Hello, Daily Duffer readers! Sarah Chen here, your golf instruction editor. I’ve spent over 15 years on the range, working with everyone from aspiring tour pros to dedicated weekend warriors. One thing I believe deeply is that with the right instruction and a committed mindset, anyone can improve their game. Today, I want to talk about something fundamental, something that even the pros are discussing: the power of competition and healthy rivalry, not just on the scoreboard, but in how we approach our own improvement.
I just read an insightful piece featuring Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open winner. He brought up a fascinating point about PGA Tour events competing against each other to be better. He believes this internal competition would elevate the entire product for players, spectators, and TV audiences alike. This got me thinking: how can we, as recreational and serious amateur golfers, apply this idea of healthy competition to our own practice and play to unlock new levels of performance?
The Power of Internal Competition: Competing Against Yourself
Ogilvy’s idea of tournaments striving to “outdo each other” can be directly translated to your golf game. Instead of just hitting balls, imagine your practice sessions are mini-tournaments where you’re competing against your own best performance. This isn’t about beating others; it’s about pushing your own boundaries.
“I’d like to see the American Express try to be better than Torrey and Torrey try to be better than Phoenix and L.A. try to be better than Phoenix. If you have a situation where tournaments are competing, I mean, the players are going to win, everyone’s going to benefit.”
Just as tournaments would benefit, so too will your game when you create this kind of internal drive. You’re not just practicing; you’re actively working to make this week’s practice better than last week’s, this round better than your last. This mindset shifts practice from mundane repetition to an exciting challenge.
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Why it Works: Prestige Over “Sugar Hits”
Ogilvy touched on another profound point that resonates with how we should approach practice:
“competition is good, and I think we’ve chased this sugar hit with if you don’t have a field, you don’t have a tournament. And we’ve just bought fields effectively with money, and I don’t think money is as exciting as prestige and history.”
This “sugar hit” analogy is perfect for how we often practice. We chase the instant gratification of hitting one perfect shot amidst twenty poor ones, or we only practice what we’re already good at. True improvement, true prestige in your own game, comes from consistent effort and challenging yourself in areas that need work, even if it’s not always instantly rewarding.
Actionable Drills for Your “Competitive” Practice
Let’s put this philosophy into action. Here are a few drills focused on creating that internal competition and striving for continuous improvement, much like Ogilvy envisions for tour events:
Drill 1: The “Weekly Best” Challenge (Full Swing & Short Game)
Goal: Consistently beat your previous best performance in a specific skill.
How to do it: Choose one aspect of your game for the week – perhaps 7-iron consistency, or chipping from 20 yards. At the beginning of the week, establish a baseline. For 7-iron, hit 10 shots and measure how many land within a 15-yard target zone. For chipping, chip 10 balls to a target and record how many finish within a 6-foot circle.
Throughout the week, repeat this 10-ball test. Your goal is to improve your score each time. Don’t just practice; actively try to *beat* your last attempt. Track your scores in a small notebook. The “prestige” comes from seeing that score climb.
Why it works: It creates a direct, measurable competition against yourself. You’re not just hitting balls; you’re aiming for a better result than last time, which forces focus and intention.
Drill 2: The “Next Week’s Improvement” Putting Drill
Goal: Drive consistent improvement in your putting by anticipating future challenges.
How to do it: Find three putting holes at different distances (e.g., 5, 8, and 12 feet). Drop two balls at each distance. Putt the first ball, then the second. If you make both, move on. If you miss one or both, you must make two in a row from that distance before moving to the next. Do this for all three distances. If you complete the circuit, write down your total attempts. The next time you do this drill, you’re competing against that previous attempt. If you find yourself consistently “winning” (lower attempts), add a fourth distance or increase the string of makes needed (e.g., three in a row).
Why it works: This drill builds pressure, similar to an actual round. It also forces you to think ahead. “How can I improve my product for next week?” as Ogilvy says. You are constantly challenging yourself to make the drill, and thus your putting, better.
Drill 3: The “Course Management Rivalry”
Goal: Enhance your on-course decision-making by competing against conservative vs. aggressive strategies.
How to do it: On your next round, for every hole from the tee, decide on two possible shots: a safe, high-percentage shot (e.g., 3-wood to a wide landing area) AND a more aggressive, lower-percentage shot (e.g., driver over a corner). Before you hit, mentally play out both scenarios – what’s the best outcome, worst outcome, and most likely outcome for each?
Then, commit to your chosen shot. After your round, review those decisions. Did the aggressive plays pay off? Did the safe plays put you in a good position? The “competition” here is between your strategic mindsets. Over time, you’ll see which approach generally yields better results for *your* game on *your* course. This is about building a better “broadcast” of your game.
Why it works: This isn’t just about execution; it’s about making better strategic choices. By mentally pitting two approaches against each other, you sharpen your course management skills, leading to lower scores.
In my teaching experience, the most rapidly improving students are those who embrace challenge and see every practice session as an opportunity to be just a little bit better than they were yesterday. It’s about finding that internal “prestige” in your own progress rather than just seeking fleeting “sugar hits” of perfection. Embrace the competition within yourself, and you’ll find your game elevating in ways you never thought possible.
Keep swinging, and I’ll see you on the links!
