'Why Henry Hates Golf' Part III

With much awaited anticipation Golf Improvement Weekly has arrived in 2007. From Golf Made Simple, we wish all of our readers a very Happy and Healthy New Year. If you have not read the previous issues from December 2006, you may be asking yourself “Who is Henry?” Henry is a frustrated golfer and is in need of some helpful advice about the game of golf.

We continue this week with Marc explaining to Henry that Golf is a game with many levels of skill and in order to raise it to the next level, you must define your current skill level.

”So Marc, what you're saying is that I need to practice more around the greens, until I become more consistent with the sand wedge before I start practicing my other clubs?” Henry offered.

”Yes, but I think you'll improve and be moving on to the next clubs faster than you think. See, Karate has done a much better job than golf has in letting the participants play to their skill level.” Henry blurted out, “Karate!?”

”Yes Henry, Karate. In Karate you're given a belt according to your skill level. The lower belts like a white belt knows his or her skill level isn't as high as a black belts skill level, so you practice skills that will get you to the next level which is yellow. Then when you are a yellow, you practice skills that will help you move on to an orange belt, and then so on up to a black belt. But, a white, yellow or orange for that matter, know they can't do the same things as a black belt. If they did, they'd probably end up hurting themselves. So their practice is set-up to help them work on their way up the order of belts.”

”So Marc, are you saying that I am a white belt that is trying to play like a black belt? And that has been hurting my progress?” Henry offered.

”Henry, you're the best! Yes, that's what I'm saying. We watch golf on television and we see Tiger hitting a 3-wood from 250-yards from the green and we think we should play the same shot as Tiger. But, Tiger is a Black Belt.” Henry interjected with laughter – “Tiger's probably a 10th degree Black Belt in golf terms!”

”Henry, you're right. You on the other hand are probably a Yellow Belt in golf. You shouldn't be trying to practice the same stuff as Tiger. You need to practice the things that'll get you to be an Orange Belt, which is the equivalent of a high 80's shooter. And that's what we're going to speak about right now!”

”Henry, what makes the ball go up in the air?” Henry answered, “loft.” “Yes Henry, loft is part of the answer, but what makes the ball go up and stay up?” “Getting underneath the ball?” Henry said with a semi-puzzled look.

”Not really” I said. “My thought is this - if you don't know what truly makes the ball go up in the air, how are you going to be able to do it consistently? What makes the ball go consistently up in the air for every club, not just the sand wedge, but every club is...”

Look for the solution that will help Henry become a more consistent golfer in next week's Golf Made Simple Golf Improvement Weekly as Marc outlines what it takes to become more consistent and confident.