You know when it comes to spending a lifetime on the golf course and getting to the point where you cringe when you see the way that some people play you wish you could just grab hold of them and beg them to do it a different way. However it is apparent that the rights and wrongs of how to hit a golf ball are a lot to do with personal preference.
Today I was on the course and I was waiting for my tee off turn on the 3rd tee where I had a great view of the 7th green, 8th tee and in the distance the 9th tee and as it is a nice sunny day there are quite a few people out on the course and all of the positions I mentioned were all full of golfers ready to take their first shot!
The first away was a guy coming out of the bunker on the 7th. HACK lots of sand and no ball, I start to think that a few years back I would have been doing the same thing before I truly put my heart into things. Another massive swing sees no sand this time but the ball rocketing towards the opposite side of the green to the bunker, down the slope and out of bounds. This is where consistency has let this guy down, he has probably spent an age on the driving range going through all of his shots yet still clocking up a high 90's or a low 100's score. Had he spent a little of that time in the practice bunker he would have probably come out first time and put the ball on the playing surface. Unfortunately because of this small problem in the bunker he is going to have put three shots, at least, on his score for this round.
On the 8th is a elderly gent who I know quite well and he has the most unorthodox swing I have ever seen but it works for him. He is close to 75 years old and I always remember talking to him and the conversation went a little like this, "I've been playing golf for over 50 years now!" he said "My god you must be exhausted!" I reply. "I have changed my swing 4 times in that 50 years and it is nearly time for me to do it again!" Shortly after this he read the book mentioned before on this website and changed his swing. He then promptly beat me by seven strokes the next time we played which was only a few weeks after he read the book.
It was my turn to tee off and my playing partner was eager to get going although people in front and no one behind us put me more in the mood for a nice slow pace for the day. Taking my time over all of my shots I was able to watch what people were doing and not really put a great deal of though in to my game. It wasn't till hole number twelve that my playing partner said if you putt this we might as well go home cause you win.
Playing in this way gives me time to think about a number of things and when I get back to the club house I know that I have played well and I know that I am going to be doing my game a great deal by thinking about the shots that I have played and how I can improve next time.
In the clubhouse I bump into my 75 year old nemesis who asks me if I want to play a round on Friday which I am only to happy to accept. What he doesn't know is that his book on how to hit a golf ball that improved his game so much is now right here in my trusty hands! So the challenge might be a little harder for him this time!
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