One Club Secret to Success?

My Dad asked me to play 9-holes this Saturday at Lexington GC, intending to help me regain some confidence in my game. However, it was not just any round of golf. He told me that I could only use a 7-iron and a putter! Okay, hmmm I thought about it...and the idea of making may way around a golf course with only one club seemed brilliant and fun. I shot 42, including a birdie and 3 pars. Next day I played with 3 members at Lexington (Tom Harvey, Paul Zabrinski, and Steve Jackson) and used a 4-iron only on the front nine and 5-iron only on the back nine. I shot 39-41 with 13 pars. I played so well and walked off the course with more energy and excitement than I've had in a long time. Playing with my Dad with one club was the most fun I've had on a golf course in a long time. My Dad actually played against me with a 5-iron only that night. On Sunday, my playing companions all played with their full set of clubs. It was so awesome. On the first hole, I had a greenside bunker shot and hit my 4-iron to 10 feet. I hit bump and runs from inside 100 yards. I choked down. I opened the face. I changed the length of my backswing. I visualized shots like never before.

Let me tell you the many reasons why this could turn your game around (keep in mind, i would NOT recommend this during tournament play or on a full time basis, but definitely as a practice method):

1) Creativity - It breaks the mold of hitting predominantly full swing, max shots. You are challenged to be creative with your shots by changing your grip, your length of swing, your clubface angle at address, your ball position, your swing speed...When would you ever hit a 4-iron on a 100-yard par 3? Probably never. But thats not the point. (And I did hit my 4-iron on a 100-yard par-3 over the weekend.) The point is to improve your feel or bring back your feel. Its amazing what you can do with one club. You realize how good you can still hit a shot swinging at 50% or 70%, etc. Made me realize that I am too technical over my shots, trying to hit the perfect distance at full swing.

2) Only one option - You only have one club option. It sets your mind with lower expectations and it forces you to just get it done. No time to think about whether its a hard wedge or soft 9-iron. Its one club, get it done using imagination. There is a lot of to be said about standing over a shot thinking "this is going to be fun to pull off" as opposed to thinking "this shot is so standard that I have to hit to well, anything less is a failure"...the latter being more of a 'burden' and the former being an 'opportunity'. Each golf shot is a great opportunity to shine, regardless of what happens.

3) Fun - A great change of pace to the game. My playing partners reactions were so different than a typical round. 'Can't believe you did that with a 4-iron'...what a shot for a 4-iron...'not bad for a 4-iron'...more positive, more fun, more energy.

4) Becoming close friends with each club - By the time you finish 9-holes with one club, you will find a new sense of comfort with it. For example, I could go multiple rounds without hitting a 4-iron, leading to lack of confidence under pressure. When you are forced to hit every shot with a 4-iron, you will learn what works for you and will gain trust.

My goal is to play 9-holes with each one of my clubs. I got through the 4,5, and 7. So far the 4-iron is winning with a 39.

I have to thank my Dad for turning the ship in the right direction!

I teed it up on Memorial Day with the full set of clubs in LGC's Memorial Day Pro-Am. Things started to look and feel better :)

Patience and practice,

Kurt