The Best of March
The 2/3rds Rule, Carl Weathers, Stoic Golf, Tiger and Scottie, Course Mgmt 101, Fairways Hit Stats
Today’s post is another monthly best-of summary to resurface some things you might have missed in March. Click on the link for the full post. Enjoy!
The 2/3rds Rule Revisited
Link: The 2/3rds Rule Revisited
In one of our inaugural posts, we delved into the "2/3rds Rule," a concept from Jon Sherman’s book, "The Four Foundations of Golf."
Sherman simplifies the game into three key areas:
Tee shots
Approach shots
Finesse shots
(While I personally break it down into tee shots, approach shots, short game, and putting)
The rule is straightforward: Typically, two out of the three phases will perform well on a good day, while one will be mediocre (or worse).
On an average day, one phase will perform well, and two will be mediocre. And, on the worst days, nothing works.
Rarely will EVERYTHING click.
Understanding that good rounds can still be achieved with one or two facets not performing well shifts the focus from chasing perfection to embracing resilience and accepting that the base rate for good golf is not perfection.
The trickle-down effect of adopting this outlook can help you avoid bad rounds and not sabotage the good ones.
Next time your putter or driver isn't cooperating, remember that you can play a great round still. Accept the challenge and focus on the other aspects of your game. Maybe it'll turn around, but regardless, avoid beating yourself up and, instead, grind it out.
“You don’t need to be perfect to have a great round of golf; you need to be patient. At least one part of your game is going to abandon you. If you can remind yourself that mistakes are OK and have the mental resolve to dig in, your scores will improve.”
-Jon Sherman (@practicalgolf)
Carl Weathers Interview
Link: Edition #37
Last month, the unexpected passing of Carl Weathers at the age of 76 left a void in the hearts of many. Weathers, known for portraying iconic characters such as Apollo Creed and Chubbs in "Happy Gilmore," etched his name in movie history.
Despite his extensive and illustrious career, I must confess that before stumbling upon the Chasing Scratch Podcast interview, I knew little about the man behind the roles. This interview, perhaps one of his final ones, offers a captivating glimpse into Weathers' life beyond the silver screen.
From his days with the Raiders to securing the role of Apollo Creed, and from sparring with Muhammad Ali to collaborating with Adam Sandler, Weathers candidly shares anecdotes that not only entertain but also impart valuable life lessons. It's a remarkable opportunity to gain insight into the essence of who Carl Weathers truly was.
I highly recommend you give it a listen. You can play it below or click this link.
<CLICK THE LINK FOR THE FULL POST>
Stoic Golf: No Pain, No Gain
Link: No Pain, No Gain
I'm gearing up for my second round of the year in about an hour. The temperature is hovering around 45 degrees, but it feels more like 25. If you caught Edition #38, you'll know that my first round of the year didn't exactly go as planned. So, in search of some inspiration, I delved into some old quotes from this newsletter and stumbled upon this piece of Stoic wisdom.
Subscribed
“How we choose to respond to struggle tells us about who we are as athletes and who we’ll be as people. Do we see it as a chance to learn and get stronger? Do we get frustrated and complain? Or worse, do we call it off and find an easier game to play, one that makes us feel good instead of challenged?"
-Ryan Holliday from The Daily Stoic (@RyanHoliday)
Golf is probably the most mentally challenging sport there is. At some point in your round, you are going to struggle. How you respond to that struggle is what leads to finally breaking 100, 90, 80, or not.
Forget your last shot and make the best choice for the current situation. Don’t try to make up stokes. Sometimes we must accept that Par is probably not happening and Bogey would be a great result.
Accept the situation and choose the action.
<CLICK THE LINK FOR THE FULL POST>
📺 💻 T2C Media 📺 💻
Link: Edition #38
If you pay attention to only one thing in today’s letter, let it be this video. GolfDigest Writer Luke Kerr Dineen created this excellent video on aiming and course management with some explainers from Scott Fawcett of DECADE golf.
It’s 9 minutes long, but it's one of the best explanations I’ve seen on stacking the odds in your favor off the tee and on approach shots. It’s everything this newsletter has tried to hammer home.
<CLICK THE LINK FOR THE FULL POST>
🐦 Tweets of the Week 🐦
Link: Edition #39
A mindblowing graphic that says it all. Scottie himself said in the interview with LIVE FROM:
"Anytime you can be compared to Tiger I think is really special, but, I mean, the guy stands alone I think in our game. He really does. This is my eighth tournament win now out here, I've tied him in Players Championships. Outside of that, I got 14 more majors and 70-some PGA Tour events to catch up. So, I think I'm going to stick to my routine and just continue to plot along, try and stay as even keeled as I can.”
<CLICK THE LINK FOR THE FULL POST>
🔢 Stat(s) of the Week 🔢
Link: Edition #37
I know I harp on “fairways don’t matter” a lot, but man, do these charts from Lou Stagner perfectly illustrate just how much more important GIRs are vs. fairways hit. Link
Lesson: Focus on raising those GIRs
Bonus chart:
Just one more chart from @Bsheridangolf to really hit the point home.
<CLICK THE LINK FOR THE FULL POST>
🔢 Stat(s) of the Week 🔢
Link: Edition #38
We are witnessing some of the greatest golf since Tiger Woods. If Scottie’s putter can stay hot, look out. I’m not saying he’s Tiger, but just noting that what Scottie is doing is NOT normal. It’s rarefied greatness.
<CLICK THE LINK FOR THE FULL POST>
If you have any questions or comments about the newsletter, please comment below or email me at the2ndcut@substack.com.
Have a great weekend!
