Prepare Like Crazy

“The will to succeed is important, but what’s even more important is the will to prepare.”—Bobby Knight You’ve made the decision to play. Perhaps it’s the first time ever, or perhaps it’s the seventh time this week—and it’s only Thursday morning. Either way, good for you! Here’s something you need to know. Preparing to play golf is almost always more important to the ultimate success of each experience than actually playing golf. The good news is it’s also the easiest to manage. Every golf experience starts long before you arrival at the course. The quality of your preparation can ultimately determine the success or failure of the round, regardless of your score. Most common mistakes are easily preventable—such as not paying attention to a weather report, forgetting to bring a few bucks in cash for tips and wagering, or neglecting to call in advance to clarify club policy or to be sure the course is even open. As a golf pro, I’ve faced guest who have showed up in jeans and T-shirts, then argued with me when I asked them to change into something more appropriate. I’ve dealt with groups that arrived twenty minutes late for their tee time, yet still demanded to play immediately. Some golfers forget to bring their shoes or an umbrella, a mild inconvenience. Others forget their clubs altogether, a significantly greater problem. There’s a lot that can, and regularly does, go wrong. I truly believe most golfers want to do the right thing. The problem is that many times we just don’t know the difference between right and wrong, especially in a new environment. Unfortunately, this brand of ignorance can easily lead to embarrassment at the golf course. So many parts make up the sum of each golf experience, and only a few are within your control. Consider how much influence—or lack thereof—you have over some of golf’s essential elements: weather, rules, regulations, restrictions of the facility, condition of the golf course, who you’ll play with, their ability, their behavior, appropriateness of your attire per club policy, your expectations, your golf swing, amount of money you’ve agreed to wager, your attitude when you’re playing well, your attitude when you aren’t, capacity of your bladder, and the time and effort devoted to preparation. You only chance is to prepare like crazy for those things you can control, which includes WHO you’ll play with, WHERE you’ll play, and usually—most important of all,—WHY. If confidence at the golf course comes from comfort, what creates comfort? I believe it starts when you can convince those around you that you’ve been there previously. In the absence of experience, demonstrating poise in all situation comes from preparedness. Most of the decisions that ultimately influence the outcome of every golf experience are known prior to the round—or at a minimum, they can be reasonably predicted. The key is to find out as much as possible in advance and control the factors you can. Preparing like a pro requires effort, but ultimately it’s worth it when you find yourself sharing a memorable golf experience.