Hit the ball as hard as you can...

“How do we bring beginners up to speed faster? But if you get performance faster, does that stimulate motivation? The book “Talent is Overrated” suggests that with kids, one of the most powerful motivators is early success or prowess with a particular sport or activity. So how do we get success faster? Which motivates motivation—having it, or faster progress? From my experience by allowing begnners to play without fear of consequences; fearless golf. Play like the score doesn’t matter and learn to hit the ball hard. I always liked Jack Niclaus’ theory of learn to hit it hard, then learn to hit it straight. It might be painful hitting the ball across two fairways initially but that can be fixed. I think a lot of beginners however find it too frustrating and are told by the other golfers and maybe even their PGA pro to back off in order to hit it straighter. That works to a point as they work on their technique and their swing looks better but quite often there is no real pop in the swing. Without that pop when they get down toward mid teen handicap they are behind the 8 ball on the Par4s and each time they go for extra effort their technique breaks down so they back off and the cycle continues. Most beginners I have seen that improved quickly started with the advantage of at least some power and either built more through better technique and/or didn’t sacrifice that power in the learning process. ...and yeah they have the time to hit lots and lots of golf balls and play lots of practice rounds : ) Nine out of ten people believe that out of ten people, one person will always disagree with the other nine!” The reason for me posting this is that after reading it struck a chord with future plans for my game development. I have always concentrated on accuracy over distance/power to compensate for injury restrictions on my body. As my golf ability improved from coaching and practise one of the benefits has been more power in the swing delivered to the ball and longer distance with shots. This has not been given any major attention, just noticed as a development in my game and appreciated. Yesterday I went and hit thirty balls on the range with a six hybrid. All was good, the distance was exceptional. I was going for a target 10 metres beyond my established distance for this club and reaching it within a ten metre radius of the target. At the minute while still recuperating from the past nine months of golf and pushing my body too hard again it is a good time to review the golf attributes in my game. This has been circumventing the 'improved distance' topic up until reading the above quote. I have been wrestling with what was I going to do about the need for more distance now I am in reach of a 10 handicap. Playing against single digit handicappers in A grade so far the change in equipment has been assisting to a limited extent. Mentally though my golf is not attuned to playing to hit the green outside 150-160metres. This had been noted and is in my list of improvements needed. I have a reasonable accuracy level that varies from average to excellent. Swinging easy and well within my limits is the accepted game style used in competition. To change what has been set in place to protect myself and not encourage further damage for so long is not going to be easy. In fact there is a quotient of fear in committing to this new path. Especially as at this time all has been directed at recovery. The time has come to now change this approach to golfing and simply start hitting the ball with all I have to the relevant targets. It was during this past week of recuperation and hitting balls in the practise net firstly and then on the range yesterday that it has became time to change. This is going to be a particularly difficult challenge but nothing ventured nothing gained. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all” Geoff

Consistently stupid...

14/9/12 Friday. Ambled around the course yesterday morning and hit the ball well enough short game was a fail though. Interesting aside was joining up with another club golfer who has not played the past week due to a back injury as well. Both were making the same short game errors and that may be nothing more than coincidence yet still worth the attention. When my injury is in ascension generally playing the driver and long iron shots are not affected too much. The short game really does struggle for any consistency. There is no 'feel' to play the chip shot with the right strength the body starts to be out of control. Chip shots can vary from short pop ups that go 2 metres or less to a low rocket scorching across the green. It only happens perhaps two or three times a round. As happened in the matchplay of the club championships that was enough to cost me the play off win. In a competition round it is the same with two or three holes blown out around the green. The conclusion at the end of the season is that I have not got the balance of how much golf is too much, wrong again. The ability and skills of the game have improved which is a good thing for me, the failure to manage the playing quota was not. Getting this wrong is not the end of golfing or the most important aspect of my life. The pain caused and failing to win are in the right order of importance. Golf is fun and that includes all the practise, as well as playing the game, planning, thinking and socialising that is part of my golfing experience. That I am still stupid enough to overdo it again even entertains me. Thankyou for your time and attention. "Hit 'em straight all. Geoff

Blink and you miss it... Australian Golf

8/9/12 Saturday Apologies for the delayed post this week. One of the joys of rural living and moving house is the transfer of communication services. May be better off with carrier pigeons instead of telcomunications, less crap with pigeons. Australian professional tournaments get their annual media attention in the coming months. Once the main games are played that is the end of any committed media. The money is a factor, the tournaments are part of the day job for professional golfers. As is the sanctioned status of a tournament and the entry success gives to other events. The distance to be travelled would be taken into consideration with the reward structure and lastly but not least the status of a victory in an event. As is mentioned in regard to the Australian Open it was ‘once considered the fifth major’. That is dead and buried now and is trotted out these days in articles bemoaning the ‘loss’ of this. I will use another word, ‘failure’. Totally had enough of the annual trotting out of superlatives in commentary and media pieces about the’ once upon a time’ Australian Open. Fact is that it no longer has the standing of the past for what ever reasons that are regurgitated each year. Time that Golf Australia actually confronted the state of professional golf in the country and established something with some spine. Not the usual pale shadows that are nothing more than window dressing in the empty shop front of an abandoned business district. Have heard all of the words on ‘golf is different’ and what is affecting the professional game. Australian Golf has a lot of talk that is the epitome of a can’t do attitude. If the Oz golf environment cannot support a regular tour of some efficiency nationally there is definitely failure at the top. No prizes for predicting what is going to be talked about when the Australian professional feature tournaments are on in 2012, the same as every other year. The question will be asked of the leadership and nothing will be forthcoming except ‘stuff is being done’ and once the events are over that will be the last of golf in Australia in the mainstream media attention until the same time next year. Keeping to the sensible although mildly frustrating 'No Golfing" plan for the weekend. Not missing playing the game too much and enjoying the physical respite after the commitment of the past year. Next week I may start to hit a few balls in the driving net set up in the shed at the new home. With such a big back lawn the though has crossed my mind to create a putting surface in a corner patch. That is the definite proof of a golfing obsession. When not playing the game then I am thinking about it way to much. Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

First round elimination...

4/9/12 Tuesday. Back home this afternoon after travelling to Adelaide straight after the matchplay round on Sunday. Eliminated from the championship challenge on the 18th hole of the day. Was 4 down after nine holes and had three errors on three holes that cost me the game. Two poor chip shots and a poor putt on the first hole of the day was all it took to be defeated. Once again though it was the overall golf from game to physical condition that did not measure up at the end of the season. Although in better condition than last year going further was beyond my ability. As optimistic as I am about every game played reality is what comes through with the results. Not disheartened at all and already planning the next crack at the title in 2013 if it is possible to play in them again. If anything the shortfall this season had been getting down to a ten handicap which is the goal for 2012. Obviously the last months results have not been anywhere near this level. That is the truth of the matter past rounds have been battle to play at my best even if the weather has been a rough winter there was just not enough capability in my body to keep going. It had been apparent for some time that it was a struggle to play my best. It was possible in bursts and the round on Saturday at Kingston epitomised the standard of my golf game. With four wipes and scoring 33 points in a Stableford round the erratic shot play and not maintaining reliable golf qualities were obvious. Looking forward to not picking up a club much in coming weeks and letting the recovery start from there. With improved weather conditions on the way as spring leads into summer golfing will be more enjoyable outdoors as well. Playing in a couple more club Opens before the season ends in 2012 will be my game goals. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all” Geoff