In this weeks enewsletter i wanted to focus mainly on what i learnt from the my time at the US Masters a couple of weeks ago. I could talk about the splendour of Augusta all day long and just how authentic and original they have kept this awesome tournament, but thats for next weeks newsletter…..this week i asked myself the question, “What can i take back to implement into the amateur game.
Tactics & Course Management
I was once again impressed by the methodical way the majority of the players handled themselves around Augusta. The golf course is a work of art for sure, but the players for me are the artists certainly the players that have the experience around Augusta like Tiger handled themselves fantastically when it came to plotting their way around. I think experience does count for a lot around Augusta, you need to know the nuonces of the terrain, I think players like Bryson can do all the mathematics he wants but good old experience counts for so much. Tiger obviously pulled on this, playing to the right spots in the fairways, missing the greens in the correct place and knowing the lines of each putt was a huge advantage to him. For me not enough amateurs take enough care in course management, even around their own course TIP go around your home course with a course planner and mark out in red all the spots around the green which you think make it impossible to get up and down from. Playing away from these spots next time your in a competition will have a huge impact on your scores…..dont make it harder than the game needs to be!!
Approach Play
The ability to hit greens and miss in the right spots is know doubt down to good course management and having a strength in iron play. I think we get to wrapped up sometimes in trying to find extra yards off the tee and to be able to improve our putting…….hows about we just cut out all the mistakes that come from playing to aggressive…!! Tiger and Francesco both made the least mistakes all week, ok two doubles from Fran cost him the tournament in the final round but before then lead the field in the least amount of bogeys for the week. After Tiger’s Masters week he is now number one on the PGA tour for greens in regulation.
Fit For Golf
Know i always have to be careful talking about being fit for golf and bringing the tour players into the conversation…….yes they are as big as ever and the average amateur can’t copy that, but what impressed me this year was just how much nearly every player out on tour now takes it so seriously. What can we learn from that…..well the Juniors amongst us, our game is defiantly shifting towards longer hitting, so physicality, strength of mind and consuming the proper nutrients before, during and after are all key components going forwards. The rest of us……and i mean that in the post polite way…..yoga, pilates and general fitness is what we need to focus on……and to re-evaluate of expectations. We are playing one of the most explosive sports out their, as we age and thats now me talking from a little experience, our club head speed naturally reduces hence those shorter drives. Yes we can change and adapt our swings to suit, we know more now than we ever have done in the teaching industry which excites me every time i step onto the lesson tee!!
Pre-Shot Process
For me this always impresses me when i watch the golfers out on tour, just how polished their routines are under the most extreme of situations. Why did Francesco hit those out of characteristic shots on the back 9…….because its Masters Sunday….like no other feeling in golf. Tiger has been their and done it, failed and succeeded, his processes during the whole week didn’t change…..never faltered!! What i see in the average amateur is no process and at best over ever shot its different, sometimes a practice swing, sometimes severn!!! In this weeks newsletter i wrote about my basic pre shot process, i think all golfers should work out what is best for them, and then practice it. Tiger wouldn’t of won that Masters without playing and finding his impressive flow state of mind.
One things for sure we are seeing a different Tiger now, humbled by his back problems and his times both on and off the course. He’s now playing with a smile on his face, accepting anything that golf throws his way. He’s certainly not done with the game and with Bethpage black coming up (USPGA), Royal Portrush (Open Championship) and Pebble Peach (US Open) , all courses he has won around and is totally familiar with could we see more major wins very soon…..i think so!!!
