The Golf Principle

You and I have some natural ability to play golf and so does just about anyone who decides to play golf. Of course we are all different in our ways, our lives and our outlooks.

And it's the reason why you'll see so many different levels of ability, different styles and different approaches to the game.

But despite all the differences, one thing is the same regardless of your golf ability, the most asked question in golf:

How do I improve my game? Or how can I become a better player?

Easy to ask but impossible to answer…

Until now

The reason golf seems complicated and difficult to nearly everyone who plays the game is much simpler than most people will believe.

We have made it complicated and difficult, and we don't need to.

In learning any skill, art or science the most critical two things to learn are the Principle and secondly the Method.

In mathematics all shapes are made in accordance with the principles of geometry, in aircraft design, all aircraft obey the principles of flight; in art all colours come from the 3 primary colours.

A principle is so important, it's all important. Why? Because it is true and consistent in all cases, other statements may come from it, but the principle will always be true.

A classic example used in philosophy is "All men are mortal; Socrates is a man; Socrates is mortal" the last statement that Socrates is mortal must be true because of the first two statements.

How about this statement "The purpose of golf is to get the ball in the hole in the fewest shots, Paul plays golf, Paul's purpose is to get the ball in the hole in the fewest shots"

Pretty straight forward, pretty simple.

Notice it doesn't say Paul's purpose is to hit the ball 300 yards or Paul's purpose is to buy new equipment every time something new is marketed, and it doesn't say Paul's purpose is to have a picture perfect, highly technical golf swing.

We all know players who have all the gear, spend hours talking techniques and obsess over distance off the tee. But are they shooting the lowest scores? No usually, they have failed to understand the principle of golf and the methods needed to fulfill the principle.

Do you know any players who seem to shoot low in spite of older equipment, not being technical about every aspect of the game, or not being prodigiously long? Of course you do, we all have seen players like this, and here's why…

They understand the principle of golf and have mastered the methods needed to play and they honour that principle.

To make this work for you start saying to yourself over and over

"The purpose of golf is to get the ball in the hole in the fewest shots"

When you are working on your methods, putting, chipping, sand play, pitching, Irons and woods make sure you constantly remind yourself about the purpose of golf.

This way you can see what works and what doesn't.

And what works is whatever gets the ball in the hole.

No longer will you be concerned about things that don't matter - you'll be focused only on things that'll make a difference.

Remember the First Principle of Golf is "to get the ball in the hole in the fewest shots"

If anything you do, say or think obeys that principle then it's true, if it doesn't then it is false and must be rejected.