March 3, 2025
Going Low
"We are limited by our own expectations". Golfers are especially prone to not push past their own perceived limitations. One of my best friends from Colorado, Don Keffer, opened my eyes to unrestricted free-flowing golf. Don's attitude, when he stepped up to the first tee was, "this day I'm going to shoot the course record". Others, if they had a great round going, would be trying to protect their score and not mess it up, but Don would not be satisfied and wanted more. Think about it, how many times in your life do you have the opportunity to do something great. Don never held back and eventually did set the course record at Lakewood Country Club with a 61.
This weekend, at the Cognizant Classic PGA tournament at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Joe Highsmith came from last place after two rounds to win his first PGA event by two shots, shooting fourteen under par for that last 36 holes. Earlier in the week, Jake Knapp shot a course record 59 on a course that I consider one of the hardest on the PGA Tour. 59, was in my mind, not a possibility, but apparently not in Jake's mind! The week before a 20-year-old South African, Aldrich Potgieter shot a 61, that beat everyone in the field by four strokes! It is apparent that mental barriers are being broken and new standards are being set.
I remember in my senior year, during a high school match, I set the course record at El Dorado Park golf course in Long Beach, California. After eagling the 10th hole, I stood on the 11th tee at 6 under par and was completely overwhelmed. Literally, I went into a totally different world. It was surreal. I still remember, physically and emotionally, the experience on the 11th tee. Somehow, I played pretty good from that point and made a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole with all my teammates and coaches looking on, to set the record. Technically, I still have that record, because they redesigned the course two years later and no one else shot a 66 up to that time.
A barrier was broken for me and with it came a new realization on my capability as a golfer. In my case the bar was moved quite a bit further forward. When I went off to college at USC, I was challenged again to move the bar even further forward. My year on Tour was the ultimate test. I wish I had had more than a year to figure it out. I played with the best and wasn't lacking in ability, but this was probable where I didn't believe in myself enough. I worked super hard, but I tried too hard, which I now know doesn't work.
This generation of golfer, it appears, have a different mindset. I think the instruction that young golfers are getting is so much better than when I was a junior golfer, but more so their instructors are instilling in them a sense of confidence and a mindset that they can be great "right now". Jordan Spieth came out of college and won right away. Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland were instant successes. Nick Dunlop, a sophomore in college, won a PGA tournament last year as an amateur. Luke Clanton and Gordon Sargent have earned PGA cards as amateurs competing against the best in the world in PGA tournaments. Aldrich Potgieter, Joe Highsmith, and Jake Knapp are just the latest examples of breaking through and not being afraid of going into uncharted territory.
"Going Low" or shooting your personal best is when you go into uncharted territory. Embrace the situation that you have placed yourself in. It may never happen again, so don't let the opportunity pass you by. This is one of the reasons you play the game. No one ever should be ashamed when they gave it their best. It only makes the breakthrough even more fulfilling. Take a lesson from these young pros and embrace the challenge and GO LOW.
