You Can Enjoy Golf Even More in Retirement, Dr. Oscar John Ma Says
Dr. Oscar John Ma shares his thoughts on three ways to enjoy golf more as you professional schedule leaves more time for recreation.
Improve Your Putting
Nothing will improve your score with less effort than improving your putting, Dr. Oscar John Ma says. He suggests five ways to do it:
- Read the green. Look for the curve and slope on the surface of the green. This will empower you to see the best approach. First look for the general slope of the green and then devote more attention to the space between your ball and the hole.
- Visualize your putt. Trace the path from your ball to your hole with your eyes. Establish muscle memory of the path. Repeat this several times to imprint the line and speed on your mind, and then take your putting stroke.
- Remember the pendulum putt. Think of your two arms reaching down to the club as a pendulum. Move your shoulders and arms as a single unit as you take your stroke.
- Keep wrists straight. Keeping your wrists straight is part of the pendulum stroke. Don’t let your wrists snap. Weakness in the wrists makes it very challenging to judge the speed of your putt with the result of unpredictable distance.
- Practice your chipping. The closer you chip to the hole, the easier it will be to sink the putt.
Improve Your Attitude
Who hasn’t had a moment of ill temper on the golf course?
One moment you hit the greatest shot ever and the next you are in the sand trap. Utterances you would never use in professional settings ensue. But the truth is, keeping an even temperament on the golf course comes naturally, if you let it.
The remedy for challenges to your emotional equilibrium on the course isn’t to chant the mantra “It’s just a game, it’s just a game.” It isn’t to practice deep breathing exercises.
Enjoyment of your golf game does not derive from your conscious ability to filter out distractions or from your practice of positive thinking.
Instead, enjoying golf more comes from playing more golf. When you are on the course as often as you like, the importance of any single swing diminishes. You can always play better tomorrow.
And Develop a Philosophy of Golf, Dr. Oscar John Ma Advises
Most golfers learn that the harder you try, the harder your game gets. If you take a swing with uncontrolled power, Dr. Ma opines, you are almost certain to whiff the ball.
Nobody ever gets 18 holes-in-one in a single game. It’s important to remember that it is the challenge of golf that keeps it interesting. The constant opportunities for improving your game are what should draw you back to the course again and again.
There will always be better golfers than you. Sure, some of them will be pros, but you will enjoy the game more if you just compare your score to your last game. The individual you need to beat is yourself.