The Art of Playing “Boring” Golf: Why Consistency Beats Distance Every Single Time
I want to tell you something I’ve learned after 15 years of teaching golfers at every level: the players who improve the fastest aren’t the ones obsessing over swing speed or chasing the longest drives. They’re the ones who’ve figured out that patience pays better dividends than heroics.
Last week, an 18-year-old named Blades Brown demonstrated this principle beautifully at The American Express, and his performance offers us a masterclass in smart golf. More importantly, his approach is completely transferable to your game—whether you’re shooting 75 or 95.
Here’s what I want you to understand: Brown didn’t win that tournament by being the most talented player in the field. He won by making fewer mistakes than everyone else. That’s a skill you can develop this week.
Why Your Fairway Percentage Matters More Than Your Drive Distance
Let me share something that surprises most amateur golfers: distance off the tee is overrated. I know that sounds strange when you watch PGA Tour broadcasts, but hear me out.
Brown averaged nearly 318 yards with his driver—elite distance by any measure. But here’s the real story: he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth in the entire field. Do you see what happened there? He had the power to swing harder and add another 10-15 yards. Instead, he made the disciplined choice to prioritize accuracy.
“Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.”
Here’s why this matters for your game: when you’re in the fairway, you’re giving yourself clean looks at the green with shorter clubs. You’re hitting 7-irons and 8-irons instead of 5-irons and 6-irons. Those shorter approach shots are dramatically easier to control, which means more greens in regulation, which means more scoring opportunities.
I tell my students this constantly: fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. It’s not flashy, but it’s the truth.
Track Your Greens in Regulation—And Watch Your Scores Drop
Now let’s talk about the statistic that truly separated Brown from the field: he hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for the lead in the entire tournament.
Think about that for a moment. An teenager tied for first in one of the most predictive measurements of scoring ability in professional golf. And he did it not through brilliance, but through consistency.
“When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots.”
The beautiful part? You can start measuring this today. You don’t need fancy analytics or apps. Just keep a simple tally sheet and mark whether you hit each green in regulation. Par 3 in one stroke. Par 4 in two. Par 5 in three. That’s it.
Once you understand your baseline, set a realistic goal: improve your GIR by 10%. If you’re currently hitting 11 greens per round, aim for 12. If you’re at eight, target nine. This single metric will transform how you think about club selection, shot shape, and course strategy.
Here’s a Drill to Improve Your GIR Immediately
Try this approach shot exercise: On the range, set up cones or towels at distances that represent your typical approach shots from fairways—say, 120 yards, 140 yards, 160 yards, and 180 yards. Hit 10 balls from each distance, aiming to land within 15 feet of your target (this simulates hitting the green). Track your success rate at each distance. Most golfers discover they have a “dead zone”—a particular yardage where their accuracy drops. That’s your practice focus. By identifying and fixing this weakness, you’ll naturally improve your GIR percentage because you’ll trust yourself more over approach shots.
Embrace the Power of Avoiding Big Numbers
Here’s the stat that stopped me in my tracks: Brown made only three bogeys in four rounds of professional golf. Three. Against the world’s best players.
He also recorded just one double bogey all week. That’s not luck. That’s discipline.
“He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers.”
In my experience, this is where amateur golfers lose the most strokes. We make one bad swing off the tee, panic, and try to hit a hero shot to recover. That hero shot goes sideways, and suddenly a birdie opportunity becomes a triple bogey.
Brown’s approach was different. When he found himself in trouble—and yes, even elite players do—he accepted par as a victory and moved on.
Your Pre-Round Mindset Reset
Before your next round, commit to playing what I call “boring” golf. No aggressive shots over water when a safe bailout exists. No driver on tight holes just because you can reach the green. No tucked pins when the fat of the green is open.
Ask yourself on every tee: “What’s the smartest play here?” Not the most exciting play. The smartest one.
Try this mental checkpoint: Before selecting your club on every tee and every approach shot, pause and name your shot aloud (or in your head). “I’m hitting a 3-wood here for accuracy.” “I’m aiming for the center of this green.” This simple act of articulating your strategy forces you to think clearly and commit fully. Indecision is one of golf’s biggest killers.
Brown’s performance teaches us something profound: consistency beats flash, patience beats aggression, and smart golf beats talented golf every single time. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be boring—and a little bit better than you were yesterday.
