Performance Metrics 3:

Prepping for a Golf Tournament

Let’s say that you want to improve your golf game. You want to shoot lower scores and you want to know what to work on in you practice sessions in order to do that. Here are my questions for you:

• How would you go about structuring your practice sessions so that you are working as efficiently and effectively as possible?
• What parts of your game would you address first?
• How would you prioritize your time and activities during practice?
• How could you be sure you are working on the single most important issue that will have the biggest impact on your score?
• How would you know you are successful or that you are making progress?

Establishing a Baseline Performance Level

Here’s my short answer: You need a baseline. I made a quick video for you on how I prepared for the tournament and how I’m going to establish my own baseline, as well as a few additional goals.

A baseline is simply a starting point. Something against which you can measure future performance. With a baseline you can set goals and track your progress. But you need the right kind of data in your baseline to reach your goals more quickly and easily.

For example, a handicap or average score is a simple baseline. Let’s say your current index is 15. That’s a baseline performance indicator. If you want to get to 12, you have a baseline and a goal.

But this kind of baseline isn’t specific enough to help you focus your efforts in the areas that will provide the biggest payoff. It’s like saying you want to fix your house. It’s a good goal, but it doesn’t really tell you where to start because you can’t “fix” a house. You can only fix specific parts of your house. You pick a project, fix it, then move on to the next one. When the projects are done, your house is fixed.

Your golf game is the same. You can’t fix a golf game. You can only address parts of it. Pick a swing issue or a new skill to learn, master it, then move on to the next one.

Using My Own Golf Game Analysis As An Example

Here’s the scoop. I think the best way to help you learn how to analyze and improve your own game is to see a real life example. So I’m going to do an analysis of my own game to show you how I go about deciding what to prioritize and what to work on.

I’ve been practicing the last month and making a swing changes. I’m at the point now where I need to know for myself what the priorities are, and the only way to do that is to go establish my baseline by playing. So I’m playing in a local professional event tomorrow, and I’ll be taking you with me.

I’ll keep my score and show you what happens. I’ll also show you how I use my ScoreTracker program to keep my stats and give me insights.

So I invite you to come along with me for the ride. My plan is to play, track the results, analyze the stats, then prioritize my practice activities. Then I’ll practice and track my progress there as well. It should be fun, and it will definitely be something different than mere swing instruction.

Share Your Thoughts

I would love to hear your comments and feedback as we go through this process. It will take a few months at least, so it will be another journey. Please leave me a message in the comment box below. I read every one of them and respond to as many as I can.