Hi Reader,

🏌️‍♂️ I've Realised I Don't Know Very Much About Golf!

I've been playing this d*mn game for over 40 years.

Single-figure handicap. Thousands of rounds under my belt. I thought I knew basically what I was doing.

Then I encountered Scott Fawcett's DECADE program, and frankly, it's changed a huge amount of what I thought I understood about golf.

📊 The Brutal Truth About Golf

Here's what Fawcett confirmed that we all secretly know but often refuse to accept:

​Golf is insanely hard. Arguably the hardest sport of all.

Even Tour professionals - the absolute best players on the planet - hit shots within a range that would shock you:

• Driver: 65-70 yards distance left to right between shots
• 8-iron from 160 yards: 24 yards left to right
• Sand wedge from 100 yards: Still only get within 20 feet on average

Let that sink in. The best golfers in the world miss their target by huge margins regularly.

Four game-changing insights that changed my approach

I'll be honest also. The DECADE program is detailed and I've struggled to pick it all up.

But following these basic principles from it have made an immediate impact to my scores:

• Stop trying to make birdies - This one hit me like a brick. I spent years hunting pins, chasing birdies, getting frustrated when I didn't make them. Scott's data shows that smart, conservative play actually leads to more birdies naturally - without the big numbers.
• Stop trying to make putts - Controversial? Absolutely. But here's the thing - Tour pros make only 50% of 8-foot putts. Once you accept that making putts isn't that common, you focus on what you can control: speed, and getting the ball close.
• Even Tiger needed a lot of luck to win - This was liberating. Fawcett demonstrates that winning requires a lot of luck even with the greats. Tiger Woods for example, needed things to bounce his way on multiple occasions and especially in his famous comeback win in the 2019 Masters!
• Commit to one shot shape only - This has dramatically improved my driving especially. Pick fade or draw - that's it. Rory McIlroy hits a draw. Brooks Koepka hits a fade. They don't get creative off the tee, and neither should we.

And the results so far have spoken for themselves on my scorecard.

But here's what I'm really curious about...

I'm curious: Have you ever paid much attention to game management and calculated shot targets? Or do you do what I've done most of my golfing life and just aim at flags without any idea where our misses actually go?

I'm considering creating a series focused specifically on game management - the practical lessons I've learned from DECADE and other great content, how they've already impacted my scoring.

Less swing changes relying on hours and hours of practice to bed in, more strategic thinking which you can use quickly with your existing game.

Would that interest you?

👍 YES, count me in!

🏆 Speaking of smart play - the Ryder Cup teams are set

With teams now finalised, Bethpage Black awaits September 23-28.

Team USA under Keegan Bradley features the expected powerhouses: Scheffler, Schauffele, DeChambeau, plus some intriguing picks like Ben Griffin.

Luke Donald's European squad is largely unchanged from their victorious 2023 team - McIlroy leads his 8th appearance, with only one rookie in Rasmus Højgaard.

The Americans will have home advantage and that notorious New York crowd. But Europe's continuity and Ryder Cup experience could prove decisive.

I can't wait and hope you are looking forward to tuning in too.

Before then though, as ever and most importantly I hope you're enjoying your golf and staying Golfing Focused! 👍

Graeme Hay Founder, GolfingFocus.com