You are in the trees on your second shot on a Par 5. You have to hit a low shot over water to an elevated green. The decision you are about to make will severely impact what you do on the next few holes.
Unless you have the talent and course management skills of a Tiger Woods, the logical choice is to hit safely out into the fairway, then onto the green and hope for a par or bogey. The percentages are against you to go for it as you could end up with a big number. And if you do you have now not only blown your score but also your attitude for the day. Always find the nearest exit point within your capabilities.
There is out of bounds on the right and water and sand left on your tee shot. Which side of the tee box is the best option to hit from? Considering that if you hit it OB you’ll have to play again from the tee with a penalty shot, the smart choice is to tee off on the side of the severest trouble. Always hit away from trouble you cannot recover from.
Babe Ruth held two distinct records in baseball – the most homeruns and also the most strikeouts. How could that be if he was so good? Realize that due to the nature of all sports, you will have more bad shots than good. If you understand this before you begin your round, when you do 3-putt or hit shots into the sand or water, it won’t come as such a surprise, you are already expecting them. This in turn, will take a lot of pressure off your swing and you’ll be surprised how much more relaxed future swings will be. Tension is the great destroyer of rhythm, timing, and balance, your in-swing fundamentals.
I desperately wanted to win my first Club Championship when I was14 and had diligently practiced all summer. The showdown ended up being between my best golf friend and myself. After 18 holes of match play, I was 5 down but still determined. On the 35th hole, I missed an 18-inch putt to go 1 down into the final hole, a long Par 4 neither of us could reach in two. As two kids (she was 19) were wrestling the Championship from the “Old Guard”, there was quite a sizeable gallery surrounding the last green.
Due to my poor first two shots, I was first to hit. I remember the shot like it was today – a perfect wedge to the left of the hole. The ball took a couple hops to the right and rolled in for a par! The roar from the crowd was unbelievable and my parents were jumping up and down – I’d never seen them ever excited about anything. Bonnie proceeded to shank her shot into the bunker. So, all tied and onto sudden death, I beat her on the next hole by hitting three great shots and a short putt of 12” that looked a mile.
The greatest lesson I learned then is to never, ever give up. There is no telling what will happen when you least expect it. I have used that same thinking in my personal life, too, and have accomplished things beyond my expectations. If you want something badly enough, it canl happen, so - don’t ever quit.
Good Golfing.
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