Bill Bui and Ray Tan at Burswood Golf Course for the Lottery West Golf Day
I always enjoy being invited to golf days. They are a great way to socialise and meet new golfers and potential clients. This was the Lottery West Golf Day and I had been invited by my friend Bill . Bill owns the Swan Lottery Kiosk. He has just started golfing and this was his first corporate golf day.
The golf day was well organised as there was coaching on all aspects of golf before the game.
Bill and I were partnered with 2 other players in an ambrose competition.
We managed only to play to 1 over after 18 holes. Handicaps were based on mystery holes.
Unfortunately our scores were not enough to win. I did enjoy the teamwork. Ambrose is always good when each player pitches in, especially at a crucial time.
The eventual winners were 8 under. It was a good day but it may have been better if I finally win something in golf.
Was invited by Ben Suripto to a game at Royal Fremantle on Sunday morning. The other players were Ben , Ronny and Hanafi. Although all the players are quite good players, the pars were scarce. I played to 109 and was totally disappointed with my performance. The drives were Ok but the putts and 2nd shots were just not connecting. I will have to go back to tame the course. Even the passer by who took our photo did not do it properly so I do not even have a shot of the day.
The course is challenging and beautiful. Lots of hills and bunkers everywhere. Just could not get any pars until the last Par 5. It never fails, you think you are doing so badly and want to give the game up and then you hit a real beauty and it drags you back into the game.
When I got back home, my son Jaz wanted to go for 9 holes at Collier park. So I dragged myself there happily as I wanted to do better than the game at Royal Fremantle. Managed to hit 47 for 9 holes. That salvaged my pride.
However, I need to get back to Herbie for more lessons this Tuesday.
This is the first time I have walked 27 holes. It is tiring but if you are playing well, you do not feel it. Must do it again.
Here's an article by Andrew Park that reinforces my belief that a pre shot routine is the key to lower scores.
Get a Preshot Routine
By Andrew Park Original article can be found at
Do as the pro's do, and develop a series of habits designed to help you make a better swing more often.
To the untrained eye it might go unnoticed, but when a coach watches one of his players in a tournament he or she can tell immediately whether or not they are dialed into their A-game. Ernie Els is a perfect example, and a player we know very well at the DLGA headquarters here at Champions Gate.
When Ernie is playing and swinging well - often referred to as being 'in the zone' - he follows a very definite routine on every single shot that he makes. This involves identifying an intermediate target a few feet ahead of the ball (a leaf or divot mark that lies directly on his line to the target), and he uses that as his point of reference as he then goes through the motions of getting himself correctly and squarely set-up for the shot.
Ernie then takes a couple of looks at that intermediate target as he swivels his head to scan the distant target, then he pulls the trigger and goes. But when he's fidgety, not entirely happy with the shot or his club selection he will look up maybe four or five times before making his swing. And when that happens he usually hits a poor shot.
The point that I'm making here is that good players develop a pre-shot routine and stick rigidly to it when they are in full flow and playing well. Which is why we at the DLGA believe it is so important that our students learn to do the same - and rehearse it regularly in practice. Let me show you how to make this a habit that helps you make more good swings and hit more solid shots.
GET A FIX ON YOUR TARGET LINE
Identifying some sort of intermediate target is a key element of a good pre-shot routine, for the simple reason that it is much easier to aim the clubface squarely on a tuft of grass or an old divot-mark just a few feet in front of your ball than it is on the flag away in the distance.
When you practise, pick out a mark (a few feet ahead of the ball you are hitting) that lies bang on the line to your ultimate target, and then go through your routine - starting behind the ball - with that spot fixed in your mind's eye.
As you go about your business, everything revolves around that intermediate target: you aim the clubface squarely at it before getting your body into a good square position, your grip perfect, posture ready to make a good swing. Finally, look up once or twice (develop your own preference) and then pull the trigger.
