Play to Your Own Level of Skill
There is no doubt that Tiger Woods is the best player to ever pick up a golf club. He has dominated the game at every level. First the juniors, then the amateurs, and now the world.
On the other hand, look at Michelle Wie. She has been trying to play with the men since she was 14 years old. She was not allowed to dominate her peers at the various levels like Tiger. Instead, getting in the game became the win. Now she is in the big leagues and has no idea how to win a golf tournament.
Tiger will continue to win golf tournaments because he has always won them. At every level and in every stage of his golfing life. He dominated because he played the proper competition for his level of development. Because of his natural talents and hard work, he has never had to learn how to lose.
You can apply that to your own golf situation and learn some important lessons. For example, if you can only hit your driver in the fairway 10% of the time, don't use it on the course. Take out your 3 metal and you will probably hit the fairway 50% of the time.
In sticking with our comparison, the Michelle Wie approach would be to continue pounding drivers off of every tee until she learns to hit the fairway with it. The Tiger approach would be to drop back a level until you can dominate it.
What about approach shots? If you can hit a green 1 time out of 10 with a wedge, 4 of 10 with a 9 iron, or 6 of 10 with an 8 iron, which is the proper choice?
Chipping, putting, and every other shot offers similar choices. Can you really hit that Tiger flop shop? Do you stand a better chance of three putting or making it if you putt aggressively? If you are good with a wedge form 80 yards, do you benefit from hitting it to 60 yards futher on a layup?
As you start the new golf season, play the game to your own level. Do you have the guts to hit a 7 iron instead of a 9? Can you stand on the tee of that shortish Par 5 with a hybrid and play for the par? Do you have what it takes to lay up short of the trouble when there is a doubt about clearing it?
Playing to your own skill level is the quickest and best way to save shots tee to green and with the short game as well. Try the easier shots that offer the best chance of making a good score. For some that is par, others bogey.
Only you know what your skill level is. The more you stay within it, the faster your skill will increase and your scores decrease.
