Are you going pro?

This past weekend we saw Phil Mickelson become the older player to win a major at age 50. He has been a professional golfer since 1992. What separates him from the thousands, possibly millions, of amateurs?

The reality is this, amateurs practice until they get it right once. Professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong. 

Think about that amateurs practice until they get it right once, while professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong. When I look at my golf game, I hit one good shot and it keeps me coming back but I only have one good shot because the next 8 are terrible. 

But in watching Phil and the professionals this past weekend, it was over and over and over again. They just don’t get it wrong. 

I reminded of a story about Phil Mickelson that he had a college player asking for advice about his three-foot putts. Phil told him that he had the same problem early in his career and he was given some great advice. Practice until you make 100 three-foot putts in a row and if you miss one you start over at one. Phil noted that it took him two days and countless hours to get it done, he even remember that the attempt right before he completed the first time he missed the 100th putt. 

He didn’t sit on that fact for long and followed that missed 100th missed putt and made the next 100 putts in a row. 

Fast forward two weeks and he ran into that same college player and ask them how his three-foot putts were going. He said I made about 50 in a row and I kind of stopped. 

That’s the separation between a professional and an amateur. 

The professional is willing to do whatever it takes to get it done, so I want you to reflect on that amateur or professional. How bad do you want it, and are you willing to put the work in?