"Why Not A Consistent Golf Swing On The Course?"

“Why? Why? Why? – Why did I hit that shot?  What was I thinking?!”

Have you heard that before? Well … who hasn’t let that pass through their lips after making a big mistake that might leave you with a snowman (an 8) on the scorecard?

It’s like – “where was my brain?”

Listen – golf courses are often designed to test a Golfer’s strategy versus being designed to test your golf swing.  I’ll give you a perfect example:  Tom Fazio has been heralded as quite possibly the top golf course architect in the world since the early 1990’s.  Yet, as far I can recall, you really don't see a Tom Fazio course used for a major championship and rarely (if ever) used for a PGA Tour event.  Why is that?

Many Golfers find his golf courses very challenging yet the Touring Pros would probably tear up many of his courses.  Why is this?

I don’t believe most Fazio golf courses are designed to test your golf swing as much as they are designed to test your strategy.  **I’ll get back to the basis of the article in a minute (this isn’t an article about Tom Fazio) – though I believe I can help relate this to your golf game because most Golfers have played a Fazio golf course**  On most Fazio golf courses – he leaves a lot of room off the tee to hit the golf ball and his greens are notoriously large – which should make them both easier to hit. 

Yet, even though Fazio fairways tend to be super wide – most Golfers have trouble hitting his fairways. This is because a great designer like Fazio knows that the extent of strategy most Golfers can muster is limited to aiming to the middle of the fairway.  So to defend his golf courses - he creates angles and obstacles that makes hitting fairways more difficult to do.  Or he designs a hole that allows you to easily be in the center of the fairway – yet makes sure that being in the center will make your shot to the green much tougher by toughening up the angle for your next shot.

Yet, many Golfers don’t think this is necessary to know until they become more consistent with their golf swing.  Let me state it right here and now – if that’s your philosophy:  You’ll never be consistent on the golf course because the challenges you face on each shot directly influences the consistency of your golf swing!

Have you ever said – “Why can I hit the golf ball so much better on the driving range than I can on the golf course?”  Well if so – you better continue reading:

On the driving range you’re faced with just raking over the next golf ball and concentrating on your golf swing - on the golf course you’re faced with thinking about your golf swing in addition to all obstacles that you need to avoid.  Of course it’s easier on the driving range – there’s nothing to worry about or obstacles that need to be avoided.

Which brings up an interesting question: why does the average Golfer struggle when they play a Tom Fazio course – yet, the PGA Tour doesn’t usually play his golf courses? 

A big part of that might be that the Pro’s would eat many of those courses up.  Not just because their golf swing is better – but also because the strategy of the PGA Touring Pro is usually far superior to the average Golfer. And I say this knowing that I’m going to hear many people say – “Well yeah, their strategy is better because they can execute that strategy more consistently because they have a better golf swing and know where the golf ball is going.”

That’s agreed – to a point.

Certainly it’s easier to keep to a strategy when you’re in better control of where your golf ball lands. However, whether you’re able to play to your strategy or not isn’t 100% reliant on how consistent your golf swing is. Yet, on the golf course, your golf swing is just about 100% reliant on having a strategy based on the level of your golf swing.

For example:  I can take a Golfer that averages 95 on their golf course and have them score 89 without helping them with their golf swing or putting stroke once during that round.  (Or a 105 Golfer and have them score 99 – or an 85 Golfer and have them score 79). I’ve done it countless times with Golfers I have worked with.

So if this is true – and it is:  How can I do this?  How can I help a Golfer instantly shave 6 strokes off their golf game (the first time meeting them) without once helping them with their golf swing?

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