Winning is the Name of the Game

It is hard to imagine a golfer going into any sort of competition, be it the U.S. Open or the Saturday sweeps at the club, without the intention of trying to win, unless it happens to be a little “customer” golf.  Winning is the name of the game.  Yet, I have found many amateurs who don’t give themselves all of the opportunities to do so.

            Since it is our living that is involved, we pros try to do everything we can within the rules and the standards of sportsmanship of the game to achieve victory.  Winning, of course, is not so financially important to the average golfer, but it will certainly make the game much more enjoyable.

            Certainly, the week-end golfer will not be able to follow the complete pattern that the pros find will contribute to winning a competition, but perhaps some losers among you readers can spot some things that will help you become winners.

            The pro’s day of golf begins at least an hour or so before he is due to tee off and is spent on the practice tee and putting green, not, like so many amateurs in the grill room or locker room chewing the fat with his friends or sipping a drink.  The pro knows he must tune up his body, mind and all parts of his game before he plays.

            The idea of the warm-up is to prepare as well as possible, both physically and mentally, for the round ahead.  The golfer needs the same sort of loosening up of his body as do the athletes in other sports before their games.  The routines vary a bit from player to player, but usually involve the hitting of no more than a bag of balls, working up from the little wedge pitches to the driver to limber up the muscles and get the feel of all of the shots.  A few sand shots and finally, in most cases because it is closest to the first tee, 10 or 15 minutes on the putting green.  This all works psychologically to get your mind off everything else but your golf.

            Now, you say that you can’t do all of that before you play?  You don’t have the time or your course doesn’t have the facilities for such a warm-up?  Well, surely, if you have fours hours or so for a round of golf, you can get to the course a wee bit early, skip the locker-room conversation and find someplace where you can hit some shots—a few with one of the short irons, the middle irons, the long irons; a few with another wood off the turf, even if only into a practice net.  If you course has nothing besides a practice green, at least do some chipping and putting to develop a bit of rhythm.  Check yourself out on the fundamentals—the grip, the stance, the address position, the plane of your swing.  Swing the longer clubs while you are waiting to start.  You want those kinks out before you get on the course where it will cost you strokes.

I have stressed this because I am firmly convinced that a good start is very important to winning, despite the face that people have tended to associate me with strong finishes through my career.  A good start puts you in a pleasant state of mind toward the round and tournament; while a bad start causes discouragement that you may have a hard time shaking.  When the average player has trouble early, he starts to fight his game.  He wonders what’s wrong, tries harder, tightens up and usually blows the entire round.  The ability to relax in such situations is vital to the successful golfer.  Often, the smooth swing returns.

            One thing is certain.  Don’t worry about and work on the technique on the course, soliciting or accepting advice from a playing partner.  The practice tee afterward, preferably with the course pro, is the place for that. 

            A strong finish is also important to winning, but the problems are quite different.  You must guard against overconfidence when the round is going good and continue to try for birdies and pars when you have not been faring so well.  Danger also lies in wait for the player who goes conservative to nurse a good score home.  Remain aggressive, but within reason.  Don’t take foolish gambles.

            Another thing about the end of a round.  Unlike a regular tournament player who is in condition for the full game, the average amateur will usually tire in the late going, perhaps without even realizing it.  When muscles tire, they naturally affect the swing.  The answer is not to swing harder, but rather to make the swing more compact to keep your tempo and lessen the margin for error.  You also may need a little more club to cover the same distance as earlier in the round.