Hitting The Perfect Golf Shot
Hitting The Perfect Golf Shot
And why it doesn't need to be a hole in one
www.freepressjournal.in/sports/sharmila-nicollet-first-indian-to-qualify-for-china-lpga-tour, February 11, 2018
By Dan Heinrich | February 14, 2019
"Every shot counts. The three-foot putt is as important as the 300 yard drive" -Henry Cotton
Summary:
- Invest in quality lessons
- Do your homework
- Set up your shot
Everybody wants to hit the perfect golf shot -- But what does "perfect" mean to you? Before you start this journey, know that you will not hit the perfect shot the first time you pick up a club. To hit "perfect" golf shots you will need a solid foundation in golf. But don't worry, gaining a solid foundation in golf doesn't require a lifetime of practice. So, even if you haven't been an avid golfer since the age of 3 you need not fret, simply follow these steps.
Invest In Quality Lessons
- Find a good instructor
- Practice before you play
If only there were an app where you could swipe right to find your perfect golf instructor. Luckily we have the next best thing, PGA.com. Using this link, https://www.pga.com/golf-instruction/instructors/ you can find your nearest golf instructors. Feel free to try out a few different instructors, just know that your goal is to find the one instructor that is the right fit.
callawaygolf.gcs-web.com/financial-information/annual-reports, 2017
Do Your Homework
- Expenses
- Locations
- Clubs
- How much time and money am I willing to spend on golf?
- Where is my favorite golf location?
- What is my favorite shot to hit?
- What is my desired score?
Having well thought out responses to these questions will help you to feel the most satisfied with your shots out on the course. And hey, you may find out that your “perfect shot” isn’t necessarily a hole in one after all.
Remember, taking a golf lesson is no different from taking a class in college. To be successful you need to show up prepared, take notes, and practice. You need to communicate your goals with your instructor, so be ready to convey your answers to the questions above. This is no secret, Jon Sherman from practical golf write, "One area where I believe it is important to speak up is if you don’t understand a concept. Every golfer learns differently, and many teachers can pick up on that and adjust their style" (practical golf).
Golf Expenses
The important question to ask regarding golf expenses is this:
Does paying more make you a better golfer?
Well, it depends what you are spending your money on. Starting off, you don't want to run out and buy $1,000 Callaway clubs. Your $2,776 per year should be going towards a quality lesson, driving range session, and round of golf per week. When it comes to golf clubs, "Golf clubs for intermediate players differ from those that new golfers should buy, and even intermediate golf clubs are vastly different from the ones the pros buy" (Deer). SmartAsset reports that the weekend golfer spends on average $2,776 per year for all golf expenses not including clubs.
Golf Locations
Play where you feel the most comfortable.
"Once we figure out what courses we like, we tend to play those,' Woods said" (Ferguson)
Los Angeles is not known for it's public golf courses. Take a trip down to Orange County or Long Beach and try out the courses there. Some of my favorite courses in the Southern California are Monarch Beach, Navy Golf Course, and Anaheim Hills.
Set Up Your Shot
Remember, taking a golf lesson is no different from taking a class in college. To be successful you need to show up prepared, take notes, and practice. You need to communicate your goals with your instructor, so be ready to convey your answers to the questions above. This is no secret, Jon Sherman from practical golf write, "One area where I believe it is important to speak up is if you don’t understand a concept. Every golfer learns differently, and many teachers can pick up on that and adjust their style" (practical golf).
Golf Expenses
The important question to ask regarding golf expenses is this:
Does paying more make you a better golfer?
Well, it depends what you are spending your money on. Starting off, you don't want to run out and buy $1,000 Callaway clubs. Your $2,776 per year should be going towards a quality lesson, driving range session, and round of golf per week. When it comes to golf clubs, "Golf clubs for intermediate players differ from those that new golfers should buy, and even intermediate golf clubs are vastly different from the ones the pros buy" (Deer). SmartAsset reports that the weekend golfer spends on average $2,776 per year for all golf expenses not including clubs.
Golf Locations
Play where you feel the most comfortable.
"Once we figure out what courses we like, we tend to play those,' Woods said" (Ferguson)
Los Angeles is not known for it's public golf courses. Take a trip down to Orange County or Long Beach and try out the courses there. Some of my favorite courses in the Southern California are Monarch Beach, Navy Golf Course, and Anaheim Hills.
Golf Clubs
According to the USGA, golfers are allowed 14 different clubs in their bag. These consist of your:- Driver
- Irons
- Wedges
- Putter
Set Up Your Shot
- Strategize
- Drop a ball
Strategy
Lets take a look at how you can strategize during your round of golf. For example, you drive up to the 8th hole in a golf cart. You pull out your range finder and ping the sand bunker halfway down the fairway resting at the top right of a hill -- it reads 250 yards. You know that the hill slopes down and to the left after the bunker, so you want to aim at the left edge of the sand bunker.So lets assume everything goes well.
- Do you know what club to use to make it on the green in 2?
- Do you know where on the green should you land?
- What if you're playing in a high altitute and the ball carries for an extra 10 yards?
- What if you miss?
Daniel Heinrich, 2018
Golfers should be prepared to make adjustments to their strategies after each shot, this is one reason why professional golfers need 14 clubs. However, for new players it would be in their benefit to carry more golf balls than golf clubs.
Drop a Ball
(Starting out this will likely be part of your strategy...)
For example, what if I hadn't hit the drive that set up my second shot. Well, I probably would have dropped a ball. I had spent $300 on a tee time, it is my favorite golf course, and it is my favorite shot. I knew that I would likely never get a chance to hit this shot again, especially while playing with business executives. Make sure you hit a shot that will make you happy, or at least impress the business executive in your golf cart.
So...
Don't
worry about hitting the perfect shot when you first pick up a club. You will
develop your perfect golf shot over time. If you find a quality instructor, do
your homework, and know how to set up your golf shots, all that's left for you
to do is practice. Now go ahead and get out on the driving range, I'll meet you
there!
Works Cited
Bodamer, Timothy. “How Many Golf Clubs Can You Carry?” Golf Week, 16 Mar. 2017
DeerCreek. “The Beginner's Guide to Golf: Everything You Need to Know About Golf.” Deer Creek Golf Club, 2019, www.deercreekflorida.com/articles/beginners-guide-to-golf.
Ferguson, Doug. “Breakdown of Woods' 77 PGA Tour Wins Shows Consistency at Courses.” PGA.com, 27 Mar. 2013, www.pga.com/news/pga-tour/breakdown-tiger-woods-77-pga- tour-wins-shows-consistency-courses.
Golfdigest.com. “Golf For Beginners: So You Want To Play Golf.” Golf Digest, Golf Digest, May 2018, www.golfdigest.com/gallery/golf-beginners-tips.
Josephson, Amelia. “Economics of Golf.” SmartAsset, SmartAsset, 16 Aug. 2018,
smartasset.com/retirement/the-economics-of-golf.
Sherman, Jon, and Steve Ruis. “Golf Lessons: When Should You Work With a Teaching Pro?
[Guide].” Practical Golf, 22 Nov. 2017, practical-golf.com/golf-lessons-guide/.
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