TRAINING AIDS x DISSOLVING THE EGO

Training Aids, Practice versus Playing, and Dissolving the Ego

2023 GHIN Rewind 


Practice makes permanent and this year I am fore fronting my attempt to get better with the use of training aids. Coming from a former self labeled “natural” I've been humbled by my results up to this point. For years I lied to myself by not using alignment aids, swing video analysis, as well as fundamentals to score. I was able to maneuver junior golf solely based on my talent opposed to dedication, practice, and hard work. This resulted in my shortcomings, but I am blessed to still have my talent and am just in need of some fine tuning. Luckily, I have the speed and the experience. I am finding the dedication and routine required to glide around golf courses with ease. 

I am now on a strictly mastery oriented approach to the game of golf meaning my ego is dissolved entirely. My glaring weakness in junior golf was my inability to separate my ego from my golf game. Rather than playing for the love of the game and to pursue mastery I wanted recognition and clout. No more. I no longer hit the clubs on the range I’m most comfortable with to impress the range rats around me, instead I pull my club that's giving me the most trouble so that I can fix any issues within the bag. All 14 of my clubs work in harmony to provide me with ample shots in reaction to whatever the course throws at me. By practicing mastery golf I am able to simply improve and challenge myself through self reflection and post round stat analysis opposed to egotistically playing for a number that means nothing to prove something to people that don’t care. 

I play the ball as it lies after striking it off the tee and I putt it all the way to the hole as the game was meant to be played. There have been times in my life where I lied to myself and brushed in 3 footers and fluffed my ball when nestled in that fairway divot after a perfect tee shot, however it got me nowhere. Honesty is the best policy especially when it comes to a game of honor. Don’t lie to yourself. Practice is the same in the sense that you can practice what you are already good at and feel good about yourself or you can challenge yourself in areas of weakness to grow and get better. In every facet of life, golf included, change is inevitable and you might as well change for the better not the worst. 

My current line up consists of a simple 100cm ruler for starting my putts online coupled with a mirror, a Prosendr to rehearse proper wrist conditions at the top of my swing, and a blow up ball to stay connected throughout my pass through the ball. Ultimately these training aids will provide me with instant feedback and gratification because properly using the tools will ensure consistency in my practice that will carry over into my game. They do not force me into positions or do the work for me, instead my aids are all demanding of self action and incentivized solid fundamentals. Golf proves to be a game of misses every Sunday on the tour yet countless amateurs, my past self included, practice the perfect ones. 

Fundamental practice such as alignment, path, and eye line are all easily tracked via alignment sticks, divot pattern, and putting mirrors. We as golfers enjoy the luxury of needing no one to get better but the ball and the course. Jon Rahm is quoted saying the ball is the best teacher and I’ll go one step further to say the ball is the best teacher and the course is the judge. Just like life and the legal system, golf is not fair and quicker we realize our ability to succeed lies in reacting to what we don’t want to happen in a logical way. 

It is important to practice with a purpose because permanent tendencies are hard to dissolve in competitive play. We often find ourselves falling to our routines in high pressure situations. How do we practice this feeling? We compete with ourselves constantly when playing in any realm. From 3 footer drills, capture the flag games, all the way to playing a final round at Augusta National the ball reacts the same and the course is still the judge. I can show up to the golf course with my bag of goodies and not another soul while simultaneously competing intricately. Who poses a larger foe than your very own self on the golf course? Why practice any other way. This construct is another reason I love this game.

I challenge you all to practice with a purpose and share your go to training aids in the comments section below.


-WG

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