Being the Best Golf Player You Can
Be
Just like any other game,
to be considered a good golf player goes beyond having an
average score of below 80. While skill at playing the actual
game is commendable, a holistic view is needed to achieve a
well-rounded game.
To play good golf, you
have to get down past the three areas of:
- fitness,
- practice,
- and etiquette.
Fitness
- Keeping one’s body and mind in shape is a key element to
becoming a good, if not great, golfer. Looking after your body
and making sure it’s in shape not only gets you to perform
better on the course, it also ensures you that you can enjoy
golf even well into your years.
- Achieve bodily fitness
by eating right and exercising regularly. Maintain
cardiovascular fitness and muscle tone that suits the game of
golf. Some indicators of physical fitness are your blood
pressure and your BMI (body mass index). Consult with your
doctor on what levels are right for your age and body
type.
- Mental fitness is also
just as important. Find ways to relieve yourself of stress.
Develop a regular meditation time alone or with family/friends.
Keep your mind sharp by exercising it with reading or with
puzzles like crosswords.
Practice
- Develop a regular and consistent practice routine. Many find
themselves wanting to play more and practice less when it is
the opposite that gets better results as far as scores go. By
practicing more, you develop techniques and muscle memory that
will carry well into your game.
- A good play to practice
ratio is 1:2, that is, for every hour of golf you play, you
will do 2 hours of practice. This may not be done all in the
same day. It is advised to alternate practice and play days so
as not to work out too much.
- Continue your education
on the game. Not just because you know how to play means you
already know everything there is. Remember that there is always
something new you can learn so either enroll in a class or take
up a lesson or two with a more advanced player. Do this at
least on an annual basis. Constantly wanting to level up your
golf skills shows your dedication to become a better player
than your were the year before.
Etiquette
- Being a great player on the course and on the practice field
is nothing if you are not a good person to play with. While
golf may be a solitary sport, it does not mean that rudeness is
condoned. As a gentleman’s game, rules pertaining to respecting
others are of utmost importance.
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