I love golf. I have been practicing this sport since I was 12 years old and I have seen it grow by leaps and bounds. Heck, when I was young, I could ride my bike to the county course and play 9 for $9. The remaining dollar was sealed for fries at the halfway house down the street. The driving range was a “stop and sock” and the golf carts had no roof. They were better days and better times.

In a moment of clarity, I compared how golf was taught and what it takes to get big scores with the marketing materials we get today. This game has become a slippery power machine where long shots trump touch and feel. Partygoers wear their hats and believe that buying a $300 driver with screws will change the way they play golf. Trust me, I’m not bitter at all. I applaud all technological advances…but for the average golfer I know, without a doubt, that what the marketers preach is not really the answer to shooting better games.

Now I’m going to say what I think. I have played this game for 30 years. I’ve taught it. I’ve won more than my share of rounds. For starters, guys (and girls), if you really want to know how to improve your game, without a doubt in my mind, you need to PRACTICE (ok…I can hear the moans from here)! Yes, the magic cure is so simple, practical. Now I’m not talking about hitting the long drive. In fact, don’t even think about the long ball UNTIL YOU CAN CHIP-PITCH-PUTT! If you need help, pay the $50 and get a lesson from a professional. Left to our own devices, we will just spin and develop terrible golf apparel. Learn the basic mechanics and work on your chipping, putting and pitching. Now I know that there are no thrills with this activity… you can’t see the ball fly into the skies that we all love to watch. But, I promise you that if you can put the ball in the hole and put it in consistently, you will see a dramatic difference in your score and your game GUARANTEED! In addition, this type of practice develops the perception of “touch and feel”, which is an attribute that all great golfers have. How do they get it? They practice, on real grass, chipping, pitching and putting, ball after ball until that shot is consistently “in the bag.”

Because I have the audacity to mention the practice, you may now be thinking, “How long does this take?” or “When will I see the results?” These are fair and very humane questions on your part. My answer has always been this: “When you know you don’t need to guess anymore, then take it to the course!”

Lastly, while there is a lot to practice with a purpose, here are a couple of quick tips.

1. Be present when you practice. Imagine you are on the field shooting a round when you are jumping, throwing and putting. There is a BIG difference between practice and play. Get in position that you are taking these shots during a practice round.

2. We are human. We process a billion different things at any given time. Give yourself time to calm down and relax. Before you go play a round, be sure to warm up to calibrate your mind and body on the range. That means “waking up” all the effort you put in during the week by practicing. Please don’t just rush out onto the field (as all weekend warriors do) expecting to shoot a big game. Warm up, see what happens with your swing for that day…because it’s always changing…hence the beautiful game of golf…

I apologize if any of you think this was a rant. I just want to help develop players and contribute to the game of golf. Most of what I see changing in the industry doesn’t make sense to me! The game is not about hitting the long drive or a moonrock putter. The game is about YOU and what you have inside. All great golfers know it… and now you do too…

~Mitch