My Golfography
I started playing this incredibly rewarding but also undeniably frustrating game when I was eight years old with a set of my mom’s hand-me-down clubs. I was quite drawn to what the game had to offer even at an early age, especially the challenge it presented.
What I didn’t know was that over 20 years later, I would be full on addicted. The game grabbed me by the collar and wouldn’t let go.
Growing up I was a four sport athlete, so golf did not get 100% of my attention. In my youth and teenage years, basketball, baseball and tennis took precedent. And I was not able to dedicate myself to just one because I simply couldn’t choose. I loved playing them all. Still do.
But as the years went by and my professional dreams fell by the wayside for too many reasons to count, golf began to tug at me more and more as I kept practicing and improving.
Without taking any lessons I was able to develop a natural looking swing, but had no idea how the dynamics of the swing really worked.
But by using my athleticism, I was able to hit the ball pretty far and make a few putts. But consistency was severely lacking.
Still, I was able to break 90 around the age of 12, and by 16, I had broken 80. I was elated (as most golfers are with their first round in the 70’s) but unsatisfied. I had a taste and wanted more.
By 22, I was playing some solid golf and scoring in the mid to high 70’s routinely, dabbling in the low 70’s every once in a while. My handicap was down to a 5, yet, I still didn’t understand HOW I was getting it done. When things went sideways, I didn’t understand what I was doing wrong or how to fix the flaws in my swing. I would just tinker and things would somehow click again.
But bad habits die hard in golf and my game began to stall for the better part of the next decade. I played fewer quality rounds, had more high scores, and consequently became more frustrated.
Just about everyone who has played the game of golf has heard that voice in their head urging them to quit…try something else…the game is too hard.
But love and addiction are very real things. And I would not allow the voices to overtake my pursuit of getting better. Positivity and belief led the way.
So in my 30’s, I decided to take ownership of the game for which I had developed such a passion. And it started with understanding the relevant fundamentals the swing.
The golf swing is both a science and an art form and I wanted to learn both. I became thirsty for knowledge and read and analyzed as much as I could.
So I took that information, went to the range and hit balls. And when I was done with that I hit more balls. And yup, you guessed it. Even more balls.
By realizing what must take place during impact in what I like to call the strike zone, accompanied by muscle memory building, I was able to transform a fairly dysfunctional swing to one I can rely on most of the time.
Golf is hard. Perhaps the hardest of games. But by understanding the elemental dynamics to striking the ball squarely, it can become less of a struggle and much more fulfilling.
After numerous setbacks and countless hours of thinking about, studying and learning the different elements of the swing, I was able to get down to a 2 handicap, finally playing the best golf of my life, and more importantly, understanding the hows and whys.
These are the lessons I hope to share with you.