Instead of giving you additional swing thoughts , I am going to help you maximize your current skill set on the golf course and to hopefully shoot the best scores possible . Here are my tips :

Pre-Shot Process

Pre-Shot Process Before you pick a club for an approach shot , there is a great deal of information to gather . Most people shoot a distance with their range finder and then pick a club , but there is more to consider than just distance . Here are some important factors :

• Distance

• Elevation — altitude and uphill / downhill

• Climate — wind , temperature , humidity

• Golf ball lie

• Stance — feet relative to ball

• Hole location — front / middle / back

• Slopes on the green

• Best place to miss and putt from

Don ’ t underestimate the importance of climate . If you play golf on a windy , winter day as opposed to a perfect day in the summer , the difference in club selection could be two or three irons apart from the same distance .

Post-Shot Process If the shot goes well , you do not necessarily need to do a review . But if the shot does not go according to plan , it is important to do a quick analysis . First , you need to ask yourself

if it was a process error or an execution mistake . An example of a process error would be coming up short of the green despite good contact because you ignored the uphill slope or the wind . An example of an execution mistake would hitting a shot heavy , thin , heel or toe .

If you make a particular error once , it is not a pattern yet ; once you have repeated the same error twice , it becomes a pattern . Only make adjustments once something becomes a pattern . Don ’ t be the golfer who misses right then left then right again , constantly fixing the last shot with no pattern .

Target Focus When playing on the golf course , be sure to be target-focused rather than ball-focused . If your pre-shot routine takes 15 seconds , more than 10 of those seconds should be spent looking at the target . Too often golfers become statues getting stuck staring at the ball . Most other ball sports involve looking at the target during the action , such as shooting a basketball , throwing a baseball , or kicking a soccer ball . In golf we stare at

the ground and the ball during the action , so be sure to focus on the target as much as possible while you still can pre-swing .

Field Goals When you are in a state of high confidence , you should narrow your range of acceptable outcomes , meaning make a smaller field goal . Whether it is a preferred club , a particularly comfortable distance , or a favorite hole , when you are feeling good you should make your targets very precise and have high outcome expectations .

When you are not feeling confident , you should still have a specific target but widen your field goal . If you are struggling with the driver for example , then anywhere between the left trees and the right trees might be acceptable . Don ’ t narrow your field goal and increase the pressure , widen your acceptable zone and be satisfied with a ball that isn ’ t lost .

If you love 40-yard pitch shots , then you should step up expecting to make it and set a narrow acceptable zone , such as six feet . If you are terrified of those shots , anywhere on the green would be a pass .

JOSH APPLE