What my eyes saw and what yours don’t – but should
by M. James Ward
This summer I decided to caddie at a range of different clubs throughout the New York metro section. Sad to say, plenty of clubs have abandoned caddie programmes and little had to do with the global pandemic: in years past, caddies had a specific role and various private clubs sought to include them for their membership.
One of the virtues in caddying for club players versus those at the elite professional level is the range of improvement golfers can clearly do for themselves.
When one caddies, observation is front and centre. It’s also something many players fail to comprehend and, as a result, they are locked into doing the same things – which lose strokes – again and again.
Most of us don’t have the advantage of playing with a caddy, but one thing that all golfers can do is:
Be your own Caddie.
Take the time to have your own caddie conversation with yourself, cover all the relevant commandments below before you hit every shot and always pick a target.
Here are my ten commandments that golfers at a club level should heed in order to improve their overall golf performance.
1ST COMMANDMENT / Thou shall know your limitations
Clint Eastwood uttered the famous phrase – “A man’s got to know his limitations” – in one of his Dirty Harry movies. The phrase fits golf perfectly. Far too many people attempt shots that no touring pro would likely entertain. Far too many players have an inflated sense of their golfing abilities and therefore instead of limiting errors – they add to them.
2ND COMMANDMENT / Thou shall know the distance you can consistently hit your clubs
Far too many players have an inflated sense of how far they hit a golf ball with various clubs. This is especially true with the driver. Players will say they can hit a driver 250 or more yards when the reality is that the 250-yard number comes from having 20-30 yards rollout after the ball lands. Few players have an idea on how consistently they can “carry” the ball in the air. Why is that important? When sizing up a golf hole from the tee, the knowledge in knowing how far you can carry a tee shot will set in motion how you should play a hole.
The same can be said with irons. Players will routinely assume that any given club will always get them a set distance; they believe they can hit the chosen club right on the sweet spot with constant regularity. That’s a big error of judgement. If a shot calls for 150 yards, players will automatically assume it’s a certain club without weighing up all the factors. Is the shot to a level target or one that’s uphill or downhill? Is there wind? Is there more trouble in front of the green than in the rear? The wiser course of action is taking one additional club and therefore expanding your probability in getting to the target without having the need to flush the shot perfectly.
3RD COMMANDMENT / Thou shall take your medicine when recovering
I cannot comprehend that when players miss a shot, they then feel the compulsion to play a recovery shot that even Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson would find incomprehensible. The single most damaging thing that can happen to a player is compounding a bad shot with another one that makes matters even worse. Players of modest ability levels need to realise that taking one’s medicine by eschewing risky recoveries can still provide the means to escape with a par or, at worse, no more than a bogey.
4TH COMMANDMENT / Thou shall take enough club on approaches
If there’s ever a place for player improvement it comes when decisions are made on what club to hit on approach shots. Too many players fail to realise that just getting to the very front of the green is not necessarily a good shot when the pin location is still 30 or more yards deeper into the green. Once again ego plays a role and as a caddie I often counsel players that taking enough club will allow for a bit of room for error in the event the swing errs in some way. The rule on taking enough clubs becomes even more pronounced on windy days and players will vastly minimise the impact the wind can have on club choice.
5TH COMMANDMENT / Thou shall have speed control is crucial for putting success
During my time with various players, I cannot count the number of times players would routinely three-putt or worse. The heart of that issue comes down to speed control. Few players will spend any amount of time on a practice green to get a handle on the overall pace of the greens that day. Putting is the great equaliser and those that have sound speed on the greens can make up plenty of ground on those who possess “stone” hands.
6TH COMMANDEMENT / Thou shall use the putter whenever possible
Far too many players eschew usage of the putter when just off a putting green. They instantly reach for a wedge – often times one with far too much loft such as 56 or 60-degree club. Keeping the ball on the ground whenever you can be a far higher percentage shot. The same can be said in using a hybrid when just off the green in order to roll the ball to the target.
7TH COMMANDMENT / Thou shall have a proper selection of clubs in one’s bag
Another example where players fail to pay any meaningful attention. As players age, the probability in using irons such as the 4 and 5 become less successful. Why? Players cannot generate the clubhead speed to gain the benefit such a club provides. Switching out to hybrids can provide the kind of missing elasticity needed. Golfers have 14 choices for their golf bag. Choose wisely.
8TH COMMANDMENT / Thou shall tee up a ball on the side with the most trouble and hit away from it
It amazes me how people pay so little attention to the teeing area before they tee off. They simply plant their feet at whatever spot comes to their attention and go from there. Smart players look at a given hole and then place their body so that whatever side of the hole has the most trouble on it – they will then hit away from it. The teeing area is a big place and it’s one that can be used to benefit the player if they take the time to do so.
9TH COMMANDMENT / Thou shall avoid short siding yourself on approach shots
Far too many people attempt approach shots with little real chance of success. Then they find their ball on the short side where the pin is located and face a demanding chip or pitch shot. The net result? Wasted strokes and more frustration. Sometimes aiming “away” from the flagstick makes the most sense. It also helps to know as stated earlier that being totally honest about one’s ability level can be a vital asset in posting the best possible score. Club players watch elite professionals play flop shots and conclude they can do likewise. They can – but the result is simply a flop.
10TH COMMANDMENT / Thou shall move on from a bad shot / bad hole
Of all the commandments, this is the central one where players only hurt themselves in a major way. Once a poor shot has been played, it is “history.” You have to place it in the rear-view mirror and move on from there. Far too many players want to whine about the circumstances or the “bad break” they encountered. The same can be said of a bad hole. The time to have worried about that was before matters snowballed in a downward manner.
The great players are forward thinking – not dwellers on the past. The only saving grace that comes from a bad shot or bad hole is understanding why it happened and using that information to one’s benefit down the line. Remember: those who live in the past remain there.