It’s always a good time to reflect on your game. How are you going? What are you happy with? What are your plans moving forward? What do you want to improve?

There is a saying that PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players agree should never come out of your mouth.

The saying: “I’ve got it now.”

Why? Because anyone who plays golf knows you never really have it. It is fleeting. It comes and goes. Once you think you have it, you lose it. Unless you know what it is.

Can you really find it and never lose it? I believe you can. It can be your business, your sport, or possibly even your life. The “it” box contains three items that represent the necessary steps.

If you follow my three-step process below, I guarantee you will be able to change your outcomes.

The Nail

The nail signifies pain. Most of us will not do anything about something that is bothering us until it hurts badly enough. You put off losing weight until you have a health issue. You don’t take a golf lesson until you have the shanks. You don’t speak to your child about their possible drug use until they are rushed to the hospital. You don’t make plans to pay off your debt until bankruptcy is the only option.

I don’t want to get too negative here, but I want to make sure you understand. You have the freedom to make choices that can change your life. I am here to tell you change is possible and you can play better.

Start with identifying what hurt you this year. What wasn’t good?

Did you choke? Try too hard? Hit it out of bounds?

If so, when does the bad shot show up? Is it during a fun round with friends or during a tournament?

Some people hit bad shots because they don’t pay attention to what their intentions are. Others miss because they don’t plan. Some miss because they have not committed to the shot they have chosen. Others miss shots because they are afraid. Doubt, apprehension, and fear will kill you every time.

Try to pin it down. Act like a private investigator so you can identify the situations where it shows up. If you do, you can do something about it.

The Mirror

Once you know what you want to fix, you need to look in the mirror. Define what upsets you the most. What can you not live with? Do you have the courage to look in the mirror? Are you willing to see your weaknesses? That is the only way to really improve.

Do you need to stop topping it, chunking your chips, slicing your driver? How much do you really want to fix this? Even though the weather is changing, we are lucky to have indoor facilities where we can work on our games all winter. In fact, that is the best time to improve.

In the game of golf, you are your only inventory. All tour players know this. They are open and honest about who they are, their strengths, weaknesses and their tendencies.

Do you know how you learn? Do you want to see it, feel it or hear it?

Do you know your personal behavior style? Many people are required to take a personality profile assessment at work. I have created a DISC Golf Assessment Report that I use with my golf students and corporate training customers. This can help you play within your own style.

People play golf the way they live their life. If you are a “High D” style (competitive, control freak, driven), you tend to take risks. You might make rash decisions about a shot before weighing all the odds. This could be the cause of your pain. “High I” styles tend to not pay attention to details. They might not get the yardage to carry the water and dunk it right in.

If you can learn who you are and what your tendencies might be, you could stop making these mistakes. If you are interested in finding out what you are, go here!

The Seed

Once you identify the issue and decide you want to invest the time to improve, you need to plant the seed. Do something about it.

Create a plan. How many days per week will you work on this? Will you take golf lessons? If so, how will you choose who you want to work with? Do they have a winter program that you can purchase? Will you stay with the program until the end? We have created the Own Your Game Academy, which runs all winter and is a comprehensive player development program.

I know that you can change your game and really own it. I know how frustrating this game can be. I dare you to plant the seed and start working on it

Cindy

Originally published in the Buffalo News. Reproduced with permission.