Hard work skill playing golf when we can is what's going to get you down like listen to your coach listen to how you can improve your technique [Music]. So i've got a good direct for you and as i say every week dear rick is your chance to really zone in fully the phone is still to one side have a quick look now have a quick scroll if you need it all right no scrolls um it's from charlie that's all i'm gonna say obviously with it being a dear rick they're normally anonymous i think first names works if you're not watching this clip now rico's eyes closed he's really looking at very zen i'm guessing it's charlie woods it's charlie woods my dad is better than me i can't beat him no basically it says i'm gonna try. And it's always that compromise now i've not wanted to read a word for word and make it boring but i don't want to skip anything so i'm going to take my time settle down cruise along in the car in fifth gear ready. For a nice day rick rick's ready i'm going to keep going because rick keeps shooting his eyes i keep dragging it on right here we go derrick title is golf addiction help needed wow having first picked up a golf club in april 2020 i've officially caught the golf bug which sounds great on paper doesn't it i have found myself in the um in the golfing hole of obsessing over anything. And everything from technique to equipment i've managed to get myself to a 24 handicap which i believe is a great start considering the stop start nature of the last year. For golf with lockdowns etc i'm absolutely loving it and playing as much as i can in 12 months my travels have taken me to some lovely courses including portugal etc. And he's played obviously loads of golf my problem is i think the addiction is getting out of control during this lockdown i've been thinking of all the possible ways to improve my game i feel like i'm nailing down my technique. But practicing tired in a golf net where my mat sticks up out the grass understandable it has got to the point where whenever i see a new product that boasts innovation technology i just have to buy a product a recent example of this is purchasing a lab putter. And an axis one putter both of which are very expensive i'm not sure why i've done this. And it's difficult to see if the investment is worth it when i'm just putting on my carpet at home. So rick do you have any ideas of how i can channel my addiction positively. And stop my temptation of buying new products if they come out i just feel like when i see these companies they sell stuff so well and it makes me want to buy stuff which is hard to obviously resist that temptation. And i'm really confident i can get down to 14 in the next.
Year. But i really need to have the focus on practice instead of easy equipment fixes a bit longer than that but that's basically the the nuts of it and that's from charlie wow ah it's tough in it so he's only been playing golf for 10 months yes which isn't a long time at all. And i'm guessing he's an adult yeah well i'm i'm just trying to work out not that really matters. But those lab putters are expensive aren't they yeah well he's obviously been able to afford yeah he must be an adult you think. So because it's a weird one because as kids we were addicted to golf yeah i was addicted to golf yeah. But i was addicted to playing golf yeah. And improving at golf i wasn't particularly addicted to buying new equipment because i couldn't exactly see that if i could have done that age it would have been horrendous yeah. So there's a really good piece of advice and i think this is something a lot of people could learn from is as you've seen from many many um videos even we've done where i've played with like 70 pound golf clubs right the latest. And greatest golf clubs are great. And you're right companies are unbelievable at marketing. And making you want to buy them i get that but your ability your skill will get you to a much lower handicap than any equipment ever will yeah. So so in my opinion you're off 24 at the moment which is a nice start. For somebody who's been playing golf for 10 months and like i said with the stop. And start of of is it uk. Or does not really say i think it's uk. So with the stop and start nature at the moment not being able to play lows get to 24 is is okay you should be quite proud of that yeah i think then.
This is where you've got to tunnel your addiction let's say is reward yourself when you achieve certain goals because i think trying to buy success via new equipment isn't going to work. But treating yourself to something new when you've achieved said goal will give you the drive that you need to actually improve your game. So i remember when i was coaching loads. And have a student come in and go rick i'm really after a new set of clubs because it's going to help me play much better golf not really it might not make you play much better golf as we've talked about in the in the controversial custom fitting video that we did it might not make you play better golf it might make you feel good i understand why people want to buy new stuff. But why not treat yourself if you achieve said goal. So for example if he's off 24 he doesn't need from the sound of things he doesn't need anything at the moment to get him down lower than 20. to get him to 18 handicap let's say he's having lessons as well should add so he's doing everything right well this is where we're going to go with this charlie you need to set a goal. And you cannot spend any money on equipment until you get down to an 18 handicap because then.
It gives you drive and you know six shots off your handicap no special super duper putter's gonna do that hard work skill playing golf when we can is what's going to get you down like listen to your coach listen to how you can improve your technique work on those things that you can control as opposed to actually trying to buy exterior products that are going to get you down to said handicap there's nothing wrong with being addicted to golf i wanted to learn everything. And wanting to get fully into it but then.
You've got to try trying to channel it into actually improvement and that's where that's the link that i feel like he's missing at the moment i was wondering with this because addictions are not a funny thing are they obviously you know it could be anything if he's actually kind of using that word tongue-in-cheek. Or if it actually is an addiction because obviously if it is it's probably needs to get some help what's the definition of it of addiction well i don't know. But an addiction if it's a real addiction would something really ruin your life isn't it really gambling or alcohol or smoking or drug it's not something that's taken lightly you might i'm guessing i'd like to think he's kind of using that a little bit tongue-in-cheek when his addiction um. But when you look at some of the terminology and and the marketing and stuff that the brand's power for new clubs it does get you know higher launch in lower spin longer um longer distances faster ball speeds if you are really into your golf. And you've got the money to spend you can understand why some people do get trapped in this world of buying stuff all the time like is addiction i'm just looking online now is it always classed as a negative yeah because it's something you can't control isn't it yeah wouldn't it the fancy condition being addicted it basically means you can't control it that's the big thing like you've got no control over it. So it depends like say taking it on a much more serious route as you're mentioning there if it is a proper addiction. And you literally cannot stop buying stuff because spending is an addiction spending golf might be addiction that's where you you may want to seek help. And you may want to get advice and you know even just anybody listening now if you might this story might resonate with you but for a different reason it might not be an addiction to golf it might be addiction to we've had you know even people i'm sure you won't mind tubes on yeah yeah even like robbie williams where they've they've said they've had addictions in the past. And how they've dealt with it and how they've got help so if you do need help dude seek it definitely. But i think in this instance like say just trying to reward yourself when you achieve certain goals um try. And kind of get away from this idea that you can buy success. And i think you'll you'll enjoy your golf a lot more been a very serious podcast hasn't it i don't know deep how far in are we.
