"I would have scored better today if we had just not played so slow."
Have you heard these excuses before? Spend some time on a golf course any given weekend and I guarantee that one of these quotes will be heard at some point. Maybe you have even been the player who has repeated these statements.
Why is it? The answer is quite simply really. We as golfers are always striving to play better and, if we don't, it is quite easy to make excuses that turn the attention away from ourselves.
However, the truth is that anyone can become a better player by learning what to do and how to do it. Those who score over 100 can break 100. Players who score in the 90s can get into the 80s. The high-80s player can drop to the low 80s. And the low-80 player can break the barrier and get into the 70s. This is not an exaggeration. It is the truth!
So why don't more people play better golf than they do? Golf seems to be a simple enough game. You hit a ball that doesn't move with clubs that have been carefully designed for the purpose. And no one does anything in particular to hinder or distract you when you're playing. So what exactly does it take?
Consistent Application Now!
Diligent application means changing your mental attitude as well as changing your swing. It also means that you must be determined to improve by playing or practicing regularly. While you'll have to work hard, these requirements are not too difficult to meet. And if you're willing to practice, you'll see dramatic improvements in your game. Depending on your commitment and attitude, you can take between five and 15 strokes off your score rather easily.
The major reason most golf scores remain high is the mental approach that is taken to the game. Please understand that with a poor attitude, golfers are beaten before they start. In addition, because the game has defeated so many players for so many generations, a person comes to the game complete with a ready-made inferiority complex. To a player who regularly scores in the low 90s, the idea of breaking into the 70s appears to be the height of absurdity. As a result, a golfer who regularly scores around 96 carries around mental barriers that must be shattered in order to improve his or her game.
Golfers need a complete reorientation. Other sports have succeeded in turning athletes around. Track and field sports are especially good at it. While the 4-minute mile and the 7-foot high jump were once thought to be the limits of human endeavor, Roger Bannister ran the mile in under four minutes, and Dick Landon won the Olympic high jump with a jump of 6 feet and 4 inches. In the 1960 Olympics in Rome, a jump of 8 feet and 2 inches only won third place! The point is that mental barriers were broken with these feats.
If you're a golfer who wants to improve your game, you will need more than just the standard golf training aid or the latest golf swing improvement gadget. You must work on having a positive attitude and be willing to practice with diligence. If you do, you'll be happy with the results.
