The Pros Do IT Too!

I loved watching The Players Championship at Sawgrass last week. Sawgrass is an amazing course and I hope to play it someday (most likely from the seniors tee). The most exciting part of the match happened on #4 on the final day. Bryson DeChambeau and Lee Westwood had both been playing controlled golf but their games went sideways on that hole. Yes the pros top it, shank it and slice it too!

Watching these champions play like recreational players was pretty exciting. We all know the feeling when we lose control of our minds and our game. Fortunately for them they both got back on track to finish their rounds with respectable scores. What can we learn from this?

The Situation:
Bryson topped a drive into the deep grass in front of the tee boxes. Lee must have been excited about his opportunity to gain some ground on Bryson so he smashed a crazy slice into the water in an out of bounds area. Funny how our minds can mess up opportunities. But wait, the plot thickens. For Bryson’s second shot, he shanked his ball about “50 yards wide of his target”, into a grove of trees and bush. He found his ball but his recovery shot hit another tree on the way out. He ended up with a double bogie and finished his round at -1.

Lee continued his shaky round and finished at Even after missing a make-able putt on the 17th hole which would have put him in a playoff with Justin Thomas.

The Opportunity
1/ We were watching the best of the best. We can only imagine the errant shots which were made by others who didn’t make the cut. All golfers make poor shots. Golfers with low scores know how to shake it off and get on with their game. Ben Hogan said, “The most important shot in golf is your next one.”
2/ I just watched a champion take a 7 on a par 3 during a championship match. Instead of composing herself after hitting over a green and into the water on an island green, she quickly chipped over the green again and into water on the other side of the green. After another poor chip and 2 more putts she was steamed. She will regret her hasty action if she lost the match.
3/ Bryson sets up to drive, chip and putt as stiff as a board. Aren’t we supposed to relax our muscles to get the most power and best control out of them? He goes against every rule that we have ever heard about golf swing perfection. Unless you have the body and mentality of Bryson: DON’T TRY IT.
4/ We all need a fiancé like Lee Westwood had on his bag. Helen Storey helped him get over so many poor shots in his final round. If only she could have sunk that key putt for Lee on the 17th. Justin Thomas won the tournament but in my mind, Helen was the star of the show.

After every poor shot you make, get your mind back on track. Just put Helen in your mind to get you back on track. DON’T RUSH THE NEXT SHOT. Practice with GOLFSTR+ and remember how to keep your leading arm straight through impact for every shot and putt. Remember your limited lag for chips and the power that you generate when you take your time to lag your club. Stay calm and relaxed. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com.

Golf Truism #50: It is surprisingly easy to hole a 30 foot putt – for a 10