A big mistake I see is golfers trying to cram a practice session in before they play. I think it is the worst thing you can do;
- makes you think too much
- wares you out
- likely to get tense if you hit some poor shots
- make unnecessary changes
- get stiff and over controlling
Once this happens you’ll lose any flow and natural rhythm. From here it is unlikely you’ll shoot a good score or enjoy your day.
Best that you warm up (preferably into a net) for a few minutes and then go and play. No need to make swing changes or think about how to hit the ball. Warm up – then play. You want to get loose and free. Let go and allow the swing to flow. This will maximise your chances of finding your best game.
In the same way that cramming before an exam rarely works, neither does making swing changes before you play. Go with what you’ve got and have fun. You’ll do just fine.
Good golfing,
Cameron
Dear golfer,
Here’s the top three things you can do to start playing better golf straight away.
- Stop fixing your golf swing: That’s right! Leave it alone and learn to play with what you’ve got. Continually fixing your golf swing leads to golfing misery. You will never find your real potential if you keep searching, tweaking and altering your golf swing. If you’ve been playing golf for more than a few years chances are you have a great golf swing inside you – it’s time to let it out!Here’s how to do it….With your favourite club in hand and a few balls, find a quiet place to practice. Hit the ball without thought of what to do. Just hit it. The goal is to let your subconscious take over and minimise the noise of your conscious mind. Keep the conscious quiet and you’ll unlock something special.
- Remove the straight jacket: If you want to experience something remarkable with your golf game then you need to do something different. On your next game strive to play with YOUR own swing. If you’re not thinking about your golf swing then this becomes easier. Removing the straight jacket is playing golf the way YOU really want to – not trying to conform to other’s rules and regulations.This step can be a difficult one. The extra pressure of the golf course, score card and playing partners can be enough to try and play safe and return to your boring golf game. Resist the urge, have fun and play your way.
- Repeat this for three rounds: This path is no quick fix. Sometimes miracles happen, but they are not likely. Plan to play this way for three rounds. This is the time it takes for you to become comfortable and to allow something remarkable to happen. When you experience the magic, and it will happen, you may transform you golf game forever.
Give it a go and let me know how you get on. I would love to hear from you.
Good golfing,
Cameron
Dear golfer,
Dean came in for a lesson on Thursday. He had told me over the phone that he hadn’t been playing long (about 6 months) and was looking for some guidance.
I was assuming that Dean would be a beginner and when he told me that he usually scored between 70 and 80, I thought this would be for nine holes.
As usual, we chatted for a few moments before getting into it. When Dean made his first swing I knew I had wrongly assumed the talent of the man. His swing was powerful, fluid and technically very good. He was so good that I couldn’t believe that he had been playing for such a short time.
It turns out that Dean is a gifted athlete, having played first grade rugby league in Sydney and then later nearly becoming the first person to make the switch from league to AFL. He narrowly missed out, but spent a few years playing AFL in the lower competitions.
I was dealing with a special talent here and it was a privilege to watch a sporting genius at work.
While watching Dean smash shot after shot into the back of the net, I remembered a story I was told by Kendal McWade. While working with Kendal he ask me what I would do if I was a school teacher and had a young Albert Einstein in my class. Kendal wanted to know what I would teach him and how.
I wasn’t sure, (Kendal asked a lot of questions like this. Including what does GURU mean?) so after thinking about it for a while this is what he told me. (I’m paraphrasing because I can’t remember exactly what he said 
)
“Cameron, a poor teacher would jam as many rules, regulations, equations and theories down his neck. A good teacher would pick up on his obvious talent and inspire, motivate and help him grow”.
I was dealing with a modern sporting Einstein here. I didn’t want to bombard Dean with too many instructions. So I was keen to help build his passion for the game and open his mind to playing remarkable golf.
I took him through my automatic process which showed him a method for dealing with pressure and playing his best golf out on the golf course. We then had some fun time hitting weired shots and exploring the possibilities that he may not have experienced before (because he hadn’t been playing long).
I asked him to hit high and low shots and even hit his 6 iron like his wedge. By pushing him to explore different shots and getting him to open his mind further, I think this will help Dean become an exceptional golfer. There is no question of his talent – it is a question of allowing that talent to grow and develop over time.
The lesson was won of the best that I have given. I learned as much as Dean (hopefully) did. I’m glad that I didn’t fill his mind with technical theories, but rather, increased his enthusiasm and potential to learn even more.
I will was also a wake up call for me not to assume anything. I valuable lesson indeed. The human potential is incredible if we allow it to learn naturally and coaches and players shouldn’t assume anything!
Before I forget – Kendal’s definition of GURU is: Gee, You Are You! You ARE the talented one!
Good golfing,
Cameron
Dear Golfer,
I’ve just spent a few days away with family and friends. As usual I took my clubs and manged to get in a game of golf.
I was joined by my brother, a family friend and my girlfriend. Being the only golfer (also known as the ‘golfer guy’) it was expected that I coach and help my lesser experienced partners throughout the day. They probably expected some profound coaching idea that would ensure they play their best golf of their lives. But I don’t offer miracle cures – what I teach and offer is realistic and maximises the chances of playing well, it can’t guarantee it.
I don’t mind helping others (I really enjoy it) but I take an approach that may seem a little different. I don’t say much. I offer virtually no technical instruction and encourage the person to do all of the exploring and learning themselves. The easy approach would be to overload them with three or four technical ideas (like grip, backswing and downswing) and let them go.
Experience tells me this would make me look good (I know so much about the golf swing etc) but it wouldn’t help them. Instead my advice is simple and easy to understand. I’m a big fan of getting comfortable and then hitting the ball. Hardly a revelation in golf instruction, but the process seems to work.
The family friend hadn’t played golf in over two years, so there wasn’t much else I could do. By getting comfortable and hitting the ball his mind and body was relaxed and he made significant progress. He didn’t set the world on fire but he was pleased with how he played. Better still, he felt that he now could improve his play over time and had the enthusiasm to play more. Great!
My brother was a similar story. He struggled early on, trying many tips and techniques he thought were correct. When he relaxed and stop trying so hard he played much better. He finished the round off with a par and a bogey and was delighted to match me on one hole.
The big breakthrough came with my girlfriend. She is a good athlete, having played tennis and hockey at school. She doesn’t like golf that much (living with a golf nut she probably get more golf than she can handle!) and only plays once or twice a year. Clare also understands my learning process well, so doesn’t clutter her mind with needless thoughts about the swing etc. She just plays.
By the end of the round she was hitting the ball nicely. She made par on the 15th, bogeyed the 16th, birdied the 17th and bogeyed the 18th (after hitting two great shots). This is terrific golf for someone that rarely plays. By the end of the round her confidence was sky high and she was letting me know that she was keeping up with me. All great fun!
So while I didn’t offer my golfing partners anything amazing or miraculous, they left the course having a great day and had some good stories to tell. A job well done and much better than the alternative!
Good golfing,
Cameron Strachan
