We’ve all heard this saying in our golfing adventure, but what does it mean?

One of the most common mistake in amateur golf is that people just play a golf shot, hoping that they will reach the green or chip it close without looking at what type of shot is required to hit the green or up and down to save par.

St Francis could be a windy town, which in most cases is a great test for golfers. External factors such a wind, rain and the of lie of your ball has a massive influence on the outcome of shot you choose to hit in the end.
Here are a few things to keep in mind next time you play a tricky shot…
1. Direction of wind, predominantly into you or behind you. The wind will influence the distance the ball travels. It also increase or decrease the amount of spin you create on the ball.
2. Slope of the green (left, right, uphill or downhill). This plays a major part to people missing greens, not being aware in which direction the ball will role to.
3. The type of lie is dependent to where the ball ends up (fairway, rough, bunker etc). If you have a shot, and the surface beneath the ball is wet or muddy you need to adjust the shot you have in mind in order to ensure you don’t hit a poor shot leading to a poor score. Same goes with a harder surface.

All these small things, has a big impact on the decisions we make. It indirectly affects the shot we choose to play. If you get a chance read Dr Bob Rotella’s book do it, it will give you an advantage.

Brenden Pieters
Pending Graduate PGA Professional