“Practice Makes Perfect”

People believe practice makes perfect, but does it?  If you are making a tremendous amount of mistakes, all you’re doing is deeply ingraining the same mistakes.  I have been playing golf for over 20 years now, which includes practicing the game, and if I were to be totally honest I would have to admit my game hasn’t really improved.  Why is that? I realize it has a ton to do with the time and attention I devote to practicing the game.  Which honestly, is very little – until now. 

Since I retired last fall, I have been taking the time to look over what things I want to spend my time doing and golf is very close to the top.   As I have said to anyone who will listen – I really do enjoy playing golf.  And improving my play would make it that much more enjoyable for sure! 

Some people strive to improve through lessons, practice, training devices, video, magazine subscriptions, and by playing as much as possible.  Some experts recommend you engage in deliberate practice. This means that you constantly assess your practice efforts and focus on areas where you’re weak, so you can continually improve. 

There is an untapped source of information available for improving my golf game.  I can search the Internet for answers, tips, drills etc.  I can sign up for lessons, or use various teaching aids for my golf swing or putt.  Then I need to take that information and move it into the Practice Phase to improve.  I will need to set a goal, establish activities to work toward the improvement, concentrate on the skills and understand mistakes are to be expected. The benefit should be growth and better future performance at my game.

So how can I make the most of my golf game? Give it my all.  Practice my skills frequently.  And make sure I am getting good feedback from an expert, such as a coach, instructor, or teacher.  Focus on ways I can get better and set goals to improve in those areas.

It’s funny to think about though – with all this practice I ultimately realize I may never be good enough at golf to satisfy my desire for perfection!  There will always be strokes I could have eliminated, shots I shouldn’t have taken, risks attempted where the reward wasn’t worth it, or I rushed too much.  But I do know the more I practice, the luckier I get.  

And like golf, practice seems to make perfect in my life as well. The more effort I put into practicing things in my life, the more benefit I get out of it, and the same practice rules apply – if I practice half-heartedly at living my life, I don’t get as much benefit out of it.  So how can I make the most of my life?  Give it my all.  Practice things frequently, and make sure I am getting good feedback from an expert, friends and family.  Focus on ways I can get better and set goals to improve in those areas.

My Reads from the Reds is…..Even if practice doesn’t always make perfect, it almost always makes me better than I was before practicing in golf…..and life.

Fairways and Greens – We are 18 Holes and Counting. Written by Kathy Festa