Spring is here, and the azaleas are blooming across Hilton Head Island. Here are six spring golf tips to help add some spring into your golf game.
S. Start a leisure sport.
Golf is a leisure sport you can play for a lifetime. As defined by Webster’s Dictionary, leisure is “free unoccupied time when a person may indulge in rest and recreation.” Golf is a leisure sport that, when played correctly, is restful and low-stress. For example, each shot, when performed correctly, begins with breathing and eliminating stressful thoughts. Stretch your muscles and engage your mind in positive thoughts or dreaming of success. Lowering your heart rate and blood pressure is a direct result in the process of playing your best golf. Most people don’t play that way, but you can do so when you learn correctly.
P. Playfully approach the game.
A regular student of mine is a potter. He compares playing golf to making pottery. First, the clay must be malleable, relaxed and able to be shaped, like the golfer responding to all the different shots on the golf course. In addition, the potter takes the block of clay and visualizes the finished result. However, in the process, the potter finds imperfections in the clay that can and must be corrected. The potter also must accept his or her own mistakes and start over several times before the desired result is achieved. The clay and the potter are both better off after this process
R. Recreational sports are amazing.
Golf is a game that recreates you. As you have read above, there are several benefits to the golfer. Who invented golf? The shepherds of Scotland, in their free time after counting their sheep. They were relaxed, content and had time to casually stroll the border area of their flock and hit a rock with the shepherd’s staff. They were not in a hurry, and they played games that could be played as a team and alone. In the 1800s, the Americans and the Industrial Revolution caused golf more competitive and aggressive. Choose the game you want to play. Which game do you prefer? Would you rather be a potter or a professional?
I. Involve yourself in the outdoors, which is the best medicine.
Big spaces and a big sky improve your attitude and your perspective on life. The fluid motion of golf is similar to the ocean waves, which gently and rhythmically massage your muscles.
N. Nurture your skills by taking classes or getting a TPI physical screening.
We have a Golf Mobility and Fitness Class that can increase your mobility, stability and stamina, while enjoying fellowship with friends and watching eagles, osprey and fish jump. We’ll can also make an avatar of you in our 3-Dimensional Teaching System, which you can see and learn from. Take advantage of our wide range of classes, from Back to Basics to Short Game.
G. Golf is a game without boundaries that shows no favoritism.
The tallest, strongest or best-looking players do not have an advantage out on the green or on the fairway. Many golfers should be playing team games and thriving on the opportunity to make mistakes without feeling the pressure of performance-oriented acceptance. Have fun with your golf game, whatever level it is.
Remember that golf is a game for a lifetime. Enjoy your time on the course this season. I’ll see you out on the green!
A former PGA Tour pro and member of the local Golf Hall of Fame, Doug Weaver is the Director of Instruction at the Palmetto Dunes Golf Academy. He conducts “Where Does the Power Come From?,” a free clinic and demonstration, every Monday at 4 p.m. 843-785-1138, 800-827-3006 or www.palmettodunes.com.