The Four Foundations of Golf: How to Build a Game That Lasts a Lifetime

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There are many reasons why “golf grit” is harder to develop. It’s much easier for some to give up when you become embarrassed and your ego is damaged. I know that was the case for me. Jon offers a genuinely unique perspective as a player-coach. His methods are tried and tested – and proven to help golfers worldwide get better without having to stand on a range all day, tinkering with their swing. The Four Foundations of Golf is an excellent addition to any golf library, explaining a wide range of improvement methods in great depth without being confusing. You’ll get so much out of this book, you’d be a fool not to get it!” Are you struggling to take your golf game to the next level? Learn the philosophy that has helped thousands of players worldwide lower their scores and improve their relationship with golf. Swing tips come and go, but foundational golf skills last forever. Whether you are a complete beginner or an advanced player, The Four Foundations of Golf will give you the blueprint to build a stronger, longer-lasting game. This is not your typical, fluffy golf guide that leaves all the important details out. Since 2015, Practical Golf has been one of the top online game-improvement resources for golfers. Jon Sherman has written hundreds of articles, sharing his perspective as a “player-coach.” You can finally get all of the methods he’s used to become a scratch golfer and coach other golfers in one complete guide. Every golfer wants to know the secrets to golf. But they are always looking in the wrong places. There are four foundations to building a successful game - expectation management, strategy, practice, and a sharp mental game. In each of these sections, you will receive tangible and actionable advice. In this book, you will learn how • Become a happier, more fulfilled golfer through expectation management Finally, you will no longer have to feel like you are lost and alone in your golf game. The Four Foundations will teach you how to be your own coach, and not waste time on methods that don’t work. Stop listening to your friend’s questionable tips and learn what all the greats have figured out. Expectation Management is a huge theme in this book. He shares why this is so important to playing your best golf. Did you know that PGA Tour pros make bogey about 80% of the time in recovery situations?

‎The Four Foundations of Golf: How to Build a Game - Apple

This is a guest post by Sean Denning from the Par Machine After playing the game for more than 20 years, I finally became a scratch golfer in 2020! My handicap had been in the low single digits for about 15 of those years, but I could never seem to … Why You Want to Be a System Golfer, and How to Do It Throughout the last 25 years, I’m confident that I have either made or witnessed every mistake imaginable in golf – especially in the mental game. When it comes to your attitude on the golf course, it is critical to strike a balance and avoid extremes. While this might sound generic … How I Used Data to Become a Scratch Golfer These themes are familiar to long-time readers of this newsletter. I won’t rehash the importance of each since I’ve written multiple pieces on each subject ( see at the bottom of this post ).The Four Foundations of Golf by Jon Sherman has been instrumental in my improvement as a golfer, and I believe it is the best book amateur golfers can buy. Oh, and it has zero swing technique advice. Instead, grit is about having what some researchers call an “ultimate concern”–a goal you care about so much that it organizes and gives meaning to almost everything you do. And grit is holding steadfast to that goal. Even when you fall down. Even when you screw up. Even when progress toward that goal is halting or slow.

The Four Foundations Of Golf: Growing Your Grit - SwingU The Four Foundations Of Golf: Growing Your Grit - SwingU

With these earlier chapters in the mental game section, I’m ultimately building a process you can commit to on every shot. I will get into specifics on what I believe are productive elements of pre-shot and post-shot routines. Overall, grit is the commitment to going through these routines on as many shots as possible. Our servers are getting hit pretty hard right now. To continue shopping, enter the characters as they are shown In a way, I was shifting my mindset and identity. While I still have to work on these shots to maintain my skill, I believe I am an excellent intermediate wedge player. One of my favorite authors, James Clear, describes these as identity-based habits. If your goal is to shoot lower scores, you should read this wonderful book by Jon Sherman! His advice is practical, impactful, and presented with clearly reasoned, objective analysis. Highly recommended for every golfer who's serious about improving their game."Not started applying loads of this yet but even just reflecting on the chapter about grit really helped me after a couple of tough/disappointing sessions at the range. One week later, I hit the ball as well as I ever have. Practical Golf is an honest resource for the everyday golfer who is looking to enjoy the game more, and find ways to improve - The chapters around managing expectations were particularly helpful to me, using Strokes Gained understanding. For example, knowing you are almost always better off getting closer to the hole, as long as you avoid hazards (water, bunkers, deep rough) or out OOB. That alone had me working my driver and long irons more deliberately. Lower your scores, increase enjoyment. Are you struggling to take your golf game to the next level? Learn the philosophy that has helped thousands of players worldwide lower their scores and improve their relationship with golf. Swing tips come and go, but foundational golf skills last forever.

