If golf is a favourite sport nowadays for people of all ages, it’s because it teaches all the skills needed to be a good player as well as a good sport. Here are a few fundamentals that will help in the overall development of the aptitudes of a “good player” who cares about performance, and those of a good sport who’s more concerned about attitude and behaviour.

The harder I train, the luckier I get

In golf, genius is one per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration. You can read all the golf books in the world, but if you don’t get out and live the experience on the course, you limit your progress.

A “zero thoughts golf swing”

Taking into consideration the distance, wind, previous swing…is normal. But one thing sets the good golfer apart from the others: he or she knows to stop thinking when it’s time to swing. Before the shot, this golfer prepares their body for action and enters the world of sensations, reflexes and automatic movements. In golf, according to Dave Hill, “the swing is like sex; you can’t think about how you do it at the moment you’re doing it.”

In golf, success is a sequence of small steps

While a good swing is a necessary condition for success, it’s not enough. You also have to perfect your putting, approach and bunker shots. You must establish a vision of a whole, but it’s equally important to work hard on each phase. The idea is to have a plan that includes a step-by-step process, year after year.

School of efficiency and self-confidence

The mastery of movements that are simple, obvious and frequent creates confidence. Pay attention to what you do best, to what you’re sure of achieving, and focus on what’s essential. If your swing is ugly but you get close to the hole with the help of a useful shot, you’re a “good golfer”. If you seek a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, and know how to play with patience, relaxation, humility and serenity, you know what “fair play” is all about and you are a “good sport”. The perfect combination of these fundamentals makes the difference.

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