PGTAA (Professional Golf Teachers Association of America)

16 hours ago

Have you ever been paired with better golfers who are known for shooting low scores, having a high ranking or achieving impressive accomplishments?

Did you feel intimidated to play in that group?

Were you fearful that you would embarrass yourself by finishing the round in a double-digit deficit?

When you focus on the accomplishments and skills of other golfers during a round, you put them on a pedestal.

Focusing on the talents and the accomplishments of other golfers has several problems:

--Focusing on other golfers ignites a sense of fear. Fear of shooting a low score, fear of embarrassment and fear of not measuring up to others cause a lot of mental distractions throughout the round.

--Focusing on other golfers makes it difficult to rebound after a poor shot. Every mistake, bad shot, and missed opportunity creates a sense of panic. In an attempt to make up strokes, you might try to do too much leading to further mistakes.

--Focusing on other golfers distracts you. Instead of staying immersed in what you need to do at the moment to make the best shot possible, you start worrying about how well the golfers in your group are playing.

This only adds to the pressure, tension, and anxiety you were feeling.

Of course, it is difficult playing against top competition, but you will NEVER play your best golf when you are focused on other golfers.

Top competition is exactly what Gaby Lopez faced at the 2018 Blue Bay LPGA Championship in China. Lopez was ranked No. 136 heading into the tournament.

In the final round, Lopez was paired with No. 1 AriyaJutanugarn, who has already wrapped up LPGA player of the year honors, and No. 2 Sung Hyun Park.

Despite the tough competition, Lopez held off the top two players in the world to win the tournament by 1-stroke over Jutanugarn.

LOPEZ: "You know, probably this was the biggest challenge that I've ever faced on the golf course, being in the same group as World No. 1 and World No. 2. I was just very fortunate and very lucky to have that challenge, to face it, knowing I had to play my best game because they were going to play well. I knew they were going to hit some great shots, and I had to keep up with them."

If you notice, Lopez twice mentions the word "challenge."

Even though Lopez said, "I had to keep up with [Jutanugarn and Park]," she was focused on "playing her best game".

Since you cannot control how other golfers will play, focusing on those golfers will be both futile and detrimental.

Playing your best golf requires you to focus on your game one stroke at a time.

Play the Golf Course, Not the Competition:

Play the golf course, not your competition. The mission is to score your best on the golf course that day, not compete stroke for stroke with your competitors.

Instead of focusing on the accomplishments or skills of other golfers, think about your accomplishments, your training, and your preparation.

This strategy will help your confidence and keep your focus where it belongs... on playing the golf course!

By PGTAA member Dr. Patrick Cohn ... See MoreSee Less

PGTAA (Professional Golf Teachers Association of America)

3 days ago

LEGENDARY INSTRUCTORS TEAM UP TO PROMOTE
THE BENEFITS OF CUSTOM CLUB FITTING

Club Champion Signs Hank Haney, Cameron McCormick, and David Leadbetter

Club Champion, the country’s #1 premium club fitter, builder and retailer of the best brands in golf has signed endorsement deals with world-renowned golf coaches Hank Haney and Cameron McCormick.

They have also re-signed legendary instructor David Leadbetter to continue spreading the word on the benefits of custom club fitting. All three instructors recognize the impact that properly fit clubs can have on any golfer’s game, no matter the skill level. Club Champion, the leader in golf club fitting, is proud to partner with these three leading instructors to educate golfers on the importance of getting fit for the right equipment.

According to Club Champion CEO Joe Lee, “We are thrilled to have David, Hank, and Cameron all representing Club Champion. Their reputations as the world’s best instructors, and especially their understanding of club fitting, make them uniquely qualified to speak to golfers on the topic of fitting.”

Ranked among the top 10 instructors in the world by Golf Digest, Hank Haney is recognized all over the world as one of the foremost authorities on the game and is a leader in individual performance development. Haney has coached golfers and built golf facilities and player academies across the globe for over 40 years. He has instructed over 200 touring professionals. His most famous student, Tiger Woods, won six Majors and an amazing 33 percent of the events he entered with Haney as his coach. Hank believes, “There isn't anyone who can’t benefit from club fitting. With the advances in custom fitting technologies to optimize your equipment, everybody can achieve more distance. At Club Champion, you get a truly professional fitting. They can actually prove it works. For somebody not to take advantage of Club Champion’s expertise, they're just wasting a tremendous opportunity.”

David Leadbetter was named the 2017 PGA Teacher of the year and is a Golf Digest Top 10 instructor having coached players to 25 Major championship titles and over 100 individual worldwide tournament victories. Seven of those players have been ranked #1 in the Official World Golf Rankings. When it comes to understanding the importance of having properly fitted golf clubs, no one is better qualified than Leadbetter to speak on the subject.

For more than 30 years, David has operated the Leadbetter Golf Academies. He and his instructors have seen countless players fall short of their potential because of improperly fitted golf equipment. David states, “A club fitting will definitely help any golfer play better. My students all benefited from club fitting. Lessons are critical, but if you’re fighting your equipment, you can only progress so far. Properly fitted clubs will make it much easier to lower your scores. I’m confident Club Champion will find the perfect clubs for you.”

Named 2015 PGA Teacher of the Year and a Golf Magazine Top 100 instructor, Cameron McCormick has coached three-time Major champion Jordan Spieth for the entirety of Spieth’s career. Among other students, McCormick also coaches LPGA star So Yeon Ryu who is currently ranked number three in the world. As the Founder of Altus Performance and Director of Instruction at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, McCormick sees first-hand the benefits custom club fitting has on his students.

Through his experience with Spieth, he knows that “The best players in the world benefit from custom club fitting. Average and higher handicap players can benefit even more from a Club Champion fitting as there’s much more room for improvement.” Club Champion has also signed Jordan Spieth to an endorsement contract to talk about the benefits of club fitting as a top PGA Tour professional.

Club Champion is the leader in club fitting and is ranked by Golf Digest as one of the 100 Best Club Fitters. The company hires experienced fitters who then receive an additional 150+ hours of training before starting; a training program unmatched in the golf industry. Club Champion’s unique coupling system combines any head and shaft together, so golfers hit the precise combination to be custom built for them.

With more than 35,000 interchangeable head and shaft combinations, they deliver a Tour-quality fitting that produces longer, more accurate shots, with a nearly 100% satisfaction rate. Their approach is unbiased; no specific vendor is promoted. The only goal – to find the best combination of components to lower your scores. Rather than having to change your swing, sometimes dramatically, a professional club fitting takes the swing that you have and optimizes the performance characteristics of the clubs to allow golfers to achieve the best result possible.

For more information or to schedule a fitting, call Club Champion at 888-340-7820 ... See MoreSee Less