Play To Your Strengths

Distance fades with time.

One day that seven iron you always hit one-forty is only going one-thirty-five. You notice it quietly at first. Then you try to fight it.

That is where the trouble starts.

I used to try to squeeze a bit more out of every shot. Swing a bit harder. Try to prove the distance was still there.

All it did was make the strike worse.

Now I do the opposite.

Take More Club, Swing The Same

If the yardage says one-forty-five and my seven iron used to cover it, I now take the six.

Not because I am weaker. Because I am realistic.

When I swing within myself, the contact is better. The ball flies straighter. The result is more predictable.

The scorecard does not care which club you used. Only the number.

If taking one extra club keeps the ball on the green instead of short in trouble, that is good golf.

Trust The Clubs That Behave

I know which clubs I trust.

My hybrid. My seven iron. A steady wedge.

They are not glamorous. They do not produce highlight shots. But they behave.

If the driver does not feel right on the day, I leave it in the bag.

Finding the fairway with a shorter club is worth more than chasing extra yards into rough.

At this stage, position beats power.

Play Your Own Game

There is always someone who hits it further.

Trying to knock it past the bloke next to you usually ends badly.

That's pride talking, not sense.

Good golf now is about playing the shot you can rely on.

The hole does not care how far you hit it. It cares how many strokes it takes to finish.

Forget pride. The scorecard only cares how many, not how.

Try This Next Time You Play

Before an approach:

• Check the yardage honestly.
• Take one more club than you first thought.
• Swing at your normal pace.

On the tee:

• If the driver feels loose, choose the club that finds the fairway.
• Focus on position rather than length.

When playing with longer hitters:

• Play your game.
• Ignore theirs.

When I stopped chasing distance, my scores became steadier.

Fewer heavy shots.
Fewer wild misses.
More predictable results.

Playing to your strengths is not giving in.

It is using what still works.

Cheers,
Andrew

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