Stuggling with consistency? Sometimes golf can feel easy and sometimes like you’ve never played before. The key is to find out why!

 
When I hear someone tell me that they’ve been playing well lately, I ask them to give me a tangible reason why. All too often I’ll hear the reply, “Well, I’m not really sure.” Then, a few rounds later, they complain that their game has somehow vanished.
 
I’m a firm believer in having a golf journal if you are serious about your game and crave consistency. It is important to have a place to track your game and keep your thoughts for future reference. People all too often assume that when it goes well, it will always go that way, but you have to look no further than the rise and fall of many of the games top players to see that is not the case. I feel that it is most important to write down your thoughts or keys for when you are playing your best, so that you have some things to go back to if you are ever struggling.
 
Some good things to note from when you are playing well are: Grip, aim, posture, ball position, your distance from the ball, your shaft angle/ hand position at address, and any other thoughts you have on what you’re trying to do. Don’t be afraid to go into detail (see Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons) and also try to get video of your swing if you can. These little bits of information can be taken for granted and assumed that you’ll always do them but that isn’t always the case. It is important to know what you’re doing when you play your best so that you can play your best more often.
 
 
-Derek Deminsky, PGA