Attitude on the golf course. Not altitude - Attitude. Now attitude goes far beyond just saying -"Yes, I can get a little mad on the golf course." It goes far beyond that. And what the 21-handicap does on the golf course and what you might be doing could be similar. Though, the worst part of it is, you don't know how to control it - because you're probably trying to control your attitude too much.

How can that be? How can trying to control your attitude too much, affect your attitude on the golf course and how does this effect your game?

The best, most successful golfers play to their personality as opposed to the golfers that don't play to their potential because they try to be someone else on the golf course. The perfect example is our 21-handicap: He's a fantastic guy. He's one of my favorite people on this earth. When you're around him, he makes you feel so good about yourself and funny - he's got to be one of the funniest people you'll ever meet. When he walks into the room, everybody knows him because he can work a room like nobody you ever met. But, this is off the golf course. On the golf course - we have a totally different animal. On the golf course he's so serious it's hard to get him to smile. On the golf course he's like an employee at a company going into his boss for the first time asking for a raise. He's trying to play the part - he's trying to act like a serious golfer on the golf course - when he should be out there having fun like he does off the golf course!

Our 11-handicap is also a great guy - maybe not as funny or jovial but he's a great person to be around. And you know what? That's what he's like on the golf course. He takes his personality - the person he's used to being and takes that onto the golf course.

Watch This Video Testimonial
(It loads fast)

Our 21-handicap tries to be a serious person on the course and tries to be someone else. He becomes quiet and he looks as if he's always grinding his back teeth as he's waiting to play his next shot - He becomes impatient when he's waiting. This is the same guy that off the golf course will talk your ear off - without you ever being bored, he's that interesting.

But for some reason he has this image of what a person should be like on the golf course. Golf is a serious game and that we shouldn't portray any emotion. "Never get mad at yourself" he always says. "You should never get upset after a bad shot or you'll become down on yourself. And never become too happy after a good shot because golf is about controlling your emotions on the golf course."

While our 11-handicap says "Heck yeah I get mad with myself on the golf course. If I hit a bad shot, I get upset - but you need to do that every once in a while to let the steam out. I don't go around slamming my clubs to the ground or cussing out loud. But if I hit a bad shot, I also don't go around like nothing happened. You got to let out your emotions sometimes on the golf course."

"I play golf like I root for my favorite football team. I'm not one of these crazies that dress up and scream my lungs out every game at the TV. I watch the game and say things like "Come on guys, you can do it. Let's get that ball in the end zone. And when the Quarterback - who's my favorite player throws an interception or doesn't get rid of it fast enough and takes a sack - I get mad at him and say 'come on now, you know can you can do better than that!' And then I threaten that maybe we should bring in the back-up Quarterback. The funny thing is that these guys on TV can't even hear me, but I still root for them because it makes me feel good. So I've taken that attitude to the golf course. I root for myself the same way and just like when I get upset at the Quarterback - I'm honest in my emotions. Just because I get mad at him, doesn't mean I hate him or I hope he does bad - I'm just letting off a little steam."

"And that's not what I see each week when I practice or play on the golf course with the struggling golfers. They try to look so serious and not show any emotion or they go overboard with being negative. And it's not about just blowing off some steam when they get upset - it's almost like they enjoy getting upset and can't wait till they have an excuse to do so. I don't really enjoy playing with golfers that are like that. And the funny thing is that after the round is over and we go in for a drink - this golfer that was a jerk on the golf course is one of the nicest people you ever met when he's off the golf course."

Who are you trying to be on the golf course?

The story goes that in the final pairing of the British Open back in the 70's - Lee Trevino was in the final group tied for the lead with one other golfer (I forget his name). As they're walking down the 1st fairway to their golf balls, the other golfer knowing that Trevino loves to talk all the way around the golf course says to Trevino - "Lee, I don't think we should do much talking today." Which Trevino replied - "We might not be doing much talking, but I will be."

So why do I bring this little story up? Because Lee Trevino knew who he was. He knew he had to be himself out there instead of being something he wasn't. And guess who won that British Open?

The best, most successful golfers are themselves on the golf course. Once you can do that, you'll play your best!