When I say that the average golfer is insane I mean that literally. The definition of insanity is repeating and action over and over again and expecting a different result. I include myself in this category, at least I used to. I, like most average golfers, went to the driving range all the time to “work” on my swing. I didn’t work on fundamentals, short game or putting that much. I just wanted to hit the ball and I thought that if I hit enough balls I would figure it out and get better. There are very few people who can go to the driving range and “figure it out” and become a good golfer.
Since I never took lessons growing up I was spending my time at the driving range hammering in bad habits and bad fundamentals into my swing. This off-season I have put an end to that. I took the time to find a swing coach that has gotten me to think about the fundamentals of the game and begin to understand the golf swing. The funniest part about this is that it is the middle of the winter in Chicago, there isn’t an open golf course anywhere to be found, I am not hitting a ton of golf balls and I know that I am getting better every week. It is possible to get much better over the off-season in golf by focusing on the fundamentals of your game and your physical fitness.
I will share more about my off-season regiment of drills and work outs later in more detail, but I wanted to share that it is possible to make positive progress in the winter time. I used to think that winter was just a time to wish I was somewhere warmer so I could be out playing golf. Not anymore. It is an opportunity to really solidify the fundamentals of my game so when the snow melts my game won’t have any rust on it. It will be ready to go and hopefully better than ever.
If you are like I used to be and love pounding balls at the range but have struggled to dip your handicap take a second to think about how you practice and prepare your game. Are you working on things that actually help your game? When was the last time you changed your practice habits if ever? Are you repeating the same habits over and over again and expecting a different result? If you are, STOP! You are insane and need to make a change! Don’t let an offseason, winter weather or old habits hold you back from seizing an opportunity to actually get better. It is 100% possible to get better at golf, we all just need to stop being insane and start being more realistic with how we intend to get better. I, for one, am doing it with fundamentals. How are you planning to make your game better?
