Some of my best shots come immediately after duffing the previous shot or blowing the previous hole. I've learned to put bad shots and bad holes behind me, refocus, and move on. Dealing positively with negative events is key to playing artful golf.

But more importantly, I've learned to enjoy my good shots. Celebrating your good shots and letting yourself truly feel happy about making them reinforces that behavior and helps harnesses that energy. I'm not suggesting you go around doing fist pumps and high fives all day, using up valuable energy and irritating your playing partners, but that you acknowledge the great shot with some form of internal self-congratulation. Be grateful that your focus on learning and enjoyment is improving your shots and your game.


Cypress Ridge Golf Course by golfslo at flickr.com

Just over year ago, I had the privilege of playing a round of golf with PGA golf instructor, Jim DeLaby, awarded two-time Teacher and Club Fitter of the Year by the PGA of Southern California Northern Chapter. Jim stressed to not only to enjoy your good shots, but to imprint those good shots into your mind, helping to reproduce them more consistently.

Replay it again and again so you can see, hear and feel it. Maintain this simple routine until you can relive the whole sensation of the shot and all the senses it unleashed at the flick of a mental switch. DeLaby suggested that I hold my finish just a second longer on those good shots to help anchor and reinforce the shot in my memory.

He even suggested I replay one of those good shots in my memory immediately after making a poor shot, to help flush the bad shot from my memory and replace it with a successful one. When you are faced with a similar shot in the future, you can rewind to that great moment and ask yourself to do it again.

I had this opportunity yesterday in a round at Cypress Ridge Golf Course using my 3-wood from the fairway. I've only recently begun hitting this club well with any consistency on the range. I had the chance to try it out on the course on two par 5's yesterday.

On the 516 yard third hole, I hit an average drive into the wind, leaving myself with a long shot to carry three fairway bunkers and leave myself with a wedge in. Most players would have chosen to lay up in front of the bunkers, but I felt confident I could get everything out of my 3-wood. I visualized the swing path and ball flight I'd executed on the range and let her rip. I killed it, landing in the fairway, just carrying the bunkers. Nice shot!

Then on the 531 yard par 5 thirteenth, I hit one of my best drives (second only to a 325 yard drive on six where you get a nice downhill roll if you carry the top of the hill), leaving myself with 245 yards to the center of the green. In all the many times I've played this course, I've never reached this green in two. I've only seen one other player do it. Even from this distance, it is wise to lay up since the green is so well guarded with bunkers. There's no room to run up to the green, you have to carry the entire distance. I decided I'd try to reproduce the shot I made on the third and go for it with my 3-wood. I visualized the shot again, and let her go. My ball landed on the left edge of the green and rolled to the back, pin high! What a shot!

Even though I didn't record a very good round, I walked away satisfied. I hit some great shots, and celebrated in doing so.

Labels: Cypress Ridge, Jim DeLaby, Rounds