Golf Post Round Retrospective

To become a better golfer, you either need a coach or learn how to be your own coach. Of the two, having a coach is the faster and more effective approach, but many of us don't have the time or money to hire a coach to keep an eye on our golf game throughout the season. Professional golfers have multiple coaches for various aspects of the game.

A simple tactic that helps you coach yourself is to look back on each round you play and take note of where you succeeded and where you need work. I played yesterday for instance, and here are my notes on the round:

1. Not to be negative, but I think back to the worst holes first. I had two double bogeys. The first was caused by a bad bunker shot on a par three. Note to self: practice in the sand this week. The second was a low tee shot on a par 5 that ended up in tall grass. I made a bad judgment and tried to hit a hybrid to maximize my distance. The result was mishit that barely made it out of the hazard. Lesson: hit it with a higher lofted club to advance more along the fairway instead of the heroic shot.

2. Another negative: I three-putted twice. No excuse for that, but it reinforces the need for short game practice.

3. Positives: made my first birdie on the par 5 second hole and saved a par on the 18th.

4. Cold conditions forced me to layer up and inhibited my swing a bit. The ground was firm from the cold and even though the ball was not going as far as usual, many shots got extra roll on fairways. Greens were faster in the beginning and then slowed down as they thawed out.

For a weekend golfer, having a list of strengths and weaknesses can help guide your practice and give you focus for your next round.