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Alex Elias  Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@LinksGems) Rick Hartmann, Director of Golf, and Corey Layton, Head Golf Professional, at Atlantic Golf Club joined AE Golf News for a quick Q&A. Although Spring is quickly approaching, temperatures in the Northeast are still in the 20s. What would your message be to golfers in the Northeast looking to currently work on their game?
Rick Hartmann: This is the time to work on your game, not during the Summer. The more you can practice during the Winter, the better off you'll be. That way you can work on your swing in an environment where it takes the ball flight out and can react to the fundamentals, not the ball flight. Then by the summertime, you’re just maintaining it. You can play, rather than break down your swing. Corey Layton: There's very few simulators out here [Bridgehampton, New York], but in New York City, simulators are everywhere. If you live in an area with access to a simulator, then this is 100% the time to work on your game. Once you get to the Summer, you want to be able to play. You don't want to have to backtrack six months. How much is success in golf driven by one's mindset? Rick Hartmann: Golf is all about the mindset. The mindset is the #1 differentiator. In this game, the more positive you can be, the better off you are. You can't expect to make a putt if you are thinking to yourself "I can't make this putt." Our members tend to think much more positively rather than negatively, and that should be a lesson for every member. Corey Layton: The mindset has a very powerful grasp on the outcome. If you're worrying about the future, rather than playing in the present, it can have negative consequences. You see some of the swings of our members and you can't believe the shots they pull off, but it's a credit to their mentality being different. Their mentality is truly unbelievable and unique. While every golfer can benefit immensely from a positive mindset, why do golfers need to understand the difference between a positive mindset and unrealistic expectations? Rick Hartmann: As a golfer, you have to understand your strengths and weaknesses. If a high handicapper has a flop shot, downwind, over a bunker, out of the fescue, pin cut tight to the edge of the green, then maybe they shouldn't try it. Playing smarter and understanding the risk/reward of a shot will lead to better play. Corey Layton: Golfers can sometimes be a bit delusional. Maybe one out of hundred, they do pull off the tough shot, but that doesn’t mean it'll happen every time. Where else can golfers benefit from a better mindset? Rick Hartmann: Practice. Amateurs tend to expect results immediately and unfortunately it isn't that easy. Muscle changing in golf takes time and practice. A swing change takes more than one lesson. It can take an entire season and golfers need to trust that. Corey Layton: Are they taking a lesson once a week and playing the other days, or are they dedicated to practicing? Practicing can't be like a haircut or nail appointment. It can't be once a week. You have to practice in between lessons. It’s difficult for many amateur golfers to hear a swing change will take time. Realistically, you might get worse before you get better, or it may take months before you really start to see the changes.
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Alex Elias  Courtesy of Evan Schiller (@evan_schiller_photography) Managing expectations is one of golf’s greatest challenges. Lucas Spahl, First Assistant Golf Professional at The Creek (Locust Valley, NY) and Assistant Golf Professional at McArthur Golf Club (Hobe Sound, FL), said, “I believe that there is a misnomer between what amateur golfers see as goals for their game and goals that are realistic. I think amateurs see their goals as the best possible outcome, but that is not realistic for any player.”
As amateurs’ goals are often unattainable, whether it be expecting to hit more fairways/greens or score lower, Spahl continued, “If your goals are too difficult to obtain, it can become very draining.” As draining golf can consume a golfer’s mindset, Spahl said, “You can lose confidence, get down on yourself, and negative thoughts take control. From personal experience, I have definitely had a few rounds that have started off very poor, and it’s very difficult to get back on track or to get off the ‘bogey train.’” Ultimately, that loss of concentration leads to one’s scorecard being negatively affected. How to manage expectations: “To re-evaluate their expectations, I feel amateurs need enough information/statistics to have an understanding of what their average round looks like. Once that is understood, they can make achievable goals, and even orient their practice to help achieve those successfully,” said Spahl. Referencing his own game, Spahl said, “I tend to only have two goals. Regardless of the score, if I accomplish these two goals, I’ll be happy: No three putts, no double-bogeys.” By setting realistic goals, rather than having a score in mind, Spahl admitted, “When there is no score in mind, and the goals are accomplished, I do tend to score better. I find it’s hard to score poorly when those goals are accomplished, and at the very least, I avoid having a very poor round. For amateur players, I can see them get very stressed about a score relative to par. If you take that away and orient your thoughts to simple goals, the game can become more enjoyable at a simple level. Players of all calibers have rounds where they swing it well and don’t shoot a great score, it’s okay to do that.” |
