Golfing : You also can- Part 7: Practising part 2

Sport
Learning golf with Mabikacheche Genuine practice should be focussed on known techniques. It might be that some people do not think about this aspect or they just underrate its importance.

But first you have to learn before we can talk of practising. Learning is said to be knowledge or skill which is gained through having been taught or after studying.

You practise what you know or have learned. If you were to give the respective sports equipment needed to playing sports like golf, cricket, rugby and tennis to a community at a remote rural centre where such sports are unknown and ask them to start playing any of those sports, what would you expect to come out of them? These people would not know where to start from. They would tell you that they will not be able to do anything with any of the equipment without having been introduced to how each of the sports is played. They would be right.

When you are practising you are not primarily learning anything new except reinforcing consistence in how to play each shot well in the way you would have been taught or studied. That is why you should practise purposefully. You need to have some knowledge of what you are practising for you to achieve anything meaningful. Let me share with you the two types of practising which I think people are involved in.

First, let us take professionals or the low handicapped amateurs who are shooting under pars or level pars. You find a golfer who is shooting 5 to 7 under par in a round on the practice range soon a round. The golfer is playing so well, why does he need to be at the range? This will be the reaction of many people. They will be forgetting that he needs to maintain proficiency in the techniques he has mastered which is making it possible for him to shoot 5 or 6 under par in a single round. This can only be achieved through repeated exercises / practices.

The second category of practising involves those golfers who have not reached the perfect proficiency level. They are still struggling in their game despite having been taught or studied all the golf fundamentals. For those of you  who are at  remote centres where there is no one to teach you the fundamentals, find a way of getting a basic book you can read and acquire some basics.

 

If you cannot read find someone who can and is prepared to then teach you. There are many people from rural areas who are working in towns where golf is played. When they come home or visit your areas do not be shy to ask them. Find out if they know about the sport you would be interested in. If they have some knowledge, persuade them to spend some time showing you how the sport is played.

If you want to be perfect or near perfect then continuous practice is the only gateway to succeeding. You also can.

For any feedback/comments and any assistance you may need contact the writer, Tavenganiswa Mabikacheche at The Centre for Training and Research Services on email:

[email protected]  or mobile no. +263712200922