10 Keys to Playing Better Golf!
It's 430 am, April 21st.
Today is going to be the first beautiful day of Spring here in Wisconsin, and the golf courses will be packed.
I wanted to make a list of 10 things that will help you (and hopefully myself) MAXIMIZE this golf season and our performance within it.
So that's what I did.
See what I came up with below...
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[10.] Don't Stop Your Physical Training
If you've been working on your golf fitness this off-season, DO NOT STOP.
If you haven't been, now's a great time to start!
Point is, train during the season.
It'll help increase your performance on the course and also improve resilience to avoid those nagging injuries that seem to pop up.
Check out our IN-SEASON Program below!
[9.] KEEP A JOURNAL
This is a goal for me this season, and I think many others could benefit from it as well. I have a journal that I will be using for the sole purpose of recording my rounds.
Not writing so much about the scores, but about the way I felt during it.
How did I handle poor situations?
How did I bounce back from mistakes?
What did I learn about my playing partners?
What did I notice about the course?
Not only will this exercise of keeping a journal help me improve my mental game, but it will help me be more aware while on the course.
In the past, I would often finish a round and think, what happened on the 12th hole again?
Not this year.
2022: The year of awareness!
[8.] Fuel yourself + Hydrate
Nutrition and hydration are unbelievably important. Walking a golf course takes a ton of energy, burns calories, and makes you sweat, some more than others.
You are probably burning 3,000+ calories if you are walking 18. Obviously, that is an estimate and many factors will affect it such as the length of the course, the number of swings you take, the terrain, etc.
Those calories need to be created from fuel sources within your body, and then replaced. To do both, we eat nutrient rich foods.
Take a healthy snack with you on the golf course. Sandwiches, nuts, protein bars, fruit... stay fueled.
Hydrate with water, sports drinks, and maybe the occasional Miller Lite (although, do note that the last one is more dehydrating than rehydrating).
[7.] Get more sleep.
It's so overlooked, but it's one of the most important things we do on a daily basis.
Quantity wise... 7 hours +
Quality wise... high quality is obviously the goal.
To increase the quality of your sleep, here are three tricks I've found:
DARK room. No nightlights or street lights peaking through the blinds.
A CHILLY room. Keep it cold at night, it helps create an ideal body temp.
LEAVE YOUR PHONE IN THE KITCHEN. (I'm talking to myself on this one)
Last thing I'll say about sleep, and this one is really interesting, did you know that motor patterns get stored when we sleep?
So, if you are working on some new move in your swing that you really want to stick, you may want to prioritize your sleep.
[6.] Play golf, don't play golf swing.
The goal isn't to take the prettiest swing.
It's to create a swing that is functional.
That gets the ball in the hole in the fewest amount of shots.
I've played golf with some UGLY golf swingers... but yet, they were way better than me (not that my swing is by any means "pretty").
Play the game.
Hit golf shots.
Don't play golf swing.
[5.] WARM-UP BEFORE YOU PLAY
Do it. I'm sick of excuses on this one.
"I was late to my tee time"
Arrive earlier.
"I forgot my band at home"
There are TONS of bodyweight movements you can use to warm up.
SCRATCH Athletes get access to 18 GOLF WARM-UPS, ranging from 3 minutes to 20 minutes.
Join the community. Get access to 'em. Play better golf.
[4.] WALK THE COURSE MORE
Walking has so many physical benefits, and golf performance benefits.
I totally understand it can be difficult.
It can be a grind, I acknowledge that.
But, the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Start now. Walk the course more in 2022.
[3.] PLAY MORE THAN YOU PRACTICE
This is one that I am looking in the mirror for.
There is a large difference in performing on the practice range and chipping area as compared to the golf course.
Which is why the saying "I didn't do that once on the range" exists.
Emotions are different.
The environment is very different.
Your attentional focus is different.
The task at hand is constantly changing.
If your goal is to play better golf, PLAY GOLF. Don't practice golf.
Obviously practicing should play a role, I am not saying throw it out the window... but PLAY more golf in 2022.
[2.] Leave non-golf stuff off the course.
Again, looking in the mirror here.
Emails shouldn't be checked while you wait for the green to clear.
Text messages can wait to be sent.
I have come to find that the golf course is my wu-wei - Learn what that means HERE.
In short, wu-wei is similar to the flow state.
I tend to find it on the golf course, and I'm sure many of you do to.
The last thing I want is to have an outside distraction take this away from me... Keep golf on the golf course, keep unnecessary distractions off of it.
[1.] Enjoy it.
We spend all off-season craving that warm summer morning, some dew on the ground, and the greens freshly rolled. That feeling of anticipation on the practice putting green.
Take it all in.
Enjoy the time with your playing partners.
Take in the scenery the golf course is providing you.
Golf is a game.
Enjoy your 2022 golf season.
Let's go low.
PS: If you are interested in joining the SCRACTCH Golf Training community for the season, SMASH that button below!
Carter Schmitz
Founder: SCRATCHGolfTraining.com
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