IF YOU SLICE THE BALL, READ THIS:
Most higher-handicap golfers make the mistake of getting their shoulders aiming to the right of the target at the set-up (i.e. 'open' - aiming well to the left of the ball-to-target line). That leads to an out-to-in swing path and (most likely) a slice.
To fix that problem, make a habit of aiming the dub face with just your left hand on the grip, your right hand/arm down by your side. That will help keep the right shoulder back, so when you then bring the right hand onto the grip, your shoulders are square with the target line. You are then in a good position to make a good shoulder turn, get your upper body behind the ball and swing the club on the desired inside-to-square-to-inside path.
MAKE A SOLID FIRST MOVE
Simplicity is the key to inspiring a flowing chain-reaction
Not only do good players follow a regimented pre-shot routine, they make sure that they get their swing started with a solid first move that sets the tone for the whole motion in terms of its shape and rhythm. With a mid-iron, here's what you need to be thinking of.
From the set-up position, the key is to get everything working away together to create some momentum. By that (and this over the firm foundation of the lower body), I mean you think in terms of moving your stomach, hands, arms and the clubhead away as a unit. To achieve this, focus on keeping that triangle between your arms and shoulders pretty well intact as you move the clubhead the first two or three feet of your swing (above centre). As you do this, the wrists should be encouraged to hinge freely away from the target in the process of setting the club on a good plane.
One of the key checkpoints that we look for (and one you can check yourself in front of a mirror) occurs as the club reaches a position parallel with the ground, the back of the left hand facing forwards and nicely mirroring the clubface. As you can see, the left arm is working nicely across the chest, and the toe of the club is pointing up towards the sky.
When you practise, make a habit of going through your pre-shot routine and rehearsing this sequence of first moves to this first move checkpoint before returning to your address position and then hitting a shot.
The better and more consistently you make this first move the more you will find that your swing gels together as a whole. Basically, you are honing the first key link in what is a chain reaction from start to finish.
It's the Australian Masters and everyone is watching Tiger Woods.
For me, I rather play than watch. So, there we were, Frank, Ricky and Henry Pua formed the 1st group.
Ray Pua, Stevie and myself formed the 2nd group with Ben Ben, our new playing friend from Indonesia. Ben plays off a 10 handicap. Surprisingly all of us are students of Herbie Schrale.
We all had a 2 hr group lesson with Herbie on Tuesday at Whaleback.
I was still grapplying with the new swing that Herbie was trying to get me to do. So was Ray Pua. Unfortunately, I have not had much practice with the new swing. I played to 100 and had 3 triple bogeys. It is always so frustrating when you know you can do better.
Back to the practice range next Tuesday for more lessons.
Had to be in court today. However the guys were good enough to agree to play in the afternoon so that I can get a game.
Players today were Henry, Ray Pua, Stevie, Sean , Frankie and myself. My brother in law Tony, came to join us at the 2nd nine. I played to 97 today which was not bad and quite easy. I hope I should be able to consistently break 100 and 90.
Tony who is visiting from Melbourne put on a brave game despite not playing for years. You can tell when someone has had training before. Maybe I will get a chance to play more games with him.
He says Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne has lots of beautiful courses. May take him on.
here is an article from Herbie, our resident coach. I must say I agree with him about golfers just smashing balls at the range. Have a look at his article and learn from it if you want to reduce your score.
On another note, we are holding a coaching clinic by Herbie at Whaleback this coming Tuesday 19 Nov 2009 at 6.30 pm. Cost will be $20 per person with free balls. Please confirm how many will attend asap.
By Herbie Schrale
Practice makes permanent, perfect practice makes perfect sense.
Identify.
All golfers should know their strengths and weaknesses but do truly find out you need to analyse your rounds of golf and record the following:
Fairways hit, greens in regulation (according to handicap), pitches from 100m, pitches from 50m, pitches from 30m, chip and run, chips, bunkers, putts.
We all love to practice what we are good at but what we should be doing is working on our weaknesses while maintaining our strengths.
