Eye on the Birdie – Post #4 The Value of Bad Shots

Hello! First of all, I’m sorry that this post is a couple of days late. I had no time to write it on Sunday or Monday. The reason I had no time on Monday was that I was playing at the second JV game. (My team tied for last–with three over par! Personally, I think it went amazingly.) Again, I can’t go into specifics because it was a scramble, but I got my inspiration for this post from the game. “The Value of Bad Shots” may seem like a nonsensical title, but it’s true–bad shots have value. Good shots are preferable, but if you hit a bad shot, you can use that shot to learn how to avoid hitting another shot like it. This is probably the hardest-to-perform trick I have written about so far because it requires you to be aware of and understand every shot you take. Also, it only works if you know how to alter your swing for the better. For instance, yesterday I hit a shot that came off the tee, hit the ground immediately, and bounced and rolled to a stop. I can remember how that shot felt and, because I have made so many mistakes, why it went so short. What happened was that I straightened one of my legs mid-swing, which caused me to hit the ground before I hit the ball. For the rest of the game, I paid more attention to keeping my legs bent. Even if you don’t know what is wrong with your swing, it’s still a good idea to pay close attention to how the swing felt. What I’ve found is that an uncomfortable shot is almost never a good shot. Also, if you know how it felt, it will probably be easier to compare it to other shots. That way, you know which shots to try and replicate. This tactic is actually an adaptation of The First Tee’s Four R’s– Replay, Relax, Ready, and Redo. Replay your last shot, Relax and don’t worry about the next shot, get Ready to hit and plan your next shot, and Redo–hit your next shot. It sounded tedious and kind of silly to me when I was learning it, but now I do it without even realizing it! -Birdie