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Firing to a flag in a location that doesn’t fit your strength could lead to a big score. Patient: Male Age: 26 Current Handicap: 10 Lowest Handicap: 10 Has played golf for: 6 years Plays: About twice a month Practices: About once a month The symptoms: I’ve only been playing for a short time, but I feel like I’ve made some steady improvement. One of the things I don’t understand about the game is when to fire at the flag. I played other sports growing up and there were always obvious times to be aggressive. Golf is different. I’ve heard announcers even talk about aiming for the center of the green or playing away from the flag. I want to fire at the flag on every shot. How do I know when to play it safe? Dr. Golf’s prescription: Know your tendencies. Every player has strengths and weaknesses. It’s fun to practice the parts of our game that provide the most enjoyment — our strengths. But if we don’t practice our weaknesses, then we’d better avoid them during the round. Fire at the flag when it plays to the strength of your game. To truly know the strength of your game you must be aware of your tendencies. Do you draw or fade the ball? Are you best with your short, mid or long irons? At what distance are you at your best with a wedge in hand? You can learn these tendencies by reviewing your performance in previous rounds. I use my time on the range before a round to loosen the muscles and note my tendencies for that particular day, and then I take those tendencies to the golf course. For example, if my draw is working I’ll fire at pins on the left side of the green. However, a right pin location is a time to settle for a longer putt. Course design often forces a player to play one particular type of shot on a given hole. If you have that shot, play it; if you don’t, wait for a situation better suited to your tendencies. Patient: Male Age: 48 Current Handicap: 0 Lowest Handicap: 0 Has played golf for: 27 years Plays: Once a week Practices: About once a week The symptoms: I’ve done pretty well in my career and I’m thinking about retiring early to pursue a dream of playing professionally. I’d love to play on the Champions Tour. I’ve won a lot of club events and a few local tournaments. I shoot around par with only a bit of practice. I’m thinking that if I devote myself to playing, I’d have a shot. What does it take to play professionally and be competitive on the Champions Tour? Dr. Golf’s prescription: To have a chance at success on the Champions Tour, a player must be very good in every aspect of the game. When you’re talking about competing against the best players on the planet, age 50 and above, you can’t have any weaknesses. I rank accuracy off the tee higher than length. All tour players are great putters, and the players cashing the checks have great wedge games, too. Playing at your club two or three times a week is one thing. Playing five or six days in a row is quite another, and it requires physical and mental stamina. A conditioning program will prepare you physically and improve your mind’s ability to cope with the stress of competing at a world-class level. I believe that the “name” teachers are famous for a reason: they know things other instructors don’t. Each time I’ve visited a name instructor, I’ve learned and improved. Before I played in the 1994 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, I spent two hours with Phil Rodgers, and 10 years later I’m still being rewarded with the benefits. Jerry Wisz is the head professional at Alhambra Golf Course and the 2005 SCPGA Senior champion. He can be reached at (626) 570-5059. |
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