Practice with a Purpose.
The objective in golf is not just to hit the ball, we can all do that. The aim is to place the ball in a desired location desired by the golfer in a way determined by the circumstances the golfer is faced with. Practice is the logical way in which you can train yourself to achieve this ability.
When practicing always have a clear objective in mind when playing each shot (never just stand and hit balls). It is called “hitting mode” and is seen happening on all ranges where golfers just grab another ball and whack it, ball after ball.
You can only focus on one thing at a time and when working on your game you need to decide if it one of the following modes:
Mechanical
Sensory
Target/Competitive
Mechanical - stop start, checking swing, drills, conscious swing thought work in sections to fix swing problems. Use of aids, static and active drills. At no stage worry about ball flight or aiming at targets, just fix the problem and work on one aspect at a time until fixed. Use a work station.
Sensory – Rhythm and swing tempo, balance and fluidity work. Distance control work and technique shots (draws, slices, punches and low running shots etc) Speed work and high repetition work to cement and entrench mechanical work. Again, good contact with the ball and good ball flight but no regard to accuracy.
Use of a work station.
Target/Competitive. This is playing shots as you should on the golf course. The biggest complaint from golfers is they can hit great shots on the range and then, when they get on the course the results are just not there. How many of you practice shots on a range as you would on the course? One shot at a time, picking a target and going through your entire set up routine to play each shot. I watch a large number of golfers on the range and I never see golfers;
1)Walking off the mats and then standing behind the ball to line up’
2) Then walk in, correctly setting up using their routine.
3) Focus on the target and then fire off the shot.
If you don’t practice as you would play then how do you expect the body and mind to respond correctly on a course under more exacting circumstances.
Working on your routine does three things for you game and needs attention all the time.
1)Like a pilots check list, you don’t forget any basics (correct alignment, grip, stance and feet pressure, shoulder and hip position etc)
2)It acts as a focal stimulus in that the mind now concentrates on the routine and helps get you into the “zone”
3)It becomes familiar and helps the body relax and releases tension which are major contributors to a bad swing
Pointers
The following should be considered when practicing:
1)Always warm up Start with stretching and then hit a few shots using a lofted club (Pitching wedge) to 30 metres, then 60 metres and finally to 90 metres.
2)Always use a work station. These can be other clubs, two small sticks or anything you like, but always have a way of checking that you are aligned correctly with relation to your shoulders, hips and feet with the club face and target line.
3)Practice the parts of the game in percentages according to the degree of relevance it has in your game. Analysis of you game will indicate as to what % of your game is putting, short game (under 40 metres), pitching and then full swings. This can further be broken down into full swings from 120 metres or less, 120 metres to 150 metres, above 150 metres and then driving. How much of your practice time is skewered in practicing the lower % shots and not working on the parts of the game that will lower your score by improving your game.
4)Think quality on a range and at practice, not quantity. There are too many golfers that think by hitting 200 balls on the range they have had a good session. Hit 200 shots on the course and tell me your thoughts. The game is the least shots the better and the better you get the higher the percentage of your game will be putting. (Golf is designed to score in such a way that 50% of the course will be putting, i.e. par three green in 1 and two putts, par four green in 2 and two putts, par 5 green in three and 2 putts, do the maths).
5)Make practice fun, play games and always set yourself a challenge when working on target work to judge your performance and don’t quit until you have succeeded. Be realistic on your challenges and work on increments.
6)Like gym work or any other training vary what you are planning to practice be it short game one session, long game with three different clubs the next to bunkers and drivers the next.
7)Knowing what to practice and the correct technique required will do more for you game in a short time then wasting time and money practicing the wrong swing and therefore re-entrenched bad habits. With this in mind, most golfers allow the ball to dictate how they swing (change the swing to correct ball flight depending on what the ball does i.e. compensations). Good golfers get the correct swing first and then tell the ball where to go, make the ball react to you, not the other way around.
