This week, I’m going to wrap up my review of your feedback from the survey we posted a few weeks ago. As I said then, and in my Part 1 wrap-up, the idea was to learn about your feelings and attitudes toward the game, with an attempt to try to determine whether you were more oriented to the “process” or to the “results” from each round of golf, and even from each shot.

In last week’s Part 1 review (which you can read HERE), I reviewed the demographic make-up of the nearly 1,000 of you who completed the survey and began to dive into how you feel about each sub-set of your set of clubs – driving, fairway woods, mid-iron play, short iron play and wedge play.  Your answers were enlightening, and probably surprising to many of you.

This week I want to explore a bit more deeply into your answers to the last few questions, as I think you will agree they are quite revealing.

In one question, I presented a short list of different shots, and asked which one you would enjoy the most. Easily the most popular answer was “a pin-seeking mid-iron shot” at 36%, followed 26% who chose “short iron or wedge approach that ends up really close”. What surprised me is that a “long straight drive” barely outscored both “scrambling shot that saves par” and “holing a long putt”, all earning less than 14%. Kudos to all of you for those process-oriented attitudes.

The next two questions revealed what you really think about distance. Your answers were nearly equally divided in the question about whether you would trade some driver distance or more accuracy, with accuracy slightly winning out. But when asked the same about iron shots, almost 75% of you said you would trade distance for accuracy. Maybe the irons makers don’t get this, as they are all still pushing distance as THE thing.

Following was the question about what is most important to your iron play, and it wasn’t even close. “More accuracy” was selected by 80% of you, with “better ability to work the ball” winning 3 to 1 over “more distance”.

Then I asked about what is most important after a round is complete. “Shooting a good score” (results) was exactly tied with “hitting more good quality golf shots” (process). The only other answer to get more than nominal response was “enjoying my playing companions” . . . definitely “process”.

The next to last question asked for the one improvement you would most like to make in your golf game, from a list of eight options. Though all eight got measurable responses, number one at 25% was “eliminate or improve my worst shots”, followed by “hit more greens” at 17.5%. The next two were about scoring – “improve my putting” and “improve my greenside scoring skills”. I promise to share more insights and ideas for both in the weeks ahead. “Improving my wedge and short iron play” tied with “become more of a shotmaker with my irons” and were notable.

Finally, I asked what you admire most about the games of those accomplished players you know personally (not tour players). “Precise play through the bag” was clearly the #1 answer, followed by “their avoidance of really bad shots” and their “scoring skills around the greens.”

I want to thank you all for participating in the survey, and I hope you have enjoyed seeing how your fellow GolfWRX’ers feel about the game of golf and their own games. Your answers have given me tons of topics to address in the coming weeks and months and I hope to help all of you, regardless of what you are looking to improve in your own games in 2021.

We are now in the “12 days of Christmas” so I want to wish you all a joyous season. Be safe and mindful of the blessings we all enjoy because of the true meaning of this precious time of year. I’ll wrap up this year’s columns next week with some Christmas wishes for all of us.

After all, we play this game for many reasons, but all of us want to leave the course fulfilled and with a heart full of pleasure. My guess is that those of you who get more out of the process than the results are the ones getting the most out of the game.

Years ago, I coined a phrase that “golf is not a game of numerical gratification,” meaning that your score is rarely going to be all that satisfying. If you understand that the handicap system reflects your best ability, not your average, you also realize that playing a round to your handicap is a rare thing indeed.

I encourage all of you who might focus on results too much to seek to find pleasure in the process and relish each and every shot that flies true.