True potential

How many times have you heard, “I play 14 holes really well, but there’s always four holes that kill my score”?  Or, “If I could only play to my full potential.”  Even better, “My mulligan shots are so much better than my first shots.”  We’ve even felt that way ourselves.  There is always something to improve upon during a round: A misplayed chip shot, wrong club selection, or even where we left our ball to play the next shot.  One way to learn from these mistakes (among others) is to play a three-ball scramble by yourself. By playing a “solo” three-ball scramble, your students learn from their mistakes: Poor swings, bad course management, and wrong club selection.  If you are able to accompany your students while they are playing the scramble, you have an opportunity to consult after each shot, figure out what can be improved upon, and plan the next shot.  Normally, I go on the course when it is not busy and I will have the student play nine holes. We all make bad swings, but there are always things to learn from them.  It could be a poor swing path, bad posture, or too quick of a tempo.  Being able to hit three shots will help your students learn from their mistakes and help them grove their swings.  One of the most important lessons they will learn from a solo three-ball scramble is proper course management.  Being able to see a poor result due to lack of concentration is helpful, such as laying up in front of a bunker and being forced to hit a flop shot versus laying up away from the bunker, giving them more green to work with and helping them get up and down.  For many students, the lessons they learn from the course management areas will benefit their scores beyond what swing mechanics will. It is not uncommon for a 15-handicapper to shoot in the mid-70s or for a 5-handicap to shoot a few under par.  By having your students play a three-ball scramble, you can show them what their true potential can be when they have awareness of their performance.