Conclusion
If you have any queries or questions on anything in this article, if you need specific drills to work on, advice on training aids or on how to set up a work station etc, then please come and see me, call or e-mail me.
I run supervised practice sessions where we work on specifics each week depending on who is there and what problems they need covering. These are held every Monday evening from 5.30pm to 7pm, Wednesday mornings from 10am to 11.30am and on Friday mornings from 9am to 10.30am and from 4pm to 5.30pm. The cost is $20.00 per person and you are given a bucket of 60 balls with which to practice. With summer coming I was wondering if there would be a desire for an early morning session before work i.e. 7am to 8.30am during the week. If anyone is interested could they please give me a call or send me an e-mail.
My apologies for the lack in newsletters but I will be in touch on a more regular basis.
My son Jazton, Eduard, myself and Bui. Photo taken by Tyzton , my youngest son.
It was a beautiful Sunday. Those who had to go to church would have gone and had lunch. For me, I was at the course with my sons and my friends. Ed and Bui are friends who play badminton and who have been converted by myself to the crazy game of golf.
Both are finding their feet, while my sons Jaz and Tyz have great potential but are a bit too lazy and uncommitted. Gee, if I had my dad supporting me in golf at their age, I might have been a Tiger Tan :)
Anyway, we only had time to play 9 holes. I managed to play to 46 which I thought was pretty good. All was going well and I had 4 pars. It was at the 7th hole where my ego took over my common sense. I had been using a 3 wood all along. When I saw the low scores, I told myself, let's get out the driver and blast this game. Bad mistake, it went to the right of the fairway to the bush leading me to a triple bogey.
How does one tame one's ego and just use a safe club. That is the lesson to be learnt. Bui and Ed did not do very well as they are finding their feet. Jaz was quietly achieving bogeys and double bogeys. He has potential and I have to work on him.
Tyz tried a few chips and putts but lost interest. I wish he would embrace the game as he has such great potential.
I believe I can easily break 100 each time I play if I park my ego with my Audi Q7 at the carpark.
William, Ray Pua, Henry, Herbie, Charles and Frank, (Ricky was late as usual)
Alas, my dreams of breaking 80 were not to be. Infact, it was a nightmare day for me. I hit 101 after having 2 balls drop in the water on a par 3. Finally hit an 8 for the par 3. I was doing so well until the call from the office regarding my clients in the immigration detention centre. It was just before I teed off on the par 3.
I think I should make it a point not to take calls on the course. Too distracting. However, what do I do with my clients who need me? I have to train more lawyers so I can play more golf!
I also found that if I just used my 3 wood, I usually get a bogey easily. I guess that should give me an 18 over score. But what the heck, how does one resist the challenge of taking out the driver. All my driver shots sliced today.
I was playing with Herbie in the group. Herbie as you know is the resident pro at Whaleback Golf course. He was encouraging but there was nothing he could do for me at the course.
Ray Pua was playing well today at 90 and I lost money to him. Herbie played to 75 but William did not have a good day. He was also taking too many phone calls.
I do not know about the other group of players.
Anyway, at the end of the game , the group decided we all need to attend a golf clinic held by Herbie just for us. Will have to organise that for the following week.
What a game. It keeps drawing you back. Just when you think you have learnt the game, you crack up again and learn how fallible you are.
Never mind, till next week here are some quotes to chew on.
I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone's golf game. It is called an eraser.
~ Arnold Palmer
The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing.
~ Phyllis Diller
Golf is played by twenty million mature American men whose wives think they are out having fun.
~ Jim Bishop
I tried real hard to play golf, and I was so bad at it they would have to check me for ticks at the end of the round because I'd spent about half the day in the woods.
~ Jeff Foxworthy
The woods are full of long drivers.
~ Harvey Penick
When the ducks are walking, you know it is too windy to be playing golf.
~ Dave Stockton
If you really want to get better at golf, go back and take it up at a much earlier age.
