Importance of having a method

During a round of golf, the game allows the player few, if any, shots that turn out as planned. Also, golf gives the player plenty of time to think between shots. An unhealthy combination these factors can make your golf game miserable.

Prior to a round, we all have a positive sense that this will be our day, that we're going to have a good round. And why not?. It's why we play. Beautiful weather, lush surroundings and social company add to our optimism. But what we really want is to play well.

Trouble can emerge at any time during a round. A poor swing, lack of concentration, a management error can lead to a high score. What do you do after an errant shot, a bogey or worse?

'Importance of having a method' means that after a bad swing you can revert back to what you want to do, what you've practiced, what you know is the basic underlying concept of your method. You can stay with your method rather than searching for the reason the ball went astray. Golf balls go astray, it's what they do. You're human and golf is difficult, unmasterable.

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The first part of having a 'method', any method, is the idea behind it. Constantly adjusting to the last shot tends to pull you away from your method, away from the core idea, away from what you've spent the last week practicing. Why did you do all that work when you allow yourself to be drawn away from your method during the round? Well, golf can do this.

If you are firm in your conviction to your method, stay with it on every swing to the end of the round. I've found that when working with students on the range most can discern what they've been doing wrong by telling them what's right. I don't have to explain what they're doing 'wrong', they figure that out by themselves because it's at odds with what I want them to do, at odds with my method.

This is not to say that after three sliced drives you don't look for a reason, but the reason has to be contrasted with what's 'right'. Only after going back and finding the 'right' can the 'wrong' be felt and eliminated.