Showtime.

Showtime was always my favorite part of playing golf. All of the work that you have put into your game gets put to the test in competition and you either get the validation that what you have been working on is the right thing or you get the complete opposite. That is one of the toughest things about golf…there is no guarantee that you will see results immediately and that can be a really tough pill to swallow.

I have always believed in having a plan and a method to the madness. I think planning is essential to your success. I would encourage all of you to write down your short-term goals for the year and your long-term goals for the next two years with your game. I would suggest that you keep your goals close by and read them often to keep your goals fresh in your mind. I would also pass along your goals to your parents and your instructor. That way you have several people in your camp that know what your goals are and can help you maximize your potential in achieving your goals.

Think of it this way…when you tee it up in a tournament, you have a game plan for how you are going to strategize your way around the course. Your goal and objective is most likely to hit it down the middle of the fairway, knock it on the green and makes lots of birdies. In theory, this is great. But, the reality is you will most likely not hit every fairway or every green as you had initially mapped out in your head.

So what does this mean? You have to adapt. Trust in the practice and training that you have been doing and make the adjustments as needed to execute your shots to the best of your ability. That is all you can do. You are going to hit errant shots. You will be lucky to hit 4 or 5 shots exactly how you envisioned them in your mind in 18 holes of golf. Those are the shots that keep you coming back each day for more. Learn to understand cause and effect and why you miss shots and how to make the adjustments to find the center of the clubface. That is going to take a lot of work and communication with your instructor, but it is more than worth it. If you can fix your swing mistakes and learn to offset your misses mid round, you are well on your way to great scores.

So practice up and get ready for Showtime. This is why you put in all of the time, energy and effort. Also, take the time to write down your goals. This will help you achieve your goals and keep you focused when you are between events.

Good luck, play great and fairways and greens,

Kelli