~ Thomas Mulligan
Someone once told me that there is more to life than golf. I think it was my ex-wife.
~ Bruce Lansky
Of all the hazards, fear is the worst.
~ Sam Snead
Les Ross the “Golf Mechanic” is the director of golf at Highlander School of Golf and has been teaching golf professionally for several years. He ...
Visit http://www.breakingthedistancebarrier.com/ which is Les Ross's website.
Most people who play golf have never broken 90 in their golf careers.
This is obviously a major goal for these folks and a source of major frustration...
When I talk and play with these golfers, there is one common observation that I can make about their games that is creating a serious mental barrier to their progress... and that is an intense desire for "more distance".
The other common observation I can make about their game is that they are passionate about golf and will do whatever it takes to improve.
The golf industry thrives on these desires:
"buy this driver and add 10 extra yards to your game"
"buy this ball for extra distance"
"Learn to swing like the pros"
"Turn more for more distance"
Whenever you look in golf magazines or watch infomercials on TV these headlines are everywhere....its no wonder that this distance message has rubbed off on the struggling golfer.
Yet, when you do the math on what distances you require to break 90 off the standard white tees on the typical golf course, the numbers will surprise you...
Understand the Numbers
Golf is all about numbers and making smart decisions. If you can understand the numbers that are necessary to meet your scoring goals, you will begin to make smarter decisions that will quickly lead to lower scores.
I say this because it is this lack of understanding of the numbers involved in the game that leads golfers to make bad decisions both on and off the course:
"I need this new $600 driver to get my drives to 230 yards....that will make a huge difference to may scores"
"If only I could get my irons to go further, what a difference that would make"
Yet, talk to these same people 6 months after their purchase and many of them have made little difference to their scores...
This push for distance is a huge mental barrier. Those golfers who progress faster with their games are those who have discovered how to overcome this mental obstruction.
What they need to do is make mental shift away from distance, to one of "consistency"...
If you can make that change, you will find your game will accelerate rapidly to lower scoring.
That process begins by knowing your numbers....
Understand the Distance Numbers
Golf is all about making smart decisions around distance. If you can understand the numbers that are necessary to meet your scoring goals, you will begin to make smarter decisions that will quickly lead to lower scores.
I say this because it is this lack of understanding of the distances involved in the game that lead golfers to make bad decisions both on and off the course:
"I need this new $600 driver to get my drives to 230 yards...that will make a huge difference to may scores"
"If only I could get my irons to go further, what a difference that would make"
Yet, talk to these same people 6 months after their purchase and many of them have made little difference to their scores...
This push for distance is a huge mental barrier. Those golfers who progress faster with their games are those who have discovered how to overcome this mental obstruction.
Make this mental shift, and you will find your game will accelerate rapidly to lower scoring.
That process begins by knowing your numbers...
Average distances to Break 90
Let's assume you play on an average length course of 6,100 yards. I am going to throw some average distance requirements per stroke out there to break 90 that are based on different putting abilities...
45 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 138 yards
40 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 124 yards
36 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 115 yards
(average distance = 6,100 ÷ (89 - # of putts/round) )
For ladies on a 5,500 yard course the yardages are less:
45 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 128 yards
40 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 115 yards
36 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 104 yards
As you look at these numbers, even some absolute beginners using a set of old clubs can reach these distances!
So where is the need for distance?
If you are any good at putting you could probably get round the course in 89 using only a 9/8 iron and a putter...
"Ah, but that is not how the game is played..." some might say.
That is certainly true. But then I would ask "how should you play the game and what are you trying to achieve?"...
Change of Thinking
In showing you these distances and prodding these questions I am not trying to be critical of those who play in the 90's or above...
I am simply trying to help you clarify the numbers to encourage you think a little more about how you may be approaching your own game.
Of course I would not suggest you go around the course with nothing but an 8 iron and a putter. That is silly. However, these numbers clearly suggest that you do not need a 230 yard drive either.
