Carmel Magazine

CM SP16 Online Edition

Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/675981

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 103 of 211

TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT B Y D A N PA S Q U A R I E L L O A N D L A I R D S M A L L 102 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 6 How to Avoid Big Numbers on the Course ack Nicklaus didn't win 18 Major titles—including the 1972 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach—by playing carelessly. The Golden Bear managed his game meticulously and, for the most part, stayed away from costly double and triple bogeys that can sabotage a major championship bid. In the rare instances when Nicklaus did make a big number on a hole, it didn't stay with him for long. He would shake it off with, "Well, let's not do that again, and let's not be stupid. I've given away a couple of strokes." "I don't want to give away any more," he said. "I didn't respond by get- ting more aggressive; I probably was more conservative until I could get my feet back on the ground." Whether it's to help keep you focused in a competitive tournament set- ting or to have more fun during a leisurely round, here are some other ideas that can help you avoid big numbers on the course. Play to Your Personal Par One way to keep the wheels from flying off is to have realistic expectations going into the round. If you're an 18 handicap playing a difficult course like Pebble Beach or Spyglass Hill for the first time, you can expect to card some bogeys and double bogeys. Most recreational golf- ers set par as the gold standard on every hole, even though their handicaps suggest a bogey—or sometimes even a double bogey—would be a good score for them. Learn to Recognize Tension Whenever you hit shots that are aber- rations (opposite of what you've been hitting all day), the environment stresses you. What do golfers do when they're under duress? They tend to tense up in their upper body and grip the club a little tighter during the swing, which prevents the clubface from squaring up and leads to the dreaded left-to-right ball. Tension can lead to other types of mistakes, but more often than not, it's a major cause of slicing the ball. Sam Snead used to say, "Dance with who brung ya." If he showed up in the morning with a fade swing, that's what he'd play with on the course, and then he fixed his swing later on the practice range. Well, if you know you're going to slice it, aim more to the left of your target. Knowing you hit the ball one way, anticipate what it's going to do and play the shot that way. Don't Attach Yourself to the Outcome Another cause of tension in the swing is fear of the outcome. To avoid big numbers and have fun on the course, one needs to play tension-free golf; you must be able to close the cycle of negativity and stay focused on the shot at hand. I like to use the acronym NATO, or Not Attached To Outcome, to describe this mind- set. Remember that you're playing a game, and the definition of play is to have fun. Change your attitude, and you'll change your results. Take a "Second-Shot" Mentality How many times have you hit a bad shot, only to drop a second ball and, without even pausing to give it thought, knocked your next shot stiff? Or maybe you hit your tee shot out of bounds and after re-teeing it, smacked the next drive down the center of the fairway. It happens all the time, right? One of the reasons this happens so frequently is because with the second shot, there's nothing attached to the outcome. You figure, "What else could go wrong?" So you step up there without any hes- itation or fear that you could hit it out of bounds, and you rip it as a result! Most golfers have the tendency to recall their bad shots, not the good ones. However, the game's best players only remember the good ones. When they hit a shot they like, you see them staring it down, soaking in the feeling of a well-struck ball. Hopefully, these thoughts can shift your approach and allow you to play more great shots. For more tips, tricks and lessons to increase the fun in your golf game, visit us at the Pebble Beach Golf Academy or call us at 831/622-8650. Most golfers have the tendency to recall their bad shots, not the good ones. However, the game's best players only remember the good ones. When they hit a shot they like, you see them staring it down, soaking in the feeling of a well-struck ball. J

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Carmel Magazine - CM SP16 Online Edition