From the monthly archives:

January 2009

Hardly a day goes by that I don’t get asked about how to play consistent golf.

At first thought it sounds like a fair request. After all, it makes sense to be able to play consistently since everyone is trying to do the same.

With further reflection I think that trying to play consistently is the wrong thing to do. Playing consistent golf is not allowing you to be the best that you can be. Aiming for consistency is likely to keep you playing safe and not allowing you to explore your true potential. It feels comfortable but it’s not that exciting.

What’s the alternative?

I’d be aiming for your own level of remarkable. Like learning to swing without fear from the 1st tee onwards. Sure, you might hit some awful shots, but you’re likely to hit some home runs too!

Consistent golf is boring golf – it’s careful and calculating. Remarkable golf is exciting and full of possibilities.

It’s the possible that makes golf fun and full of learning experiences.

The paradox of playing remakable golf is that you’re likely to shoot lower scores more of the time. It’s then that you’ll get people asking you what your secret to playing consistently is.

Fear of failure is a waste. It’s a waste of energy and a waste of time. Why? Because the absolute worst thing that can happen to you on the golf course is a bad score. Not good but not that bad either.

If you play badly you’re not going to be sacked by your golf club and your dog will still love you. Golfers aren’t afraid of bad scores, they’re more worried about what others will think and possibly getting some negative feedback.

Here’s the kicker. Read More

I like stories. They provide inspiration and are a useful learning tool.

Adam’s golf story is a good one and highlights the pitfalls of the golf improvement cycle.

Adam has been a friend of mine for nine years. I didn’t realise he was a golfer until recently, he preferred social outings, jet skiing and ballroom dancing over golf.

But Adam had a secret past.

He used to be a trainee golf professional at a top Melbourne golf course. This surprised me because he avoided golf like the plague. Although he hung out with a golf crowd he never participated in golf discussions or golf days. It was obvious he didn’t like the game – it would be fair to say he despised it!

When I discovered he was once a golf professional I couldn’t help but to dig deeper. It turns out that golf got the better of him. He had put his heart and soul into playing better golf. He became obsessed with it. Read More