The Four Foundations of Golf by Jon Sherman | Waterstones

Swing tips come and go, but foundational golf skills last forever. Whether you are a complete beginner or an advanced player, The Four Foundations of Golf will give you the blueprint to build a stronger, longer-lasting game. This is not your typical, fluffy golf guide that leaves all the important details out. Jon uses the phrase “Zombie Range Sessions” to describe how a lot of golfers “practice.” He shares that Engagement in your practice is the most important factor to using practice to effectively improve your game. And he – like me! – loves using Dr. Schools Foot Powder Spray as a golf training aid. The key to building lasting habits is focusing on creating a new identity first. Your current behaviors are simply a reflection of your current identity. What you do now is a mirror image of the type of person you believe that you are (either consciously or subconsciously).Understand how scoring truly occurs and use modern data analytics to lower your handicap efficiently Soon, you’ll be on the course analyzing a shot and saying, “What Would Jon Sherman Say?” Seriously, I’ve said it. Exactly what I was looking for. Most booos proclaim to be THE answer, but this book looks at all the decisions pre- & post-shot on and off the golf course, that contribute to your score, but more importantly, your enjoyment. Buffett cites two chapters from Intelligent Investor that introduce the concepts of Margin of Safety and Mr. Market. Those two simple but remarkable concepts would define Buffett’s investment approach from then on. Unfortunately, we can’t have it both ways. You can’t become the golfer at the top of your mountain (which is different for each player) without climbing through some mud at the bottom.

The Four Foundations of Golf - The 2nd Cut Book Review: The Four Foundations of Golf - The 2nd Cut

There are a ton of great chapters outside of the three chapters highlighted above. A few that come to mind are Better Golf is Not About Birdies, What is a Good Shot?, Wedge Practice, and What Can You Control? This book was well marketed on social media so I had been anticipating its arrival for some time. On the whole, I found the book to be very good, if somewhat unsatisfying as a better player. Additionally, most of the topics covered that would be fresh for some readers were previously covered (and in greater detail) by Adam Young’s The Practice Manual. Unsurprisingly, as co-hosts of an excellent podcast together titled The Sweet Spot, their philosophies to golf improvement and practice are quite similar. I preferred Young’s book, even though the writing in Sherman’s is more articulate and better organized. Definitely worth a skim to the parts that may interest you. However, golf might not be as serious as an endeavor for you. Or you might not even have many opportunities to play. I’ll let you make the ultimate decision, but grit might not be relevant or necessary for some. That’s the beauty of golf – there is no right or wrong in your approach. Exploring Grit Along the way, I witnessed many of the same behaviors in others. What is most interesting is that having grit elsewhere in life does not necessarily mean it will translate to your golf game. I’ve played with successful business people, professional athletes, and plenty of other high achievers who undoubtedly have serious grit. But it was nowhere to be found once they teed it up. After a few bad swings, they would lose their composure and continue in a negative mindset for the rest of the day.

Using Grit On the Course

I was utterly terrified of intermediate wedge shots for years and would do anything to avoid leaving myself 30-80 yards from the hole. Eventually, I realized this was impossible to do, and to get better, I had to conquer the problem head-on. So I poured over Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible. I highlighted, took notes, and made a genuine effort to absorb the information. Grit is a necessary component in your “mental toolbox” – it is defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals.