Some of you may have seen Bubba Watson play at the Travelers Championship just up the road in Cromwell where he has had tremendous success over the years. Bubba always reminds us that ideally golf is approached as an art which allows us to create golf shots and tap into the true joy of the game. So much of the time and energy spent trying to improve in golf is spent trying to ‘get it right.’ Although fundamentals are important and can allow someone to swing the club more efficiently leading to greater power, consistency, and less risk of injury, fundamentals do not tell the whole story. Â
So, what can Bubba teach us about our approach to improvement? That we need to develop the skills to create different shots and this is only done if you actually practice those shots and attempt them on the golf course as well. Bubba plays free from concerns about how his golf swing looks and can devote his entire being to creating the shot at hand. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a lot of fun!
A great place to start learning this creativity is by practicing the 9 ball flights with different clubs. The nine ball flights are all the combinations of low, medium, and high, along with draw, straight, and fade that we can create. By simply incorporating this into your regular practice routine you will be on your way to developing mastery in controlling the golf ball. The best part is that it is a lot of fun to practice!
Practice Smart!
Dennis Hillman
(Photo c/o Tim Bradbury/Getty images)
