Instruction
What can golfers learn from the best players in the world?
Christmas time is when many of my students reflect upon the last year and start setting new goals for 2016. Common goals are “winning the club championship” or “finally breaking 80,” and they can be described as outcomes. What I often fail to see from golfers who are setting such goals, however, is a plan of exactly how those outcomes are going to be achieved.
It’s this type of planning in which the best golfers in the world are particularly skilled, and what I call “the art of goal setting” is one of the major things golfers can learn from top professional players.
To help you set better golf goals, let’s start by understanding what the three basic types of goals are:
- Outcome goals refer to the desired end result and can help motivate athletes (winning a competition, being selected for a team, etc.). Individuals are often not in control of outcome goals, however, as they cannot control what other players in the field will shoot.
- Performance goals specify a particular standard that wants to be achieved (score, amount of fairways hit, etc.) Individuals have very a high level of control of over these goals and hitting performance goals can result in high amounts of satisfaction even when individuals don’t win.
- Process goals, which the individual again has full control over, deal with the technique or strategy required to perform well (maintaining control over the club face, using a consistent pre-shot routine, etc).
I like to use the equation below to illustrate this fact: for golfers to achieve an outcome, they must have a process and a performance.
Getting into the zone
How many of you have come to the final holes of a good round and started thinking about beating your friends, winning the event or how much the score will improve your handicap? With this in mind, golfers often finish poorly, win no trophies and keep the same handicap. This is unfortunately a common theme among club golfers, and herein lies the problem.
At that point of approaching the final holes, the focus changed to an outcome thought. Naturally, the thought of winning will increase anxiety — often to beyond optimal levels (it’s good to be a little bit nervous). Furthermore, these outcome thoughts often divert individuals away from their ever-important process and performance goals.
You may have heard of the phrase “being in the zone,” and it simply means that a golfer was so deeply engaged in his or her own process (this may involve pre-shot routines and focusing on one shot at a time) that he or she was completely distracted from the outcome of the shot at hand — until the last putt was holed and the emotion finally came out.
Remember Jason Day’s performance at the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, where he won his first major championship over Jordan Spieth?
The emotion flowed out of Jason Day on the 18th green after he won the 2015 PGA Championship.
The important thing to learn about the zone is that Jason Day and others who have been in his position did not focus on the things they could not control — the outcome. Instead, they were focused on only the things they could control — the process. This engagement in a deep process is a great way to distract players from the outcome thoughts that can promote excessive nerves and poor execution.
Of course, even the best golfers aren’t perfect. They do sometimes fall into the trap of thinking about outcomes on Tour, but the successful ones are skilled at returning to their process and performance goals so they can play their best.
Is it really that easy?
So, with your process and performance goals set in place, you are sure to reach your (outcome) goals next season? Absolutely not, and unfortunately no matter how pretty your plan is, there is nothing like some good old fashioned hard work and determination. In fact, without it, you might as well call your goals wishes. One the flip side, correctly setting your goals will at least allow you to monitor progress and make more effective decisions about your game.
Summary of Key Points
I hope this article has given you good insight into the art of goal setting, while also providing some examples of strategies that the best players in the world are using.
A review of the important key points:
- Outcome goals are great for helping create long-term motivation, however, outcomes cannot always be controlled by the individual.
- Focus more on what you can control (process and performance goals) for the best results.
- Do not get blinded by only the outcome. Remember process + performance = outcome.
- Setting and reaching performance goals is a great way to enhance satisfaction when winning is not achieved.
- Engaging in a deep process is a great way to control levels of anxiety.
- Above all, hard work and determination rule.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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Michael
Jan 25, 2018 at 1:49 pm
Love it
golfraven
Dec 14, 2015 at 9:48 am
Golf can be easy if you started playing as a kid and put 10k hours and more in your early years. Once you pass 30 its too late to be consistent (sub par) scratch player unless you have enough $, a personal swing coach and Tracman. So in essence the average Joe will suck at golf!!!
Phil
Dec 16, 2015 at 2:25 am
Golfraven that is such a defeatist attitude and inaccurate. Yes it helps if you learnt as a kid because you tend to have a more free and natural swing rather than try and develop one later in life. The fact is you don’t need $$$ and you don’t need trackman and while a coach helps they can only teach you the tolls but you have to use them. I started when I was 14 hitting balls in a field with clubs that were too big. I didn’t have $$ or technology or a coach and did pretty well eventually shooting consistiently around 2-7 over par. It was all about wanting to achieve someting, being competitive, determined and putting in the work. Over the last 15-20 years I have had at least 2 periods where I didn’t play for 3 years and beyond that averaged 1 game every 2 months thereafter. This year I joined a club again, practised more (even putting at home and chipping in the garden made a huge difference) and played more. I got better but not at the level I was. I had my first pro lessons (4 of them) which helped me regain better form and adjust my swing and now i play and practise more I am getting to a similar level as when I was younger. I reckon I can be better than that but don’t use trackman, or spend tons of $$$ and my coach is there when I want him not every week.
Of course you need some ability too and that coupled with practise is what improves the player
Dosh
Dec 14, 2015 at 3:39 am
that you need lots of money and free time to pay for golf and practice to get any good
Mbwa Kali Sana
Dec 12, 2015 at 3:11 pm
You play YOUR best when you pay nô attention to the score .Play shot by shot .Stay In the moment .Don’t add up YOUR scores until the game is over ,Don’t follow your score compared to par.
Above all ,have fun when you play ,laugh when You miss a shot ,And pat yourself in the back when you have pulled a good shot ,Remember golf is a game And That you are not struggling for YOUR Life!
alexdub
Dec 10, 2015 at 1:14 pm
This is a good way to approach improvement. I sometimes fall into the trap when playing a round where I say, I need to shoot 74. If I shoot 74, I’ll be happy. After a double, the motivation leaves, and I’ll end up shooting 88.For me, I think this is where I focus too much on the outcome.
Conversely, when find the sweet spot and I’m only thinking about the process of each shot, I’ll manage to hit my score target without realizing it. Has anyone else had the experience of playing in-the-moment and counting up your score at the end of the round and thinking, “Hmm, I didn’t think I went that low.”?
mhendon
Dec 10, 2015 at 8:07 pm
Oh yeah I’ve done that many times. There have been several times in the past when my buddy and I decided to play a second 18. Frequently I would go into the second round not taking it to seriously and then go back through the round in my head at the end and realize I had shot just 1 or 2 over. One of my most painful stories of how the moment can get to you is a round from several years ago. I was going into the 18th a par five at my home course 3 under thinking I had a good chance to shoot my lowest score ever. I ended of quadruple bogeying it. The frustrating part is I went into that some hole the week before and the week after and eagled it both times!