Golf is a funny game. It always has been and always will be. A game that can frustrate you to the max and yet still captivate your senses when you hit that one perfect shot. Now, try imagine playing golf against an opponent that wants nothing more than to beat you to get a spot in a National Tournament. Sounds like fun right? Well, it can be.
“The harder I practice, the luckier I get!” Gary Player spoke these words to an audience long ago, explaining that the more he practiced certain shots on the practice tee the better the results on the golf course. Gary Player knew that if he put in the time and the effort in preparing for a golf tournament he would increase his chances of winning.
In the past months I’ve been able to observe the conversations that Chris has with his students and it’s interesting to see him talking about preparing for a golf course and carrying a “winning mentality” while on the golf course. It took me awhile to grasp the concept of preparing and comprehend what was he was talking about “winning mentality”, but after careful reflection I understood why Chris has so much success teaching this game to juniors.
Preparation is the key to success. Chris helps his students understand the troubles that a golf course provides and helps them devise a plan to have the golf course play to their strengths. The tools available to golfers are unparalleled and google earth has given Chris the opportunity to help his students prepare for major tournaments from the comfort of his teaching shed.
Chris Smeal creates successful junior golfers not only because of his extensive knowledge of the golf swing but because he creates great golfers from the inside out. A good golfer can have a picture perfect swing but a great golfer has a picture perfect swing and a moxy to him/her that cannot be broken. I’ve observed his students carry themselves with complete confidence on the golf course because Chris’ approach is so simple and clear that players develop a strategy based on their strengths and play stress free golf. No wonder his students have been so successful this year.
This is what creates Champions in golf and in life. That is our mission at Future Champions Golf, to create champions not only on the golf course but also in the real world. I am so grateful to be a part of an organization that not only promotes the game of golf but helps young men and women develop the necessary life skills in order to be successful in any endeavor they have in life.