The Shortest Way to the Cup - Playing Target #Golf

The object of golf is to get the ball into a 4.25 inch hole in the least number of strokes.

Each hole can be considered an individual adventure, leading the player through hazards and thought-provoking situations that require both mental and physical skill.

That being said, why is it so difficult for golfers to get to par?

Are you simplifying your shot process by picking a target, aiming and releasing...or are you thinking too much?

Not having a specific target for your next shot is like roaming aimlessly through the streets of a city trying to get to your destination. Without a map or pointing yourself in the right direction, you're more than likely to take more time to get to point B and, without a plan of attack in golf, you are more than likely to rack up strokes.

So, how do we create a plan of attack on the golf course?

"The secret of golf is to turn three shots into two. " - Bobby Jones 

Tips on Playing Target Golf

Have you ever heard the saying, "How Do You Eat an Elephant? One bite at a time! Instead of thinking in terms of playing eighteen holes, try taking the process down to one hole at a time.

Not always is your driver the best club to take off the tee box - assess which club can maneuver you into the best position for your next shot. Some golf courses give you books with tips on how to play each hole including the yardages to trouble spots - read the book as you approach the hole - this can be very helpful! You don't know how many people that we have seen on-course have the book in their hands and don't look at the book ... when they do, they only look at the pictures!

Whether on the tee box or approaching the green, pick the very smallest target you can see which will set you up for your next shot, whether it be a dark patch on the fairway or something that catches your eye. Aim at that target.

Pick a spot down the fairway that you want your ball to land.

You never want to look at, or acknowledge, trouble areas like bunkers or water hazards - you only want to focus on your target. I know, we have ALL said these words but...NEVER say before you hit your shot... "Don't go there." Your brain doesn't hear the "don't"... ah, those swing thoughts really make a difference, don't they?

Once you have decided on the target, visualization is key - keep your picture perfect shot and destination in your mind as you practice your swing, committing to what your mind's eye has just seen and swing away without thinking of swing mechanics. Adjusting your swing should be done on the driving range, not as you are aiming and pulling the trigger.

In this YouTube.com golf video, Alex Fortey talks about visualization and the golf swing, what to think about and what not to do!





Voice your opinions on Target Golf on our Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

photo: trustargolf.com

Odds of Swan Songs Winning the PGA Championship? #golf

The stage is set for drama at The PGA Championship, Whistling Straits, the last official major golf tournament of the season. This major could be considered a swan song for several golfers and, quite possibly, the introduction of names that were barely on the lips of fans last year. With this golf blog, let us have a look at a few of the elder statesman of the game, defiantly grasping at glory to hold the Wanamaker Trophy before heading to greener pastures.

Born and raised in Wisconsin, fan favorite Steve Stricker was once ranked as the number two player in the World. Now nursing himself back to health after back surgery, Stricker's time on the PGA Tour is limited; he becomes a member of the Champions Tour in 2017. According to Golf.com,  Stricker's odds of winning are 150 to 1 - I hear a swan singing....

One more elder statesman on the PGA Tour who is running out of time and luck is David Toms, whose last winning season was four years ago but who has prior experience winning the 2001 PGA Championship. Paired with Vijay Singh in a stellar field that includes Jordan Spieth, Bubba Watson and David Lingmerth, both Toms and Singh have similar odds of winning in the range of 300 to 1.

Hard-living, forty-nine-year-old John Daly, considered to be "every-man" and a crowd favorite, has an Open and a PGA Championship in the back pocket of his Loudmouth pants but, according to Examiner.com, his odds of winning are about 500 to 1. One good thing about watching Daly play is you never know what's going to happen next - #keepingitreal.

Okay, so he's not quite ready for the Champions Tour but, at thirty-nine years old, time is ticking away for the former number-one golfer in the world, Tiger Woods. Although Woods has ten years of play ahead of him on the PGA Tour, the question is, are they going to be winning years or more of the same middle-of-the-pack struggles? Although Tiger's odds are now about 30 to 1, he still cannot be counted out.

Bleacher Report stated about Woods, "The 14-time major champion hasn't finished in the top-10 of any tournament in which he's entered, and that run includes missed cuts at both the U.S. Open and Open Championship."

Any one of these great golfers can win at any time - don't hold their ages or medical issues against them but, with up-and-coming golfers like Jordan Spieth who has won two out of three majors during the 2015 season, it is unlikely that these seasoned players will make a move this week.

Which other golfers should probably hang up their spikes or move on in the fairway of life? Voice your opinion on our Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.


photo: fansided.com, jrn.com