You'll Never Get Better Unless You Try

Want to step up your game? Check out this guest post from Dan Berger:

Andrew Giuliani, Dan Berger, Peter Goodman, Lokesh Reddy

You may not learn how to drive the ball 300 yards, but you can pick up a host of invaluable information if you play with better golfers from time to time. With that goal in mind, I joined two other amateurs for a round with notable professional Andrew Giuliani at Westchester Hills. Giuliani, winner of the 2009 Met Open and two-time star of the Golf Channel’s Big Break, currently competes on the mini tours and was more than helpful to us all. Here’s what we each learned during the round.

Lokesh Reddy, no handicap: “I’m new to golf and it was fascinating watching how Andrew approached his shots and calmly stepped up to the ball and effortlessly struck shots that made the ball just soar. I learned you have to relax and just hit the ball.”

Peter Goodman, 20 handicap: “Andrew was very accommodating and gave me pointers that seemed to help.  I was jabbing my putter and Andrew explained and demonstrated how I should putt more in a pendulum with an even bringing back of the putter head and then pushing through with the same length through the ball.  It was nice hearing it and watching him do it.”

Dan Berger, 8 handicap: “Andrew’s got game and it takes a ton of hard work and dedication to keep the dream alive.  He works out, keeps physically fit and practices all the time.  He keeps looking to improve his game.  He works with Old Oaks head pro Bobby Heins on his swing and with Darrel Kestner on his putting. While it seems glamorous being a professional golfer, you need great skills and dedication to continuously improving your game.  It’s a grind too.”

Giuliani explained how he approaches rounds with amateurs: “The main thing is to have some fun. Guys get nervous, but they need to remember we hit bad shots too. Sometimes it’s difficult to give advice on the golf course. That’s not the best time for the amateur to try something new or to make a correction. It’s going to feel awkward. I suggest we go to the range after the round and hit a few balls instead.”

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf