“Practice is steadiness of effort and the effort to be steady.”-Bhavani Maki We frequently encounter frustration when we don’t gain the expected results from our practice habits. In general, most amateurs do not put in enough time and work to warrant their expectation. In addition to managing expectations, it’s equally important to continuously check HOW we are practicing. Quality […]
When we are faced with a tight driving hole, our adrenaline levels spike, tension levels explode, and confidence disintegrates. Revisiting the notion of the “second shot syndrome,” we can make every fairway seem as wide as an airport runway. Most amateurs, if given a second try at a particular shot will hit a much better shot on […]
Speaking of obstacles. . . We just hit the perfect drive down the center of the fairway and we discover our ball is in a divot! What do we do? Technically, it is best to choose an iron or a more forgiving club for the shot from a divot. Acknowledge if the ball needs to be […]
(This is the eighth and final article in an eight-part series inspired by Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras.)Mary H., with a 9 hole index of 27, and a participant in my unlimited monthly program, proclaimed she was on the verge of quitting. After her poor performance the day before, she wanted to abandon the game. We’ve all been there! Low and behold, […]
Don’t underestimate the power of a balanced follow-through. Good players finish with an efficient and consistent ending position. Their follow-through maintains balance on the front foot (left side for right-handed players) with very little weight on the back foot. If this isn’t occurring, look for patterns of disparity. For example, if you are constantly falling back/away […]
(This is the eighth of a nine-part series inspired by Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras) Plateauing (Sanskrit: alabdha bhūmikatva): We make great strides to lower our handicap and then suddenly we get stuck at a number and can’t budge. Or we are missing the point of a technical swing change and find ourselves bogged down in swing mechanics and not able […]
Winter is coming and it’s going to get muddy! A few adjustments can be made to help navigate the tough conditions: 1. The feet will be sinking lower than normal, so gripping down on the club slightly will help accommodate for the feet being lower than the ball.2. Play the ball slightly farther back in the stance than normal […]
(This is the 6th of an eight-part series inspired by Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras) Similar to the infamous oak tree that guards the green on #15 at Delaveaga, it is not a matter of if the obstacles will appear, but when. And when they do present themselves, we are instructed that the obstacles are our practice. Delusion (Sanskrit: bhrāntidarshana): We have just […]