Why lower expectations can help you play better golf | The Golfer’s Journal | Jon Sherman

From Episode 129 with Jon Sherman: • Jon Sherman: Manage yo...
Jon Sherman is the owner of Practical Golf, a website dedicated to being an honest resource for the everyday golfer who is looking to enjoy the game more, as well as improve. He is the author of 101 Mistakes All Golfers Make and The Four Foundations of Golf.
The Index Experiment is a season-long community initiative for members of The Golfer’s Journal aimed at lowering our handicaps and leading healthier lives. You can sign up for free here: www.golfersjournal.com/index-...
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[@elindauer]

The guy is just spittin' truth. I have been lucky enough to get a lot of launch monitor access recently in my life, and learning where your shot dispersions really are vs what is probably a tour-level expectation in your mind makes the game so much easier. Be honest about your dispersion, plan accordingly to avoid doubles, sometimes run hot and go low. Easy game!

[@GM2401]

Awesome! His book is excellent! A great guide on everything golf (outside of the golf swing)!

[@contactbarnabas]

I just lowered my expectations and shot an 85 effortlessly. Might have broken 80 but started with a double then quad. Haven’t broken 90 in months. It works. Don’t take yourself too serious and just have fun. Thank you TGJ for great content as always. This is better than swing thoughts 😅

[@Wigglyass]

been golfing since i was around 4 years old, im 23 now, only really enjoyed it for around 3-4 years now and just finding ways to have a good time even when im playing bad has drastically changed my game, used to be super angry and ever since i stopped getting angry i probably cut 15 shots off my rounds. its incredible what a change in mindset can do

[@beaujpatt]

Jon’s book has changed my golf game more in the last 2 months then anything else over the last 10 years. I never broke 100 ever before and usually over 110. Shot 97 this week.

[@Parmesan300]

I get it but it’s exponentially more difficult to go from let’s say the low 80s to the low 70s than it is from 110 to the 90s

[@stratovani]

If there's one thing I've learned over the years it's never to watch pro tournament golf on TV. It's just entertainment, by golfers who are entertainers and do this for a living. They'll never show the golfer who's struggling to make the cut line, or is above the cut line but is just playing for a paycheck. If you need tips on how to improve your game then TH-cam is the place to go. Lots of good teaching pros who can help you with whatever facet of your game needs improving. Jon Sherman is right, just have fun and see if you can improve. In the end you'll enjoy the game a lot more.

[@elindauer]

Another mental issue for a lot of golfers, if they are say a 12 handicap, they expect 84 to be an average day, when it's really a top 25% day the way handicaps are calculated. There is even more nuance with the stroke rating, which most rec golfers know little about. So they are constantly disappointed and as you say, emotions matter!

[@jayafow84]

For me its so easy to lose concentration and let tension take over instead of just have fun

[@pbabs3389]

Listened to hack it out’s breaking 80 series where they discuss average results for different handicaps and it has outright changed my mindset. 4 of last 5 rounds have counted towards my handicap

[@CruceEntertainment]

When I lower my expectations, I don’t necessarily play better golf, but I get less upset.

[@sungsupaek]

My wife only gives me 1 round a month, i guess im screwed.

[@dylanpatterson3975]

Just to parallel skateboarding into golf. This same issue happens in skating… people spend two or three years filming a skateboard part all the tricks are generally so difficult. You wouldn’t perform them day in and day out so when a part comes out, it looks as though they had filmed all this in the course of a couple months when in fact, it’s been a few years. I think the same thing happens with golf tournaments. They show so many highlights that people just assume that this is the greatness that they procure every day every shot, very interesting to know that this is indeed not how it is in the lower those expectations🫶

[@jimpatton8335]

I golf with a guy at least twice a week and he has to keep score and he always beats me. I know he is cheating and it upsets me. It’s a recreational league. So it does get in my head. Kinda pathetic.