So what can we learn from just studying these distances?
1. For starters, if you are able to average a 2 putt on every green for your round, you remove a huge distance requirement from your game.
This then should be your top priority for breaking 90...practice putting at home to get your putting average down to 36 or less per round.
2. The second observation that jumps out at us is that distance is not an issue if you are able to execute every shot cleanly during the round without a miss hit or duff shot.
Swing consistency becomes key, not distance.
Here is how your thinking and mental approach to your swing has to change...
It does not matter how far you hit the ball, but it is vital that you hit every shot with some level of consistency.
Consistency comes with a lot of practice, but it can also come from making smart decisions with your shot making...
Operating at the Top End of your Swing Capability Curve
Your judgment calls on distance and club selection can seriously affect your swing consistency...this is all a "mental process" and has nothing to do with your physical capability.
Let me show you an example...
Let's say that you are faced with an approach shot to the green of 140 yards. What are your choices?
Well, on the range you know that you can reach 140 yards with an 8 iron....in most cases you might have a go with that decision.
How confident do you feel at executing that shot? What are the likely outcomes if you do not pull it off?
Here is what I observe with many high handicap golfers when making decisions of this nature...
9 times out of 10 they are always short of the green. This is because of either a complete miss hit duff shot or they did not catch the ball cleanly at contact.
On top of this the accuracy of the shot is off as well.
The reason for this is they are swinging at the high end of their swing capability curve trying to execute a "full turn", because that is what they have read, or been told will give them the "most distance".
If they adopt this same mental approach to swinging with a full turn during their practice sessions with all their clubs, their decisions on distance capability with each club is going to be influenced by the results they achieve on the range.
The shots they remember are the shots they hit well that go a mile, but do they remember how far they hit the balls that did not go so well?....probably not.
Whenever you try to run a "system" at the high of it capability it is going to experience some failure.
The same can be said of your golf swing. Try to swing with a full turn on every shot, and you will experience failure more times than not.
That is because with a full backswing extension you are more likely to experience:
• Balance problems
• Breakdowns of the left arm
• Excessive tension in the arms that leads to a prerelease of the hands from the top of the swing and poor timing
to mention but a few...
OK. Now I want you to consider your chances of reaching the same 140 yards with either a 7 iron or even a 6 iron. Are you likely to be short with either of these two clubs?
The answer is, "no, only if I miss hit the shot completely. If anything I may overshoot the target..."
Choose a Club Down for better Swing Consistency
Here is how you can immediately improve your swing consistency on the course...
I want you to ask yourself why you put yourself under distance pressure for this 140 yard shot?
Why do you need to operate your swing at the high end of your capability curve and push the extremes of your swing limits with an 8 iron, knowing that you are likely to experience a miss hit?
This is totally unnecessary. You have the option of selecting down a club that you know you will reach the distance with a much higher degree of certainty.
This same thought process can be applied to every swing decision you make with every iron you have in the bag.
The only time you reach a point where you have to make a full turn to increase distance comes with clubs at the low end such as a 3 iron, 3 wood and driver where you no longer have the option to choose down a club.
Choosing to club down for all of your distance decisions changes your mental approach from one of going for distance, to one of going for consistency.
The first reaction you have when you make this decision is worrying about over shooting the target.
This thought process forces you to shorten your backswing so that you take some "heat" out of the shot.
When you shorten your backswing:
• Your balance is better and your swing is much easier to time.
• With improved balance also comes improved accuracy.
So, club down and shorten your backswing for improved consistency...
Set a scoring goal for each hole
You can reduce the pressure to swing for distance from your swing even further by accurately knowing what distance you need to achieve your scoring goal for every hole to break 90.
On a par 72 hole course you need to score 17 over par in order to achieve an 89.
You can break that down to a scoring goal for every hole of a 1 over par, only needing a single par on any one hole somewhere during the round.
Now let's look at how knowing this information affects your decision making and club selection on the course...
