Entry 25.42

My friend Barry sent this to me on Instagram. With the PAT this weekend at Methodist, I thought it was appropriate to get those students in the right mindset. It will benefit all my players and readers as well. @james_berry.1 does a great job simply directing your focus. Read what he has to say. It will be quicker than a normal Pondering (I’m trying! I promise) and is worth the read:

Everyone wants to know what elite players do differently. Here’s the secret…

Elite players understand a simple truth.

It’s easier to avoid bogeys that it is to chase birdies.

And they build their entire game around that idea.

So how do they do it?

They dedicate themselves to simple.

Here’s how…

The Problem

Most people ignore simple.

It’s boring.

It feels too easy.

It doesn’t deliver the dopamine.

It doesn’t feed the ego.

None of that matters.

Simple is the foundation from which all great golf is played.

Build the Foundation

Elite players understand the power of simple.

A relentless commitment to the fundaments.

Most golfers think they’ve got the basics down – and that’s exactly why they keep searching for something new.

Because they’re not improving.

Ask yourself:

How solid are your fundamentals?

The truth is, most bogeys (and worse) start from a basic, preventable mistake.

Here are the three areas you have to get right…

Setup for success

The principles of proper setup – why don’t we revisit them more often?

✅Stance

✅Posture

✅Alignment

✅Grip

✅Ball position

These aren’t one-time lessons you check off and move on from.

They’re the foundation of every great golf shot – and the easiest to let slip.

Every practice session should include a block dedicated to these fundaments.

The Mind

The same applies to the fundamentals of your mind.

✅Disarming fight or flight.

✅Being the aggressor, not the victim.

✅Executing with conviction and clarity.

✅Accepting outcomes without reaction.

✅An overarching sense of gratitude.

The basics.

These are the skills that decide whether your technical work ever shows up when it matters.

You either have them, or you don’t.

Like all skills, they must be trained and refined to be useful under pressure.

Course Management

And let’s not forget the simplest form of strategy.

✅How to map a course

✅How to select targets

✅How to stick to a plan and make high-percentage decisions

You can master the mental and physical fundamentals – but you’ll never reach your potential without a foundation of basic course management.

Basic doesn’t mean easy.

It means disciplined.

It means committed.

It’s the final piece that brings everything together.

The Difference

Elite players don’t move past the fundamentals – they build their entire game around them.

✅A repeatable strike in every area of the game

✅Mental control under pressure

✅Clear, disciplined decision-making

They clock in every day, quietly devoted to the basics.

They own the simple.

Because simple delivers.

It delivers skill development.

It delivers consistency.

It delivers the closest thing you’ll every find to mistake-free golf.

And that’s the mark of an elite player.