Golf is never “easy.” It’s intense. We are constantly faced with three options:

1. Give up.
2. Keep going.
3. Make a new way.

Every golfer has been frustrated enough to scream, “I quit this game!”  In the golf world, there is a half-truth jestif you haven’t quit at least ten times, then you’re not a real golfer. However, if we are going to choose option number one and give up, we should start by giving up the self-defeating habits that interfered with our success in the first place. For example, we give up the tension-filled driver swings, the overly doubtful putting stroke, or the negative self-talk over shots.

If we have come this far in golf, we have shown time and time again that we have incredible endurance for the roller coaster ride golf takes us on. We’ve made it this far, we’re not giving up. So are we going to “keep going” or “make a new way?”  

If we continue down the same path without any adjustments, we find ourselves simply “waiting to see”.  The 30-yard slice will still be there with the incorrect grip. The clenched putting stroke will lead to inconsistent distance control.  If we choose to wait, we are probably just delaying the inevitable.

If we are on a quest to improve, a seeker, especially a hard-core golfer, it’s time to honestly evaluate our game.  What is working and what needs adjustment? This is the time to go for it.

Dodie Mazzuca is the author of “Golf Sūtras,” “Daily Golf Tap-Ins,” and founder of Golf PROformance. She teaches golf lessons, golf schools, and performance coaching for competitive players in Santa Cruz, CA and Reno, NV.