let the intense training begin!

[flomarilius]

The life of a grinder for me has officially begun. Big Big BIG!! junior tournament in early august that has the medalist get into the Jr. Orange Bowl golf classic. Now if you have never heard of this, this is the tournament that is bigger than the AJGA this is worldwide best junior golfers in one golf course 15 minutes from my house. Golf is now everyday, I am literally eating, sleeping, drinking golf. I know it is not gonna be easy but it is a par 70 course and only 66and change from the tips. I figure if I get one round under par (have a new mindset that might help) and two just around par I have a shot at this. I read a book written by Dr. Winters one of the premier golf psychologists, resident psych at the Bedwetter Academy.

He says you should not think of anything but about the shot in front of you. Not the shot you just hit nor the shot you want to leave yourself. If you make bogey on a hole don't say to your self "I gotta get this one back". There is no back that stroke is now permanent. There are no birdies, there are no pars, hell there are no bogeys the whole point is to make every stroke have 100% of your concentration and focus. He offers one simple $.01 training aid that everyone has at their disposal. It is the rubber band just attach one of these bad boys to your wrist and when ever you have a thought that is not about your current shot stretch it back and let it go right at your wrist.

I know many have said they want to be a tour pro and this and that but we have to think of reality. You can't play once a week and get better? Yea sure you could shave a whole .25 stroke in a month if your lucky but what good is that gonna do you? Constant lessons (unless of course you have a good supporting cast that can analyze CORRECTLY) are a key and man it really is just being able to take your mat game to the course where OB and water exists. Anyone can hit a beautiful 7 Iron onto a pin from a perfect lie with the perfect conditions and a nice mat that you can't chunk. How about adding water to the sides of the greens, a little OB, ahh you cant think these things. The minute you tell yourself "don't go into that water" your body hears "all right boy's to the hazard we go!".

Essay over but I would be damned if this book didn't inspire me. Bring it on man I am after what little can achieve and hell it may even cost me by future but I have got to get to +strokes as quick as I can. If you think of it the best person you know is shit. Scratch players are just it Scratch, scratch is shit in the world of pro golf. Your lesson pro, he is shit also he can teach you all the right things but he himself can't do it. The top 1 percent of 1 percent are those guys who are 4-7+ caps.

[BStone]

Originally Posted by flomarilius

If you think of it the best person you know is shit. Scratch players are just it Scratch, scratch is shit in the world of pro golf. Your lesson pro, he is shit also he can teach you all the right things but he himself can't do it. The top 1 percent of 1 percent are those guys who are 4-7+ caps.

While you make several good points, I would like to dispute this one about being able to teach and not do it themselves. There are other circumstances that prevent some teaching pros from making it out on tour. I know that I personally decided against putting myself and my family through the grind of trying to make it out there. The life is very difficult for the middle of the road guys out there, living on the road and having to scrape to get by. I chose to have a steady income and to be able to have a family life that would allow me to be around for my children. For the record, the best player that I know who is not on Tour is far better than shit, he is a +2 and is playing on the mini tour down in Florida.

Best of luck to you in your event, don't think about having to shoot around par, just focus on hitting the ball well, this is what will get you a good round. Hitting good shots will lead to a good score, thinking that you need to post one round at or near par will simply lead to the added pressure of putting up a number.

[flomarilius]

tmag I truly agree with you. The majority of the guys is what I speak of. You don't see Leadbetter or Harmon or McLean out on the senior circuits is what I am trying to say. These miracle teachers have done possibly more harm than good to many people. Tmag while I don't doubt your potential and your skill I am just quoting from the book I read. Anyone can be a golf professional all it takes is a pen and a checkmark in the box but not many people can reach that top echelon.

[Sandpiper3]

Man, ive never heard of the Jr Orange Bowl championship? Ive heard of the Jr Worlds, and the Optimist Jr being two of the biggest, along with the US jr obviously, but not the one you speak of? Then obv the AJGA is one of the biggest jr tours out there.

[flomarilius]

It is as big as the Doral-publix, pretty close too the Worlds. I'll see if I up a link.

[BStone]

Originally Posted by flomarilius

Anyone can be a golf professional all it takes is a pen and a checkmark in the box but not many people can reach that top echelon.

Actually, there is a pretty good program that you need to go through to be a certified PGA Professional. You need to pass a playing ability test and then go through training as an apprentice to another certified Class A Professional. What has Dr. Winters done on the course that allows him to make these broad sweeping generalizations about the abilities of every teaching pro in the world? I have played with and against some of the top teaching pros in the country and have been blown away by their skills and abilities. Several of them have the ability to be on the tour as a middle of the pack guy, one who makes some cuts and is probably around 125 on the money list, but have chosen to take the more consistent income route to help with raising a family.

Getting back to Dr. Winters, I have read some of his writing and agree with a lot of what he writes. The mental game is what truly separates the good player from the great player, a point that most amateurs don't understand.

As far as Harmon and some of the other "great" teachers of the game, several have had the chance to play on tour. Butch himself stated that the reason that he couldn't last out there was that his temper got him in trouble. He was a very good player, but his mind stood in his way, so he now teaches the swing that made him successful to players who have the mental side in check and can take advantage of the information that he gives them.

[flomarilius]

woah woah woah!!! Dr. Winters did not say anything about the percentages. That came out of the book I am reading from Tom Coyne called Paper Tiger. I don't refer to being a PGA Class A pro I am talking about being a professional in general.

[BStone]

So what has Tom Coyne won? He didn't make it past stage one of Q School.

[flomarilius]

actually never even got accepted to stage I of Q-school.

[flomarilius]

Piper here is the qualification list,

Junior Orange Bowl :: International Youth Sports & Arts Festival

[Sandpiper3]

So how did you qualify Flo?

[PhillyEagle]

Flo, just to remind you...

"The tournament is an invitation only event."

[flomarilius]

Oh I know. I am not saying I qualified that is no where near what I am getting at. God knows I will probably choke at this tournament but uhhh thanks for the cheap shot. The tournament I play in Aug7-9 gets the medalist and invitation in.

[sandwedge]

Originally Posted by flomarilius

woah woah woah!!! Dr. Winters did not say anything about the percentages. That came out of the book I am reading from Tom Coyne called Paper Tiger. I don't refer to being a PGA Class A pro I am talking about being a professional in general.

I just got done reading Paper Tiger last week. It was very interesting. I wish I could take a year off to just play golf.

Here is one that is written by Bob Winters if you are interested. I haven't read it so I can't comment on it.
Amazon.com: The Ten Commandments of Mindpower Golf: Books: Robert Winters

Good luck with your tournament!

[flomarilius]

yea I have it. I am about 1/2 way done with it.