The 2nd Cut Newsletter: Edition #10
“Golf is not a game of good shots. It's a game of bad shots.” - Ben Hogan
Edition #10
Welcome back to The 2nd Cut Newsletter, Edition #10! Thank you all for reading and subscribing.
I’m on vacation this week so the newsletter and deep dive will be rather brief, but hopefully still informative. Enjoy.
In today’s Newsletter: Cognitive Bias, Putting Practice, Keeping Stats, Tweets of the Week, Approaches from 20-30 yards out, and More
If you’re new here, this newsletter is designed to provide you with valuable insights, tips, and ideas to improve your golf game from around the internet.
What you get:
1 - Newsletter every Wednesday
1 - Deep dive every Friday
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Cognitive Bias
Cognitive bias is a systematic thought process caused by the tendency of the human brain to simplify information processing through a filter of personal experience and preferences. The filtering process is a coping mechanism that enables the brain to prioritize and process large amounts of information quickly.
Cognitive biases are hardwired in all of us and are extremely tough to alter. Knowledge or awareness of said bias does not preclude you from succumbing to that very same bias (although it does help).
Case in point is myself and this newsletter. Writing the newsletter has definitely made me a better golfer, but I am still susceptible to all of the faults and biases I write about.
Every round there is a shot or multiple shots where I make a dumb decision. I look back on the decision and wonder what the hell I was thinking. Yet I still do it.
We require constant reinforcement. This is why you’ll see various ideas repeated here frequently. No matter how good we become or how many years we’ve been playing, the core lessons of golf will remain the same and we’ll always be susceptible to those same biases.
In the future, I hope to do some deep dives on various cognitive biases and ways we can mitigate their effects.
Tweets of the Week
Great view here of Rory’s swing at the top for his 3-wood and pitching wedge. You can see his stance is a bit narrower on the right with less turn and the hands aren’t quite as high. Rory’s swing is a work of art. Link
Jonathan (@Jonathanyarwood) might be my favorite follow on Twitter. I think I’ve featured him in just about every other Newsletter! He does a great job of explaining complex golf concepts and making them simple in a concise and entertaining way.
The clip above is just over 1 minute and it might help you better understand the swing path. Link
I had a feeling this was true, but had never seen any data to back it up. If you go to a practice green more often than not you’ll see people putting with three balls from the same spot over and over. Link
Taking one ball to the green forces you to focus. Since you physically have to walk to get your ball you are having to reset for each putt, just like on the course. It also makes you mentally focus instead of going into auto mode.
My new pre-round putting routine is essentially playing “9 holes” with one ball from various breaks and distances. For more detail check out the section titled Drill #3 from the Deep Dive on Putting Drills.
T2C Media
This is a good quick article on how to become a better chipper. Give it a read, but to sum it up:
Use a putting-like stroke, grip down, narrow stance, and lean towards the target. Link
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The above video is a great explainer on how to keep golf stats to improve your game. Tori Totlis is a great follow for women’s focused content and women that are new to the game.
My wife has used some of Tori’s practice programs and is a big fan of her content. Tori also offers a free round report card on her site. Link
Stat of the Week
The average proximity from 20 - 30 yards out is roughly 10 feet for a PGA Pro. The BEST player, Chris Stroud, averages 7 feet in proximity.
I know I’ve said this many times already but having realistic expectations can help you both make better decisions and keep your composure.
So next time you are short-sided with a bad lie from the rough, remember this stat!
Your first goal is to get the ball on the green. Don’t get cute and try to hit the fringe with a high flop. Get it on the green and two-putt.
And when you do get it on the green and are 10 feet from the hole, remember that’s a pretty damn good shot.
Post Round Wrap Up
No matter how good we become the core lessons of golf will remain the same and we’ll always be susceptible to bias. Counteracting it requires constant reinforcement
When chipping have a putting-like stroke, grip down, narrow stance, and lean toward the target
Shots from 20-30 yards average 10 feet from the hole for a PGA pro
Please email me or comment below with any questions or comments you have! I love interacting with readers and it helps me better tailor the letter to your preferences.
Follow me on Twitter at @The2ndCut_t2c and on Instagram @The2ndCut_t2c
Til next time.
Used some of the thought processes you set forth in this issue to not commit hari-kari during a round with 5 doubles. Rebounded with 2 birds and 5 pars for an 86. Stayed the course and adjusted my mental approach to what was looking like a horrible round. Thanks.