The B.I.G. Game: The Better Inspired Golf Game

By Ryan Johnson

Who you are is the foundational core of any golf game. Your personal qualities determine your potential as a golfer. The B.I.G. system concentrates on the 18 personal qualities that good golfers should aspire to develop. These inspirational, aspirational qualities are both positive character traits and requisites for taking your game to the next level. The B.I.G. system is built around continuous intellectual curiosity. In the Mechanical Shot section of the book, the most important shots of an exceptional golfer are laid out in detail. This section covers the full swing, wedges, pitching, chipping, putting, and all the "artistry" shots a golfer may face during a round. Developing next-level skill in these shots is critical. Discussing the actual mechanical process of executing these shots and the reasoning behind those techniques provides for a deep understanding required of exceptional golf. Whether you're an aspiring young athlete looking to supercharge your efforts, a mid to high handicapper searching for a transformational catalyst, or even an accomplished golfer looking for an edge, this book can maximize your potential on the course.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: May 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9781667899329

Book preview

The publisher and the author make no guarantees concerning the level of success you may experience by following the advice and strategies contained in this book, and you accept the risk that results will differ for each individual. The testimonials and examples provided in this book show exceptional results, which may not apply to the average reader, and are not intended to represent or guarantee that you will achieve the same or similar results.

Copyright © 2023 by Ryan Johnson

All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for quotations in a book review.

First paperback edition March 2023

Edited by Kelly Guinn

ISBN 978-1-66789-425-6 (paperback)

eISBN 978-1-6678993-2-9

Published by Ryan Johnson

www.betterinspiredgolf.com

For my wife, Sheri, for supporting my love of golf. To my kids, Lauren, Keegan, and Madi for letting me teach them, at times begrudgingly, the sports I love. And to Mom, Dana Mae Gilroy, for demonstrating to me the value of lifelong learning, perseverance, and kindness.

The

Better

Inspired

Golf Game

Foreword

I have played the wonderful game of golf for 45 years. Not continuously. I slept when it was dark outside. I played a lot early on in high school and college but then took a respite to have kids and a career. I never totally gave up the game, but I played so sparingly that there were times I wasn’t sure where my clubs were.

I did find other ways to pursue athletics. I learned to play baseball and tennis and did so at a relatively high level. Apparently, I like to hit things. My approach was to gain in-depth knowledge of how to be good, develop a plan to improve, and work the plan.

This background served me well when I decided a few years ago to get back into golf. It was a sport I could still play with an artificial hip, and I had some past experience to rely on. The process of getting back into golf was precisely what I had done with baseball and tennis. It took me only about eight months to become a scratch golfer at the age of 62.

A contributing factor to my rapid skill increase was my background as a business executive. In my roles, I learned the art of how to get things done. I accomplish highly ambitious goals supported by large and small organizations. Applying this knowledge and experience to goal achievement has been instrumental in getting good at golf quickly.

This book is the culmination of all of my experiences. The B.I.G Game is a system that embodies what needs to get done to be good at golf.

There are plenty of videos to help in that endeavor, but most only strive to meet the short attention span of the modern-day…which I believe is about eight seconds. I believe that transformational growth comes with in-depth understanding. A system designed to drive exceptional change by understanding the details of the most important critical factors. The B.I.G. Game doesn’t compete with any other golf system. In many ways, it would be well suited to be used with them. It is, however, different. The method of knowledge transference from me to you is offered by the written word. Crazy, I know. Colleges have been using this pedantic process for over 500 years, so maybe there is something to it.

The book focuses on the aspects of the game that have the most significant impact - who you are, what you can do, and how you think. I hope those who still find value in reading will benefit from a comprehensive explanation of what makes scratch golf possible.

I also hope, as a byproduct, the reader learns about positive human qualities to embrace. How to plan and get stuff done. The power of the mind and focus. Enjoying the present and embracing the journey of improvement. If the reader gains knowledge in any of those areas, I have surpassed my goal in writing this book.

And if the only thing you get by reading this book is an occasional chuckle, that works too. You’ll still be a better golfer in the end.

Table of contents

Introduction

What’s The B.I.G. Idea?

Section I

B.I.G. Personal Qualities

Section II

The B.I.G. Mechanical Shot Principles

Mechanical Principles II-A:

The Full Golf Swing

The Swing Positions

Swing Rhythm and Tempo

Merging Swing Concepts

Mechanical Principles II-B:

Wedging and Pitching

The Standard Grip Wedge Shot

The Mid-Range Pitch Wedge Shot

Mechanical Principles II-C:

Chipping

Chip and Pitch Trajectories

Chipping Club Selection

The Lie Factor

Mechanical Principles II-D.

Putting

Balance is Key

The Putting Grip

The Ball Position

Tempo and Distance Control

Reading the Break

Putting from off the Green

Mechanical Principles II-E:

Bunker Shots

The Long Bunker Shot

The Short Bunker Shot

Explosion Shot Distancing

Mechanical Principles II-F:

Shot Artistry

The Flop Shot

The Punch Shot

The Fried Egg Bunker Shot

The High Fade and Slice

The Low Draw and Fade

The Fairway Finder Drive

Contending with Different Slopes

The Chip and Check Shot

The Chop Chip

Mechanical Principles II-G:

The Power of Fitness

Section III:

The B.I.G. Mental Game

The Mental Game III-A:

Inspired Planning

Goal Definition

Documenting Motivations

Conceptualize the Plan

Build the Plan

The Mental Game III-B:

Inspired Practice

Structure of Practice Sessions

What to Practice

Determining Drills

Practice v. Playing Swings

Meeting Goals

The Mental Game III-C:

Inspired Playing

Course Strategy

Getting Prepared to Play

Shot Strategy

Thought Discipline and Imagination

Imagination, Visualization, and Reading Putts

When the Swing Goes Bad

The Mental Game III-D:

Harnessing the Subconscious

Preshot Planning and Routines - full swing

Preshot Planning and Routines - Short game

The Secret to Great Golf - Doing Two Things.

