By Fred Altvater
Whenever Ben Hogan was asked about the “secret” for his consistency on the golf course, he would answer,
“I dug it out of the dirt.”
That is golf-speak referring to the countless hours he spent on the driving range honing the perfect swing. Even more importantly, however, that practice built a swing that he could replicate with the upmost confidence coming down the stretch of a major championship.
Yes, Hogan had a few basic swing principles that he developed over the years, but it wasn’t one specific secret. The arduous practice sessions made him confident, that even under the most extreme pressure, he could hit any shot he needed.
Any great musician, athlete or public speaker will tell you they were born with a modicum of God-given talent, but long hours of arduous practice were required to perfect their craft.
If you are thinking about ways to become more fit for 2018, how about improving your golf fitness by taking a few lessons to learn the proper swing thoughts and mechanics. Then set an appointment with yourself every week for practice sessions.
In the north you can dial up the practice range on a golf simulator at one of the many retail locations and dial in your carry and distance numbers with each club. You can also work on your spin rate, launch angle and ball speed, which will add distance and accuracy to your golf swing.
If you made a resolution to improve your fitness this year, how about adding golf fitness to that list?
Practice makes you more confident, when you step onto the first tee next spring.
Hogan’s “Secret” is buried with him, but if you listened close enough to what he said throughout his career, his practice regimen gave him total confidence in his overall game.
Take a lesson from Ben Hogan, improve your golf fitness and become more confident on the golf course through practice.