For those of you who feel you need to add more distance to your game but have yet to break 90, I want to try and dispel this mental obstacle once and for all with this following example...
Let's put you under a pressure for distance scenario on the course by imaging you are standing on the tee of a 410 yard par 4. Does this intimidate you? You bet!
"I need to have a long drive so that I can give myself every chance of getting on or near the green with my approach shot..."
"It is holes like this that bring out the need for that 230 yard drive! Even with that drive I still have 180 yards to go with the next shot."
How do you rate your chances of pulling off consistent shots under this amount of pressure?
Not very high is my guess..."
Before you reach into the bag for the heavy artillery and psych yourself up for a monster drive, step back for a minute and think about what you are trying to achieve on this hole.
You are not trying to play for par, you are trying to play for a one over par because that is your goal for this hole.
Come to think of it, even a 5 handicap golfer does not need to go for par on this hole because holes of this nature usually have a handicap index of 5 or less!
Knowing you have 5 strokes to meet your goal, how can you best use those strokes to make each shot as simple as possible?
The trick lies in working your way back from the green to the tee, not from the tee to the green in your club selection...
Work backwards from the green for shot simplicity and improved consistency
First of all, I am going to assume you took note of my first observation and have practiced your putting at home and feel pretty good at averaging 2 putts per green.
That leaves you with 3 shots with which to work your way back to the tee to cover the 410 yards.
The first decision you need to make is at what distance and with what club can I feel confident at getting anywhere on the green 9 times out of 10, remembering that there is no need to push your swing to it's high limits for distance.
Let's say that a 65 yard pitching wedge comes to mind.
Ok, now let's work back a little further and decide what would be a reasonable shot that you feel pretty confident at getting you within that 65 yard approach shot range even from light rough.
Maybe a 160 yard iron or hybrid club.
What's left for your drive....185 yards, which for some of you may be a 3 wood distance.
What this exercise does for you is reduce the pressure to swing for distance completely from every shot tee to green. You will be able to swing well within your distance capability...especially if you also club down.
Your chances of executing this strategy with reasonable consistency compared to the "conventional approach" is going to be much higher because you are not swinging at the high end of your swing range.
On top of this, if you successfully land your third shot on the green, you give yourself a one putt chance of a par!
Now compare that opportunity to the "conventional approach" where you would probably be satisfied with a one or even a two over par....
Adding the Extra Shot and Shorten your Approach Shot
The one over scoring goal on every hole but one to break 90 allows you to design your tee to green play with an "extra shot" compared to a regulation strategy.
That extra shot on all the par 4's and par 5's reduces the distance you require for every shot considerably.
Knowing this allows you to back off and swing well within your distance capability by clubbing down.
The extra shot also allows you to select a shorter approach shot on every hole which improves your changes of getting on the green.
This helps you avoid many wasted short game shots from around the green which are tremendous shot consumers for high handicap players who have not developed a short game.
Breaking 90
As I have shown you in this article, knowing the distance numbers to break 90 takes away the pressure to operate at the high end of your swing capability on every shot
Making smart club choices by clubbing down, also eliminates this distance pressure.
The strategy of adding the extra shot from tee to green to shorten your approach shots on every hole, not only reduces wasted shots from around the green, you also give yourself more par opportunities for a one putt par.
The desire to add more distance to your game can be a major mental barrier that is preventing you from lowering your scores and reaching your goal of 89.
Make the mental shift to thinking more on how to improve consistency by swinging well within you distance capabilities and your scores will drop significantly in a short period of time...
Good luck and good scoring!
Les Ross is author of "Breaking the Distance Barrier" http://www.breakingthedistancebarrier.com and owner of "Highlander School of Golf"
If you would like learn more about the strategies to break 90 and how to improve the technical swing skills you need to break 90, take a look at the 3 part video series and free ebook download: http://www.highlanderschoolofgolf.com/HowtoBreak90.htm