The Mental Game III-E:

Managing Disappointments

Bad Shots

Bad Rounds

A Bad Month

The Mental Game III-F:

Thwarting Bad Expectations

Section IV

The B.I.G. Deal

Introduction

What’s The B.I.G. Idea?

The average golfer is a butcher. Not in how they play the game, although many succeed at hacking up a course. They’re simply butchers based on their level of meat-cutting talent. They have skills – butchers are good at cutting meat, just as average golfers are good at playing golf. B.I.G. golf aspires to provide the knowledge necessary to go from butcher to surgeon, average golfer to scratch golfer…or better.

Elevating your golf game to the next level isn’t just about your athletic talent or mental prowess. It's about knowledge and belief. The potential to improve requires an understanding of what it takes to improve. A clear outline of an approach that works. Many, even very successful golfers, are limited because they have not taken the time to learn or develop a comprehensive approach to the game.

Don’t get me wrong, raw athletic talent helps, but what sets apart the best golfers at every level is knowledge and belief. Those two factors, driven by a system, are the difference between a scorecard full of bogeys and one you’ll frame on your wall.

B.I.G. is about developing your knowledge and making it your biggest golf asset. That is the core difference between this approach to other golf instruction methodologies. Yes, as part of the system, the mechanical elements of the golf swing are core competencies, but most of the system focuses on the cerebral. Understanding the personal traits and mental skills required to perform exceptional golf.

At its core, golf is a physical activity. It’s based exclusively in the physical world. It’s highly measurable and provides massive amounts of empirical data that a player can use for all kinds of analysis and, ultimately, process improvement. It’s precise, unambiguous, and rigid in its construct. Just look at the official rules – it’s a veritable constitution with amendments and bylaws.

If you believe that golf is strictly a physical endeavor and that satisfies your perspective of the game, then you are all set. But if you are looking for an edge, a holistic view of the sport that will inspire you to be greater, then read on. This system may be a good fit for you.

Obviously, how you use the B.I.G. system is entirely up to you. You may use it to find some golf tips, a few swing hacks, a helpful drill or exercise, or some other concept that makes you better. It can simply be another golf reference for your library. The book, however, was written for a different purpose: to transform your approach to the game by emphasizing personal qualities and traits that support the physical and mental aspects of the sport. The B.I.G. deal is when all of these components come together, they will have a profound impact on your golf performance and overall satisfaction.

There are many reasons that golf is a wonderful pastime. Why? It’s a way to spend time with people. I know what you’re saying, But what about the quality time I need to spend with my digital devices? Well, they may have to suffer if you want to be good at golf. Here’s a bold statement: Perhaps human interaction is good, spending time with friends is worthwhile, and a little fresh air is healthy. I would never post that statement online for fear of getting canceled, but I’ll take the risk of putting it in a book because no one reads books….well, except you. The fact is golf is a fantastic pastime. You get to chase a little ball around a pasture. I mean, it doesn’t get any better than that! Just don’t let the dogs know what we are doing; they’ll go nuts.

Golf can also be a good way to stay in shape, especially if you walk the course. There are about 15,000 steps taken in a round of golf. You will walk 6,000 steps when you take a cart. Add the inevitable up and down of hills, digging through sand traps, ripping through foliage looking for your ball, and swinging a club around a hundred times or more and you’re getting a real workout.

Golf also makes you move in a unique way. Twisting and turning, bending and swinging, squatting and lifting up….all at once, with speed and force! Movement is good for your body, I've heard. Use it or lose it, as they say. Since the it is your body, it may be a good idea to err on the side of use.

This next point may be puzzling to some, but golf is a game that requires you to use your noodle. Every single round, hole, and shot requires complex and creative thinking. Golf involves strategy and planning, tactical considerations, impulse control, controlled stresses, and even emotional stimulation. I’m exhausted just thinking about the thinking.

Another great thing about golf? It’s fun competition. Granted, the term competition is a trigger for many, but for those of us who never got a participation trophy, golf is a great battlefield. It’s both a game and a sport. With golf, competitions can include everyone and even a way for all levels to compete against each other in different formats. You can up the fun with individual money games that lead to lifelong enemies and vendettas. Does it get any better than making a 5-footer on the final hole to take $2 bucks off your buddy –who then doesn’t talk to you for a year after that? I think not.

There is also an aspect of the game that gets short shrift in the unexamined lifestyle of today, and that is the spiritual benefit one can get from playing golf. The inspiration that comes from being on a golf course cathedral, the melding of mind and body, taming the forces of nature. Couple that with the feeling of joy experienced when striping a 4-iron next to the pin… exhilarating. Those moments are particularly satisfying when witnessed by your golf brethren who incredulously mumble something about pure luck.

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The B.I.G. system includes three parts

1. The B.I.G. Personal Qualities: The characteristics of a good golfer.

2. The Mechanical Principles: