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Developing a game plan before rounds will help lower your scores. Patient: Male Age: 55 Current Handicap: 14 Lowest handicap: 9 Plays: Two or three times a month Practices: Rarely Ailment: I’ve always been a guy who just bops it off the tee, finds the ball and hits it toward the green, and so on. I’ve had some decent success playing this way, but my friends think I could score better if I had a game plan. I’ve never really given it much thought. What kind of game plan do you employ for your rounds? Prescription: I like to keep in mind how a golf course is designed. Take my course, for instance — Barona Creek Golf Club in San Diego. It’s a links-style design with wide fairways and large greens that are firm. I can hit driver on every hole, but my approach shots require more thought. There are some hole locations I won’t aim for because of the consequences. There might be a false front, or the penalty for missing just a little left or right means a tough up and down. In these cases, I’m happy leaving myself a 30- to 40-foot putt and taking my chances two-putting. Whatever plan you choose, stick with it. Patient: Male Age: 41 Current Handicap: 11 Lowest handicap: 10 Plays: Once or twice a month Practices: Maybe once a month Ailment: I have a phobia about hitting off the first tee. It’s become a running joke at my club. I top or duff the ball and almost always make a big number on the first hole before settling down. What do you think about when hitting that first drive? Prescription: I think of my target and start my pre-shot routine, where I stand behind the ball and draw a mental line from my target back to the ball. Then I take my stance, align my body and hit the ball. Picking a target will help you remember to swing through the ball and will help with alignment. Going through a pre-shot routine can also block out distractions. How many times have you hit a good shot while someone was talking? They apologize, but you never heard them, or at least it didn’t affect your shot. It’s likely that you were too focused on your target and went through a routine that took your mind off the distractions. SG Ross Marcano is a PGA professional at Barona Creek Resort. He can be reached at rmarcano@barona.com. |
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