A grandfather of a friend of mine played 18 holes three times a week. He was a scratch golfer most of his adult life and was now always shooting UNDER his age. At the time, he was 89. He enjoyed playing golf with his son-in-law (a 10) and his granddaughters' husbands (a 12 and a 15). He only had two complaints about his game. He really didn't like playing from the white tees. He said it made him look old. And he hated that age had made him lose distance (average drive 200 – 210), what with the arthritis and the hip replacement.
His complaints fell on deaf ears. He was almost always up in regulation and felt anything beyond two puts was sinful. The “boys” were always trying to play catch up with him as he drove straight down the fairway and shaped perfect shots to the green. He said he always chose direction over distance. “Plain crazy,” he'd say as the ball of one of the grandsons-in-law went 260 yards, the last 20 of those yards into the trees and OB
I bring up this story because of the exceptional response I received about distance versus direction. The following is my reply to Frank, who liked to hit it 250 but wasn't sure where it would end up.
Frank: Sacrificing distance for direction sounds good to me. Many times it is amazing how far we can hit it swinging smoothly and well within our power and strength. Hitting it solid and straighter many times is really longer as compared to crooked and in the rough or woods.
I preach the best way to play is hitting 'Fairways and Greens.' Driving a golf ball is like driving a car'¦pedal to the medal and you will likely get speeding tickets or have trouble keeping the wheels on the pavement and end up in the woods'¦like a golf ball swung at too hard with an out of control swing.
Think accuracy'¦be a DO Booper'¦all you want to do is bop it down the middle and then on the green. Distance is good, but only with control. Finding the happy medium is the key top keeping your wheels on the pavement and your golf ball in the short grass.
The Surge!
P.S. For the right direction, click here.