Green Light Freddie Couples Drill: Course Management

Green Light Freddie Couples Drill: Course Management

This green light Freddie Couples drill is from the Golf Practice Planner.

Name
Green Light Freddie Couples Drill

Category
Golf Mindset Practice Drills

Difficulty
6 out of 10

Time
3 hours (playing 18 holes)

Props
Golf Practice Planner.

Overview
When you’re on the course, use the traffic light system. Golf is a game of strategy. When a player stands over the ball, they know whether they’ve got a green, yellow or red light. Do you?

Steps

Step 1: Watch
Watch the video.

Step 2: Traffic Lights
Below is the traffic light system that 99% of the pros use when accessing a shot. Memorize it.

Green = Give it a rip (e.g. go hard with a full 7 iron).

Yellow = Use some precaution (e.g. aim at the middle of the green).

Red = Take your medicine (e.g. chip out sideways to get back onto the fairway).

Step 3: On Course
When you’re on the course, use the “traffic light system” on every single shot, even the putts. For example, in the video, Freddie Couples talks through a shot of 185 yards, and why he’s given himself the “green light” to hit his 7 iron at 100%. Most of the time he hits his shots at 80% (like most pros).

In the video Freddie says:

“My thinking on that (green light shot) is if I do smash it and it comes up short, there’s a swale that if it’s going to hit and stop, I’ve got a fairly easy shot. Anything with a 6 iron, getting a little cute, if I pull it, I’m dead.”

Step 4: Keep Score
On the course, get your scorecard out and tick each time you incorporated the “traffic light system” on a shot (even a two-inch putt). 

If the first hole is a par 4, and you remembered the traffic light system on each shot, you’d have four ticks on that hole. Repeat on each hole.

At the end of the round take a look at your scorecard, and see if you can notice any patterns (e.g. did you make some big numbers on holes that you forgot about the green light system?). Did your big score(s) come from giving yourself a green light when you should have played safe?