For most golfers, spending time on the driving range working on hitting our driver longer or straighter is time well spent and practice we tend to enjoy. There is just something about hitting the long ball over and over and the exhilaration of seeing the ball in flight. Spending a few hours working on our short game from the sand and rough can have a dramatic impact on our game. There is no question that getting off the tee is an important part of the game, but if you are serious about bringing your score down you can not overlook the value of developing your skills around the green.
Getting on in regulation is a feat even the professionals struggle with and rarely do they play an entire round without having to rely on a delicate pitch or chip from just off the green or from a sand trap. Getting up and down from off the green is part of the design of the game and the ability to do so, separates good golfers from scratch golfers.
Financially, it is easy to spend what little time we do spend looking at our money focused solely on the “long ball” or dollars we are saving and investing for our future ignoring expenses along the way. Having a solid savings and investment plan for your retirement is very important, but do not overlook the little things along the way that can impact your overall results. A simple example would be the interest lost on credit cards and financing cars. We tend to focus on the interest we are earning on our investments without considering the impact that interest we are losing in other areas is making us less effective. Improving your golf score is all about cutting out the small mistakes. Improving your financial score is all about avoiding interest you could potentially be losing unknowingly and unnecessarily.
We have all experienced the agony of hitting a great drive, looking at a possible birdie opportunity or an easy par, only to hit a poor second shot or chili dip a shot and come away with a bogie or even worse. Unnecessary losses in your financial life can produce that same agonizing feeling and have a dramatic impact on your financial future.
There is more opportunity to improve your game by avoiding the losses in your financial life than helping you pick the winners. Give us a call if you would like to spend some time improving your short game.