Practice to be Great

[Tonyc]

I find that repetition is the mother of skill (Tony Robbins) . As was said, practice til you cant get it wrong. Another phrase I live by is there are two types of shooters in this world. Those who think they can and those who think they cant...and their both right. Practicing the right way to shoot is very important. Practicing til your confident and til you can trust your shot, under pressure, in a big game is the goal You need to have the proper fundementals that apply to your shot. Your attitude must be give me the ball and I will make the shot under the most critical moments in a game. That means you need to be tweaked and work on it as long as it takes to make it reflexive without thinking about it. When you start thinkin is when you start stinkin.

Like any sport you have to make a total commitment. That means give up what youve been doin and do what you should be doin. You must be committed to it . You must be coachable and be wilingl to change. For many people trying to make a change find its not happening fast enough so they go back to their comfort zone. Thats a killer. You must stick with it.

I am a avid golfer. I have worked for many golf professionals some of which played on the big tour. Ive learned alot from them. I remember working for a former tour player who got off the tour after 10 years. He asked me what I wanted to be in golf. I was just out of the Army. I said I want to play the tour. He laughed and said ..do you know what it takes? He continued you have to hit 300-500 balls a day, play 18 holes and if you dont break par play another 18 holes and putt til dark every day rain or sunshine and after 4 years you might make it. I found that true as many of the tour players would stop by and take lessons from him during the Westchester Classic. Guys like Johnny Miller JC Snead Chi Chi Dave Stockton a rookie by the name of Fuzzy Zoller Lou Graham right after he won the US Open and a few more. They hit balls all day and practiced all day. Thats something I live by today.

So for someone like Paige and Azzi and we hear about them and I watched Diana at practice it just never changes. They love to practice for long periods of time. Thats what it takes if you wanna be somebody. If you want to be special one of the greats you must make a total commitment, pay a huge price in advance with no guarantees. If you wanna be average and ordinary keep doin what your doin. All it takes is a dream to do something special in your life.

 

[JellyBean]

Great post, Tonyc

 

[MD#12Fan]

I find that repetition is the mother of skill (Tony Robbins) . As was said, practice til you cant get it wrong. Another phrase I live by is there are two types of shooters in this world. Those who think they can and those who think they cant...and their both right. Practicing the right way to shoot is very important. Practicing til your confident and til you can trust your shot, under pressure, in a big game is the goal You need to have the proper fundementals that apply to your shot. Your attitude must be give me the ball and I will make the shot under the most critical moments in a game. That means you need to be tweaked and work on it as long as it takes to make it reflexive without thinking about it. When you start thinkin is when you start stinkin.

Like any sport you have to make a total commitment. That means give up what youve been doin and do what you should be doin. You must be committed to it . You must be coachable and be wilingl to change. For many people trying to make a change find its not happening fast enough so they go back to their comfort zone. Thats a killer. You must stick with it.

I am a avid golfer. I have worked for many golf professionals some of which played on the big tour. Ive learned alot from them. I remember working for a former tour player who got off the tour after 10 years. He asked me what I wanted to be in golf. I was just out of the Army. I said I want to play the tour. He laughed and said ..do you know what it takes? He continued you have to hit 300-500 balls a day, play 18 holes and if you dont break par play another 18 holes and putt til dark every day rain or sunshine and after 4 years you might make it. I found that true as many of the tour players would stop by and take lessons from him during the Westchester Classic. Guys like Johnny Miller JC Snead Chi Chi Dave Stockton a rookie by the name of Fuzzy Zoller Lou Graham right after he won the US Open and a few more. They hit balls all day and practiced all day. Thats something I live by today.

So for someone like Paige and Azzi and we hear about them and I watched Diana at practice it just never changes. They love to practice for long periods of time. Thats what it takes if you wanna be somebody. If you want to be special one of the greats you must make a total commitment, pay a huge price in advance with no guarantees. If you wanna be average and ordinary keep doin what your doin. All it takes is a dream to do something special in your life.

