Food for Thought - What's stopping you from being a Tiger Woods

Golf is a complex game that requires the individual to be very prepared in so many aspects that most people will find it bothersome. But it’s the distinction between the champion and the runner up. For most intermediate player in the 18 to 24 handicap range, the considerations are less obvious but that is also the reason why the striking, short game and putting are not consistent enough to ensure a low or sub 80s score.

So what are the considerations or influence to play several good rounds of golf?

Whether is a golf professional, scratch player, low handicapper and even someone who is relatively new at golf, the following are key considerations:

1. Swing Proficiency
2. Short Game and Putting Finesse
3. Physical Abilities
4. Mental Management
5. Course Knowledge and Management
6. Personal Goals and Execution
7. Practice and Play
8. Proper Equipment

I am not going to go in depth as I believe there are enough gurus and coaches here who can do so here.

IMHO….What is most important depends on which stage you are at.

For example a relatively new golfer will be better off if they concentrate on 1, 2, 4 and 5. Someone who is stagnant at 18 handicap may be better off concentrating on 2, 4, 6 and 7.

Who what do you think a scratch player or a professional golfer needs? What do you think Tiger needs now? What do you think MC needs...haha

Each point above can be assess and be drilled down to deeper level of consideration, they are important as when the golfer progresses, the meaning of swing proficiency can be interpreted differently, the same for the rest of the other 7 key considerations.

Comments???

Have a Great 2011.

DGman

Wow!

This makes a good start to 2011; to have some forms of targets to achieve.
For me it'd be;

1. Swing Proficiency (having a swing that's repeatable and effective)
2. Short Game ( nuff said! Spend more time in chipping than regular range)
3. Physical Abilities (get my tear in between the disc resolved)
4. Mental Management (must have the fierce mentality to will the ball to go where I want)
5. Course Knowledge and Management (play more courses?!)
6. Personal Goals and Execution (aim to achieve low 80s. To do that, play more)
7. Practice and Play (hopefully.....sigh)



For the pro, methinks no.4 most impt to them.

Great tips boss, lately I m also giving those points that u have mention above into practise even during range sessions, however, I set point 6 as my starting on my way to the range. Gone are the days where I try to achieve everything in a day. I have breakdown into smaller parts. Like one session I will focus on ball striking n distance and the next one long irons. I just came back from a mid to short irons. Then some other day, the distances. Whatever it is, this game will go nowhere if u think that reporting to the range just to hit the quota of balls will help u what u want to achieve.

To me, once things start to mold together, the distances will follow.

Happy new year Eric! Thank you for lettimg me spend some time with Nick!

Btw, can i change the attas hybrid shaft with anything you can recommend from the shop? Cant hit the damn club, so i figured it must be a no.8 problem

Qn : What's stopping me from being a Tiger Woods?

Ans : My wife.

TheFocalPoint wrote:

Qn : What's stopping me from being a Tiger Woods?

Ans : My wife.

Hahahahaha...........

My commitment to the game.

And, the fact that Nike hasn't agreed to sponsor me yet.

i need to learn to keep my mouth shut, be less hao lian, be more calculative, ask for more strokes and give less strokes.

mUAr_cHEe wrote:

i need to learn to keep my mouth shut, be less hao lian, be more calculative, ask for more strokes and give less strokes.

so if you do the above you will excel is it?

pay attention, you need point 1 to point 7.

drill deeper young one.

seriously have anyone thought about what swing proficiency means..asahi is nearly there.

DGman

Panji - bring itek rice and lets chakap about your sikit atas

Nasi Bebek (bahasa version) done! This Friday..WMF/Kian, you on?

DGman wrote:

mUAr_cHEe wrote:

i need to learn to keep my mouth shut, be less hao lian, be more calculative, ask for more strokes and give less strokes.

so if you do the above you will excel is it?

pay attention, you need point 1 to point 7.

drill deeper young one.

seriously have anyone thought about what swing proficiency means..asahi is nearly there.

DGman

Panji - bring itek rice and lets chakap about your sikit atas

Master, no. my above points leads me to a more acceptable position of society. maybe again, i have not learnt my lesson yet. i do not know. time will tell.

I am good for Friday! Let's meet at the Den for the attas and 'lessons'.
Banana cake from me.

Think the Den is closed on Friday...

JonL_TK wrote:

Think the Den is closed on Friday...

If got food, master will open.

I'm good for thursday lunch too..ping ping/frostee around?

Asahi, see you tomorrow nite at 7pm, pre-SSN

thursday bringing the Mitsubishi chief around so its off and friday likely to be close cos i lazy and its also Mrs DGman birdday.

2011 lah...

DGman

the missus birthday is the one day (after anniversary) that we must be available...see you next year then!

Happy New Year in advance, DGMan

Yup. Seeya Tmr at basement (if can get bays).

I think it should start from point 6. if your ultimate goal is not to be like Tiger, you dun have to work so hard on the rest and you will still enjoy the game.

1. Swing Proficiency - Other than consistency, also need to be able to perform different type of shots, high, low, high draw, low draw, etc

2. Short Game and Putting Finesse - I find short game and putting are different, putting is more mental. I will put bunker shot as short game... one thing that always help me is to accelerate thru the ball... I do not fear greenside bunkers because I know I can get it out the first try. knowing how much the ball will roll out will help you get the ball nearer or into the hole

3. Physical Abilities -


4. Mental Management - If can handle this well, score will definitely be better. We will never be able to make every shot perfectly so it is how we react to those poor shots. Most time poor shots will come one after another. if we allow those poor shots to affect us, the rest of the shots will be poor. Just move on... all shots are different... When in difficult situation (eg, in between trees), accept the challenge and get the ball out and not start getting angry about ourselves for getting into that situation.


5. Course Knowledge and Management - if you play the course enough, you should have some idea of this and how to tackle the course.


7. Practice and Play - practise with a purpose.

8. Proper Equipment - look for a club fitter

Swing profiency is also about trusting what you have trained at the range...

If you are type of personality that just drags a ball to your feet, tops it then repeats, you will always struggle on the course..

If you are the type of person that is more concerened about the "process" of hitting the ball rather than the outcome.. you will have more sucess on the course...

This is because the correct process will give better results,(after time) but if you get frustrated because the ball wont fly then you keep changing and trying new things so you never get settled in a reliable repeatable swing...

Less balls + more care and thought = positive outcome....

two wise men once told me - kenneth, just shut up and hit the ball already.

I think there was much wisdom in their words, just that I was too young to understand it back then.

For me, it's about building that repeatable, decent swing, and not get myself mentally stressed or distracted. Of course, having my kit set up the right way by the Den/Zen Master is also important

ghoonk wrote:

two wise men once told me - kenneth, just shut up and hit the ball already.

I think there was much wisdom in their words, just that I was too young to understand it back then.

For me, it's about building that repeatable, decent swing, and not get myself mentally stressed or distracted. Of course, having my kit set up the right way by the Den/Zen Master is also important

Correct advice when you are on course right, but when you are on range trying to build that lovely reliable repeating swing you need to be a bit mechanical right..

The point is when you are in mechanical mode you cannot be to stressed about where the ball goes because you are so tied up with swing thoughts.

You need to "test" the swing in trusting mode then you see if your work is paying off...

the title should be changed to "What's stopping you from being a Tiger Woods on the course"