Article #24
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Dear Jitterbug Gang:
I hit the ball like a champ on the range, but often struggle on the course. Do you have a drill or something I can work with that may help me work through my on-course troubles.
Craig Filbert
Jitterbug Gang Fan
Jitterbug:
Remember, Craig, even during a good practice session, one in which you hit the majority of say, eighty balls, beautifully, you probably had a streak of maybe five to ten shots in a row that weren't too good.
This is easily forgotten, however, as ten shots on the range might span over a period of only four or five minutes. But, on the course, ten bad shots in a row might take an hour. And, an hour of bad swings can feel like an eternity.
So, give yourself a little break and realize that what feels like a total collapse is often just a temporary loss of rhythm.
Mr. Vaughn:
What you're describing here is the very issue I have with spending most of your time hittin' full shots on the range. You''re just settin' yourself up for failure, and I'll tell you why.
Let's say you go out on the range and hit a hundred balls in a row just picture perfect with your 7-iron. Then, you get out on the course and, on the first hole, hit a 7-iron approach just little less than perfect, and your ball ends up in the front bunker. All that positive mojo you had just went to hell, and now, you're gonna start wondering what you did wrong. "Was it my weight shift? My takeaway? My wrist-cock? Am I standin' to close to the ball?"
So there you go fiddling around with everything, and now, you'll be lucky to put together even one more good swing.
If instead, you walk on the course after having just finished a good session of short game work, you ain't gonna be afraid to miss the green. In fact, when you miss with that 7-iron approach, you can't wait to go up there and take care of business with a short shot and a putt. In other words, you're mentally prepared, and won''t get all freaked every time you hit a bad full shot.
Lord Berry:
What Mr. Vaughn says is true, but it is a difficult sell.
I suspect the problem comes from the counter-logical nature associated with working on short game. Most view it as inefficient. After all, any clear thinking adult, upon discovering the faucet turned on and the sink over-flowing, would do which first, turn off the water or reach for a mop?
Of course, you turn off the water first. To do it the other way around would be inefficient.
But, in golf, you can't turn off the water. As long as you play, regardless of how good you become, you will always have to mop up with chips, pitches, and bunker shots.
Admittedly, when you become a tour caliber player, you might only have to use your mop on about 30 percent of the holes. The average golfer, however, could use a good mop on 70 to 80 percent of the holes.
So, Craig, you asked if there is a drill you can work on to help combat your on-course struggles. The answer is simple: Spend more time on your short game.