β This video and series would not have been possible without partnership from Garmin. They make some incredible tech for running, everyday wear, and golfers. This is the watch that I've been wearing, and this is the range finder that I've been using. β
The Garmin Fenix 8 does two things, which is why it's on my wrist every single day.
On the course, it has tons of data. Maps for 43,000+ courses, front and back numbers, hazards, all of it. Syncs up with my range finder.
β Off the course, it does everything else. Runs, workouts, heart rate, sleep, recovery. It even tells me each morning if I've got a hard day in me or if I should ease off.
Playing this speed golf tournament and doing well has me thinking a lot because it really breaks a lot of "rules" that I've thought to be true.
I always thought good golf came from doing everything right.
Focused pre-shot routine.
Good visualization.
Exact yardages.
Slow heart rate.
Not rushing.
β When I was playing in this tournament my heart rate got over 180, sprinting between shots, walking up to the ball with maybe five seconds before I had to hit.
I remember one tee shot I hadn't even finished gripping the club when I started the takeaway. And I hit it great.
I shot 75 the first day and 77 the second.
And if you watch the video you'll see I hit a ton of great shots and soooo so many putts that almost went in.
So what actually matters for good golf?
That's the question I've been mulling and I have a few thoughts π
β β1 - Keep the ball in front of you. In speed golf, you want to always be able to see where the ball is so you can quickly run to it without having to search for it. This means you don't lose golf balls, and you're probably going to make bogey at worse.
You also just accept the score in front of you and move on. Don't try to make a hero par. Just get the bogey and keep running. β
2 -Decide, commit, hit.Speed golf is the most reactive version of golf we probably get.
That means you have to make a quick decision, commit to it, and hit the shot.
In normal golf, how many times do you make a decision, second-guess yourself, choose the second decision, not really commit to it, and hit a terrible shot anyways. Don't do that. β
3 - You can hit great golf shots if you're nervous, your heart rate's up, and you feel like your legs are mush. Despite all that you can absolutely play good golf. β
4 - Your pre shot routine matters less than you think?!? Taking a ton of time on your pre-shot routine, getting everything perfect, just probably doesn't matter. β You can hit great shots and terrible shots with a perfect pre-shot routine, and you can hit great shots and terrible shots with no pre-shot routine.
It matters less than we think... I think. π€
β 5 - I personally proved myself. I can hit great putts with a normal putter and not have to rely on the broom stick π±π±π±π± β
6 - One swing thought, not five. Running to the ball out of breath, I didn't have the for a checklist of swing thoughts. One feel... maybe.
In normal golf I'll stand there juggling five swing thoughts and wonder why I keep hitting bad shots. The speed forced me down to barely any swing thoughts.
Curious if you have some of the same takeaways after watching? Shoot me an email.
"And then, the big thing for me is I'm too shallow when I chip. You know, I need to create some angle and that's really what I work on a lot... And I actually do that by focusing on a divot after the ball."
Like I'm not a guy who just pulls 60 out if I miss the green... I feel way more comfortable even chipping with a 54. Certainly off a tight lie and then even more so if it's grainy... But there's really no like margin for error with a 60"
π° Not sure what to think about this yet but interesting stats here from Alex Huang.
β
β³οΈ I've been testing out the Puttr this past week. At the core it's a putting mat with a camera over the hole that tells you where the putt went into the hole or missed.
Tons of games in the app and data it's tracking.
So you know your miss tendencies and how your improving over time.
After you watch those- Hereβs my challenge to you...β Go put something on the calendar that scares you a little. A club championship. A state am qualifier. A 10K. Anything with a date and a challenge.
Then train for it. No matter your level of skill take it seriously.β β It wonβt stay in that one lane. It creeps into your whole life. I hated running four months ago, now I canβt wait for the next time I can sneak out for a run.
β β Huge thank you to the entire team for working with me on this. Jason and Scott for hosting and guiding me through everything. And Garmin for making it possible. Go get a Garmin watch and range finder! Best combo in golf. β
Play well, Cordie
PS - Are you a videographer, editor, content creator? We are hiring! Whether its full time or freelance we need your help so hit reply and let me know your skill set and what you're interested in.
π If you haven't grabbed The Scoring Edge yet... it's 119 pages of drills, strategies, and frameworks from 12 coaches including Scott Fawcett, Mark Blackburn, and Ralph Bauer. Everything we've learned from filming with these guys, in one book. Grab it on Amazon.β β π₯ Follow on Youtube to catch the latest videos. β
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