I believe in it too!
Have you read the chapter, 10,000 hours from Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers? Great read.
I learned about how the Beatles honed their skills in dive bars in Germany.
There's actually a debate in the world about this concept now. I just googled it. I don't care, I believe in practice. Nothing like standing over that crucial 100 yard wedge shot, feeling in your body and hands and mind that a bad shot here is gunna yield a 25 foot putt. Worst case. Like AI said, "Practice, we're talking about practice..." Yep, we are

 

[Tonyc]

I believe in it too!
Have you read the chapter, 10,000 hours from Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers? Great read.
I learned about how the Beatles honed their skills in dive bars in Germany.
There's actually a debate in the world about this concept now. I just googled it. I don't care, I believe in practice. Nothing like standing over that crucial 100 yard wedge shot, feeling in your body and hands and mind that a bad shot here is gunna yield a 25 foot putt. Worst case. Like AI said, "Practice, we're talking about practice..." Yep, we are

Your in MD A friend of mine a golf pro Ed Ruiz just got the job at Eisenhower Golf Club. Im a huge Beatle fan. I would luv to learn more about how they honed their skills. I played in a few rock and roll groups and wrote a bunch of songs. Shouldve recored them 40 years ago.

 

[MD#12Fan]

Your in MD A friend of mine a golf pro Ed Ruiz just got the job at Eisenhower Golf Club. Im a huge Beatle fan. I would luv to learn more about how they honed their skills. I played in a few rock and roll groups and wrote a bunch of songs. Shouldve recored them 40 years ago.

Cool stuff! Try to find that book. 2008. I like Gladwell a lot. Outliers
I used to play Eisenhower a lot. My old partner lived near there. Back to back par 5's on the front nine. Always fun! Nice Muny.
I live in the Alaska bush right now. Not playing much golf. Even in Anchorage, the golf season's about 4-5 months long. I played there last June. Course had about 6 temporary greens. Ugh. Good luck!

 

[MainefanSC]

Cool stuff! Try to find that book. 2008. I like Gladwell a lot. Outliers
I used to play Eisenhower a lot. My old partner lived near there. Back to back par 5's on the front nine. Always fun! Nice Muny.
I live in the Alaska bush right now. Not playing much golf. Even in Anchorage, the golf season's about 4-5 months long. I played there last June. Course had about 6 temporary greens. Ugh. Good luck!

Ebay has a number of Outliers for as little as $4 including shipping. I thought living in Maine limited my golf opportunities. Alaskan golf must be unbelievably limited.

 

[huskeynut]

Your in MD A friend of mine a golf pro Ed Ruiz just got the job at Eisenhower Golf Club. Im a huge Beatle fan. I would luv to learn more about how they honed their skills. I played in a few rock and roll groups and wrote a bunch of songs. Shouldve recored them 40 years ago.

Retired music educator/ band director. Played in a lot of bands over the years from rock groups to jazz combos to big bands. The concept of practice will never go out of style. It is the process of learning and honing your craft. There is no substitute. Very familiar with the Hamburg years of the Beatles.

Still playing today in my retirement. Play in two bands - a 16 piece swing band and a 9 piece backup band for 5 vocalists. We're all over 65 and work hard to keep our skills sharp. Its the attention to the little details that matter.

The same attitude of honing your craft applies to athletes. You have to put in the time. You have to pay attention to the little details. The process will never change.

 

[jabstep]

Wow, the Boneyard certainly draws a diverse group of people from many far-reaching places. Who all seem to love WCBB. Makes for interesting reads. Thank you all for helping me pass the COVID time away.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I am a avid golfer. I have worked for many golf professionals some of which played on the big tour. Ive learned alot from them. I remember working for a former tour player who got off the tour after 10 years. He asked me what I wanted to be in golf. I was just out of the Army. I said I want to play the tour. He laughed and said ..do you know what it takes? He continued you have to hit 300-500 balls a day, play 18 holes and if you dont break par play another 18 holes and putt til dark every day rain or sunshine and after 4 years you might make it. I found that true as many of the tour players would stop by and take lessons from him during the Westchester Classic. Guys like Johnny Miller JC Snead Chi Chi Dave Stockton a rookie by the name of Fuzzy Zoller Lou Graham right after he won the US Open and a few more. They hit balls all day and practiced all day. Thats something I live by today.

I whole heartedly agree. I have a cousin I called Señor One-Putt. As kid he worked at a muny course with the benefit of being allowed to practice all he wanted on his off hours. He did hit hundreds of golf shots. Once being obsessed with imroving his sand game, he hit a thousand sand shots. He earned a golf scolarship and won many college accolades. Upon graduation he married and started a family and his financial career. However, he always wondered if he could have made it on the tour. As a traveling auditor (his 1st job) he met numerous pro athletes in hotels and on planes. One day his plane seat was next to Ben Crenshaw. They hit it off. Jack has a very outgoing personality. They realized they were in the same hotel and shared a cab. The next morning Jack had numerous meetings sheduled. At 7:00 AM his hotel room phone rang. It was Crenshaw asking if Jack wanted to fill-in for an absent fourth. Meetings were cancelled! Jack always traveled with his clubs. As you can imagine he had a great time. He told me he no longer wonders if he could have been a pro. He would not have made it. Apparently Ben and the other two fellows were playing for steep stakes. He said what he saw in Crenshaw's eyes and demeanor over lengthy putts and clutch approaches, he knew was not in him. He called it an extreme mental toughness. Doubt was never an issue. As to your point, after their 18 holes he asked Crenshaw to have lunch. Ben declined saying he was not happy with a couple things in his game during their round and he was going to practice. But if Jack wanted to have dinner, he should be done practicing by 6:00 PM! Practice does make perfect! Maybe it also engenders mental toughness.

 

[Tonyc]

I whole heartedly agree. I have a cousin I called Señor One-Putt. As kid he worked at a muny course with the benefit of being allowed to practice all he want on his off hours. He did hit hundreds of golf shots. Once being obsessed with imroving his sand game, he hit a thousand sand shots one day. He earned a golf scolarship and won many college accolades. Upon graduation he married and started a family and his financial career. However, he always wondered if he could have made it on the tour. As a traveling auditor (his 1st job) he met numerous pro athletes in hotels and on planes. One day his plane seat was next to Ben Crenshaw. They hit it off. Jack has a very outgoing personality. They realized they were in the same hotel and shared a cab. The next morning Jack had numerous meeting sheduled. At 7:00 AM his hotel room phone rang. It was Crenshaw asking if Jack wanted to fill-in for an absent fourth. Meetings were cancelled! Jack always traveled with his clubs. As you can imagine he had a great time. He told me he no longer wonders if he could have been a pro. He would not have made it. Apparently Ben and the other two fellows were playing for steep stakes. He said what he saw in Crenshaw's eyes and demeanor over lengthy putts and clutch approaches, he knew was not in him. He called it an extreme mental toughness. Doubt was never an issue. As to your point, after their 18 holes he asked Crenshaw to have lunch. Ben declined saying he was not happy with a couple things in his game during their round and he was going to practice. But if Jack wanted to have dinner, he should be done practicing by 6:00 PM! Practice does make perfect! Maybe it also engenders mental toughness.

Great story. When young kids ask me if I think they should try the tour I tell them they have to make a minimum of 6 birdies a round. Many of the tour pros are +7 handicaps at their home club. If your not shooting 65 of less a round on your home course you dont have a prayer of making the tour. From a 7 iron to a wedge the pros are shooting darts. You see it today in state amateurs and state opens The kids are shooting sub par and they wont make it on the tour. After a round if Im not hitting the ball the way I want to I show up late for lunch and hit balls til I straighten it out just like Ben. I learned this a long time ago and I still do it. Practice should be fun and a learning experience. Put the FUN back in fundementals