Think Before Hitting The Ball: Key Difference Between Good And Bad Golfers
Golf is a game that requires skill, practice, and mental focus. There is a decisive difference between those who are good at golf and those who are not. It’s not about technology, experience, or management, but actually the difference between “thinking” and “not thinking.” Masayuki Kitano, who is well-versed in mentality and management, taught me how to “think” and hit.
“There are many discoveries during round lessons. One of them is to think or not to think. Amateurs who can’t improve their scores as they wish, without exception, hit the ball without thinking about anything.”
Masayuki Kitano
Masayuki Kitano, a pro who is familiar with swing theory and management, said so. If you say such a thing, it seems that you can hear the voice of counterargument, “We are also thinking!”
“In the first place, the ‘quantity’ that professionals and amateurs think about is completely different. Amateurs at most want to put it on the fairway, they want to get close to the pin, and the right OB is bad. , score making is also difficult.”
Masayuki Kitano
According to Kitano, the faster players like professionals and advanced golfers are, the better the distance, wind strength and direction, the location of hazards, the hardness of the ground, the height of the ball, and the case of bending left and right. It is said that he thinks instantly about whether he can improve in hitting and the condition of his shots, and then makes decisions.
“Golf is played fast, so you can’t keep thinking forever. While setting the priority to think about, you decide where to aim and what kind of ball to hit.” Professionals and advanced players who are good at making scores are able to organize their thoughts in an instant.”
Masayuki Kitano
Kitano says that some amateurs don’t even know the yardage. Let alone the distance, some amateurs do not know the OB area or whether the hole they are playing is a par 4 or a par 5.
It sounds good when you say you’re concentrating on the shot in front of you, but you’re too focused on hitting it and not thinking about it.
“There are quite a few amateurs who yell when they make a mistake.”
Kitano
You can see what you need to do by thinking it through. Kitano says that if you do that, your hesitation will disappear and you will be prepared. That is the key to being able to concentrate on the one shot in front of you. As a result, the score is summed up. Golf is a sport where you think with your head between your ears.
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When explaining the image of “thinking and hitting”, Kitano often tells a parable of cooking.
“Professional chefs have an image of the taste, temperature, and how to arrange the dish on the plate, and then prepare various preparations, from how to cut the ingredients to the taste, to finish the dish. This is because there is preparation for that. Preparing food is close to the “mindset” required for golf.”
Kitano
Professional Kitano says that amateurs only cook simple dishes such as grilling and boiling ingredients.
The only thing to watch out for is “overthinking”, not “overthinking”. According to Kitano, if the former means finding what you need to do, the latter means that your thoughts only lead to hesitation.
“Amateurs tend to think only about bad things. OBs are bad, bunkers are not allowed, and duffing is strictly prohibited. It is important to think about risks, but we should think about how to avoid OBs and bunkers. For that reason, how many yards do you need and where should you hit the ball?
Kitano
If you focus on bad things, your mind and body will atrophy, and you will not be able to play golf as they should. Kitano, who says that the important thing is the order in which you think, advises you to make this order a routine.
“Golf is all about scoring as few shots as possible, so first I check all the hazards. Then how many yards is this hole? I will think about it in such a flow.”
Kitano
Another thing to consider is wind and lie conditions. The theory is to think in terms of the impact area, where the wind is ahead of the trajectory and the momentum of the ball decreases from where it hits. Immediately after impact, the initial speed is fast and it is not easily affected by the wind.
The lie on the second and third shots is also important. No matter how far you fly, the risk is high in a lie where the toes are difficult to fall. Carving on a flat surface makes it easier to collect scores. Finally, based on the condition of the day, draw a story of one shot.
“Professionals think about the story of each shot based on factors such as the weather, course conditions, and their own skills. , you won’t be able to improve your score, but if you can develop a thoughtful and hitting routine, your score will definitely improve.”
Kitano
Then, how should I think and hit in the actual round?
Kitano said as a major premise, “Let’s think of ‘nice miss’ rather than a nice shot.” What does that mean?
“Nice shots are not necessary for a round. The basis for this is to think of all shots (from driver to putter) in terms of left, right, front, and rear quadrants. By thinking about which areas are dangerous and which are safe, the target will naturally be narrowed down.”
Kitano
“For the tee shot, once you have decided on a target, such as left or right, the club will automatically be decided. If the front is the best, you don’t need to be a driver at all.
This is because a shot from the ground has a more severe angle of incidence than a teed ball. Let’s carefully assess the situation, such as how the ball floats and the density of the grass.
And the approach is to put it on the green first. After that, think about where the best place to hit the putt is. In this case, be aware of the line with few uphills or bends.
The starting point of thinking and hitting golf is to make your play easier. You can’t score with unreasonable play. I want you to collect information about where the ball is and where it will be easier to hit the next shot and hit a well-thought-out shot. Accumulating nice mistakes is directly linked to improving your score.”
