I had been working with an LPGA professional (I'll call her Kay which is not her real name) for a few years. She hit me one day in a lesson with a psychological problem that was bugging her. But before I get into that, let's look at how she got to me and what we worked on for starters.
When she came to me she had missed something like twelve straight cuts and was in deep trouble of loosing her card. A friend recognized that she was making the rounds, taking lessons from numerous pros, and her game was heading in the wrong direction. He told Kay that her original swing was somewhat along the lines of what I taught (short vertical backswing). He suggested that maybe it would be good to work with me with what would be more like her old swing, the one that had made her a collegiate All-American.
I saw her the first time between tournaments. She flew in and spent 2 hours with me on a Tuesday and 1 hour the next day. All I did was to explain the physics and physiology and how they applied to making the limited turn ¾ vertical backswing to the T ' Finish of the PPGS. Together with some setup changes, primarily giving her the wide knees with outward pressure (the PPGS setup trademark) to help limit the backswing turn, her swing was now short, compact and powerful. Kay was on her way.
She then flew off to the next LPGA event and made the cut, her first in over 3 months. She played well the rest of that year and kept her card. I saw her every month or two and we worked a few times in the off season. The next year she moved up to around 50 on the money list, got invited to a few high profile invitation-only events and the following year cracked the top 20 for a while.
One time during a lesson Kay said that she was having a problem dealing with players that could outdrive her. This really threw me for a loop as she was always listed in the top 10 or 15 of the longest hitters on the LPGA. Kay admitted that when she was paired with these few longer bombers, she felt intimidated and wondered if I had any advice, ideas and suggestions on how to handle this.
I told her I had plenty of experience being out driven and hitting first to the green. I was sure I could give her an outlook that will change her perspective and attitude and make her more confident and competitive when out driven. I said that it is obvious she was looking at shorter off the tee as either being inferior and or a disadvantage. She needed to turn that around and into being an advantage.
I began the answer with a comment and a few questions. With the PPGS, her stats for hitting fairways and greens in regulation were much improved. 'Do you think or know that these longer ladies know that?' I got a resounding yes. 'So they know you are straighter and more accurate than them?' Yes, she said again. 'Can you think of any way that would work to you advantage?' NO, she replied. 'Well yes it can and here is how.
'When you play with them you know that they know you are straighter and more accurate when it comes to driving and hitting greens. In the heat of the game who has the advantage? YOU! Why? Because they know hitting the fairway is a big advantage for hitting the green. You are better at both, beginning with the fact you hit more fairways. Now let's ratchet the pressure up even more.
'You have the honor for the tee and fire one long and straight right down the middle. 'Longer Lady' now steps up to the tee and when she looks down the fairway what does she see besides the woods, rough traps and other hazards?' I got a blank stare so I answered it for her. 'Your ball sitting in the middle of the fairway, safe and sound.' I asked, 'Now who has the most pressure?' I got a quick answer. It was the 'Longer Lady.'
'Now, let's take it another step further. Even if 'Longer Lady' hits the fairway and out drives you, who hits first on the next shot to the green?' She replied, 'I do as I am away.' I think I was making my point. 'You hit the green and your ball is sitting up there all clear and dandy, in plain sight. When 'Longer Lady' is standing over her ball and looks at the green what does she see?' This time I got an immediate answer. 'My ball sitting up on the green.' 'And who has more pressure?' 'She does.' 'You bet she does,' I came back.
'Add up all those more pressure shots from the first hole for the entire round. And multiply that pressure for the final round of the tournament. Advantage you in a big way. You know it and she knows it. Straight is great! And just like putting, first on and first in wins!
'Golf is just like life. You have to turn lemons into lemonade. You have to turn perceived disadvantages into advantages, even if it is only in your mind. And in the end, having that advantage in your mind is the most important, because that mind controls your thoughts and performance. Anything getting into your opponent's mind giving you the advantage is only upping the odds even more in your favor.'
Kay left with a whole new perspective and new found attitude and confidence for when she was shorter off the tee. STRAIGHT IS GREAT! I HIT FIRST!
The Surge!