| When most of us set out to improve our golf games | | | | are to throw things out of sync. Lots of bad shots |
| the natural tendency is to do more. We buy more | | | | are simply the result of trying to kill it. |
| (and better, or at least more expensive) clubs, we | | | | Here the trick is to ease up in increments. If you are |
| take more lessons, we read more books and we hit | | | | standing on the tee ready to kill it, stop for a |
| more balls. And without question there are times | | | | moment. Breathe a bit. Shake your shoulders or do |
| when it's important to do one or all of these. But | | | | something to loosen up a bit. And then mentally just |
| what if you did less? | | | | dial it back a bit. Sometimes 5-10% is all you need. |
| Doing less is a trick few golfers learn, but it is also | | | | Then swing away. |
| one of the game's most valuable lessons. Following | | | | 3 - Free your mind and your shot will follow. |
| are a few ways you can do less and play better golf | | | | Have you ever stood on the tee or over a putt and |
| as a result. | | | | suddenly, for no good reason, felt the weight of the |
| 1 - Don't grip it and rip it. | | | | world on your shoulders. Now, maybe you are playing |
| Perhaps the greatest (and one of the most | | | | a $5 Nassau, but the reality is that a tee shot is just |
| powerful) swing in golf history belonged to Sam | | | | a tee shot and a putt is just a putt. Yet, even the |
| Snead who said that you should "hold the club as if | | | | most relaxed of us knows this feeling. Now, the |
| you had a little baby bird in your hand." And according | | | | important thing now is to deal with it. |
| to Johnny Miller, "only one golfer in a thousand grips | | | | The first step is recognition. Then, if you recognize |
| the club lightly enough." | | | | you are suddenly (or not so suddenly) tense, step |
| Why? It's simple. If you think of your swing as an | | | | away from your ball. Take a breath. Think about the |
| energy transfer (i.e. the energy you generate with | | | | worst consequences of blowing it. Better yet, think |
| your body traveling down the club towards the ball), | | | | about the worst consequences (financial ruination, |
| a tight grip traps the energy in your hands and the | | | | death, disease, war) in the world - and realize that |
| wrong end of the club. Loosening up, according to | | | | none of them will come to pass if you shank your |
| Les Bolland of Swing Golf USA, enables that energy | | | | drive. Sounds ridiculous, but it works. Each shot is |
| to flow into the clubhead - which is what actually hits | | | | simply a shot you played on a golf course - one time. |
| the ball. | | | | Worlds will not collide if you three-putt the eighth on |
| Bottom line: ease back on the grip pressure. Your ball | | | | a Saturday afternoon in June. Even if it might feel |
| will travel further and straighter. | | | | that way. |
| 2 - Seriously, don't rip it. | | | | So, next time you play, focus less on your score and |
| There is a great golf saying attributed to Davis Love | | | | think more about how you are feeling over a shot. |
| Jr. (golf pro and late father of Davis Love III), "when | | | | Think about your grip pressure. Think about how |
| it's breezy, swing easy." It's a great piece of advice | | | | hard you are swinging. And then make a small effort |
| that applies to a lot more than playing into the wind. | | | | towards lightening up, rather than a wholesale change. |
| Our swing is a little bit like the inside of a watch in | | | | Do this in increments, whether on the range or the |
| that it works because a series of actions (backswing, | | | | fairways. Before long your teeth won't grind, your |
| shoulder turn, weight transfer, etc...) all must work | | | | hands won't hurt and you might just drop a few |
| together - and to do so, they need to be timed | | | | strokes off of your handicap and add a few yards to |
| properly. The harder you swing the club, the more | | | | your drives. |
| precise your timing must be, and the more likely you | | | | |