a big deal in tournament play. A better is reason is your brain seeing your golf ball go into the hole 18 times during a round. If you take gimmes, how many putts do you see actually go in? The more putts you see go in, the more putts you'll make.
Forward to September 1972. Freshmen at Western Michigan University. Qualifying for the golf team. Not only do we putt out, we also play the ball as it lies. Now we're having fun. Another shock to my golf system.
I found out by always playing the ball as it lies, it gives me an advantage over the other players. Bad lies don't upset me. It taps into my creative side. I have always played and practiced at public golf courses which tend not to be as manicured as country clubs. The lies I encounter every day are usually much worse than I see in tournament play.
I do take relief where allowed by the rules. Drainage, hole made by a burrowing animal, immoveable obstruction, cart paths, aerification holes, and areas marked as ground under repair.
In tournament play, if I get a bad lie, it's not a big deal. Knowing what kind of shot is possible from the lie and that I have hit the shot before, is a great comfort under tournament pressure. Would you have the same comfort?
Know the rules. Unplayable lie, out of bounds, lateral water hazard, regular water hazard and obstructions. Do you know the proper procedure for each?
When you begin to play golf, your handicap may go up. Don't sweat it. You will be prepared for any circumstance you will see in tournament play.
On the PGA Tour, any record round shot while playing perferred lies is not put in the record book. Why? Because the course was playing easier. Scores are lower. If you play golf, your scores will be better under preferred lies. Would that be advantageous?
posted by PGA Professional at 6:53 AM
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