The Four Foundations of Golf: How to Build a Game That Lasts a Lifetime

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This book was well marketed on social media so I had been anticipating its arrival for some time. On the whole, I found the book to be very good, if somewhat unsatisfying as a better player. Additionally, most of the topics covered that would be fresh for some readers were previously covered (and in greater detail) by Adam Young’s The Practice Manual. Unsurprisingly, as co-hosts of an excellent podcast together titled The Sweet Spot, their philosophies to golf improvement and practice are quite similar. I preferred Young’s book, even though the writing in Sherman’s is more articulate and better organized. Definitely worth a skim to the parts that may interest you. Chapter 15 of the book is titled “Golf Is A Game Of Proximity.” Jon discusses what this truth means for golfers.

The Four Foundations of Golf Review: The Four Foundations of Golf

These themes are familiar to long-time readers of this newsletter. I won’t rehash the importance of each since I’ve written multiple pieces on each subject ( see at the bottom of this post ). The key to building lasting habits is focusing on creating a new identity first. Your current behaviors are simply a reflection of your current identity. What you do now is a mirror image of the type of person you believe that you are (either consciously or subconsciously).Not started applying loads of this yet but even just reflecting on the chapter about grit really helped me after a couple of tough/disappointing sessions at the range. One week later, I hit the ball as well as I ever have. To change your behavior for good, you need to start believing new things about yourself. You need to build identity-based habits. Understand how scoring truly occurs and use modern data analytics to lower your handicap efficiently

The Four Foundations of Golf - The 2nd Cut Book Review: The Four Foundations of Golf - The 2nd Cut

Whether you are a complete beginner or an advanced player, The Four Foundations of Golf will give you the blueprint to build a stronger, longer-lasting game. This is not your typical, fluffy golf guide that leaves all the important details out. Since 2015, Practical Golf has been one of the top online game-improvement resources for golfers. Jon Sherman has written hundreds of articles, sharing his perspective as a player-coach. You can finally get all of the methods he's used to become a scratch golfer and coach other golfers in one complete guide. Every golfer wants to know the secrets to golf. But they are always looking in the wrong places. There are four foundations to building a successful game—expectation management, strategy, practice, and a sharp mental game. In each of these sections, you will receive tangible and actionable advice. Finally, you will no longer have to feel like you are lost and alone in your golf game. I hope you can start building more consistent and positive habits on the golf course. In concept, this all sounds very simple. But to this day, despite what I consider a very high grit level, there are still rounds where I have to struggle to stay engaged. And I believe on those days, it’s where you have your best chance to grow your grit and solidify these habits. This is no different than someone trying to establish a fitness routine – the moments you feel tired and lazy are the actual test. Then I spent hours of meaningful practice to settle on a wedge technique that I could feel comfortable with. Slowly, I became more and more comfortable with these shots while I played. But there were still plenty of times where I chunked a shot, or worse, the dreaded shank! But because I was so determined to solve the problem, I felt confident I could overcome these adverse outcomes. Unfortunately, we can’t have it both ways. You can’t become the golfer at the top of your mountain (which is different for each player) without climbing through some mud at the bottom. So what is grit on the golf course? For me, it’s a straightforward definition. It’s a commitment to yourself that you will not give up and stay mentally engaged no matter what happens. And this is another moment where you have to choose your adventure. For some, this level of commitment might not make sense or isn’t fun. And I have to stress that it’s not an all-or-nothing proposition; there is no perfection with grit.

However, golf might not be as serious as an endeavor for you. Or you might not even have many opportunities to play. I’ll let you make the ultimate decision, but grit might not be relevant or necessary for some. That’s the beauty of golf – there is no right or wrong in your approach. Exploring Grit The chapters around managing expectations were particularly helpful to me, using Strokes Gained understanding. For example, knowing you are almost always better off getting closer to the hole, as long as you avoid hazards (water, bunkers, deep rough) or out OOB. That alone had me working my driver and long irons more deliberately. How to practice efficiently. Get detailed, step-by-step instructions on methods that will increase your skills and finally transfer your practice range game to the course In a way, I was shifting my mindset and identity. While I still have to work on these shots to maintain my skill, I believe I am an excellent intermediate wedge player. One of my favorite authors, James Clear, describes these as identity-based habits.

The Four Foundations of Golf: How to Build a Game That Lasts The Four Foundations of Golf: How to Build a Game That Lasts

Are you struggling to take your golf game to the next level? Learn the philosophy that has helped thousands of players worldwide lower their scores and improve their relationship with golf. A great book for a beginner to golf. I read a couple of chapters when I went to the golfing range or played a round. Spreading out the reading and applying some of the ideas helped a lot! Golf is a very peculiar but addicting game compared to other leisurely pursuits. Let’s face it; our tribe is a little crazy to chase a small white ball around a large field. It’s hard to explain precisely why golf can be so addicting. A lot of it has to do with how challenging the game is and how good it feels to have those moments where we think we figured it out. But with those incredible highs comes a lot of lows. And I believe those lows are why many players quit the game or find themselves in perpetual limbo. I was utterly terrified of intermediate wedge shots for years and would do anything to avoid leaving myself 30-80 yards from the hole. Eventually, I realized this was impossible to do, and to get better, I had to conquer the problem head-on. So I poured over Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible. I highlighted, took notes, and made a genuine effort to absorb the information. When you’re looking to solve a problem in your golf game, having grit and the proper habits is usually a winning combination. I recommend the book Atomic Habits to just about everyone who follows Practical Golf.While I’m no master of grit, my experience has shown me its value over the years. Some parts of the game came easier to me at times than others. But eventually, I hit a lot of frustrating walls.