Are you a Hatcher?

I love the term hatching. A mate of mine termed the phrase to describe someone who takes forever to hit the golf ball – they stuff around so much it appears they’re hatching eggs.

I’ve pinched it and am using it officially to describe those golfers that take too long over the ball, think too much and generally make golf harder than it needs to be. I’m working on the opposite of a Hatcher too – an automatic golfer, someone who plays the game. If you can think of a good name for an automatic golfer please let me know.

My advice is don’t be a Hatcher. It takes too much time and energy and really doesn’t help you. Modern golf instruction breeds Hatchers. Young golfers are encouraged to take their time, think about every possibility, make practise strokes and analyse each shot to death. It really is no wonder why some golf rounds take upwards of five hours.

If you think you’re a Hatcher stop it. See if you can become more decisive and play more quickly. If you can get some footage of golf from 50 years ago you’ll see the perfect role models. A look at the target, a quick shuffle to the ball, a waggle or two and then whack! The entire process over and done with in a few seconds. Less fluffing about and more time to smell the flowers. Golf the way it should be.

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7 Comments

  • Prydie

    Reply Reply August 11, 2009

    Thank heavens your website is back up and running and that
    ‘lesson for Prydie’ will be relegated off the front page.
    You eventually convinced me and handicap is down by 2.
    Re: opp. to hatcher. How about Freestroker, freestylist or freewhatever as this does describe automatic. Automatic is not being mindless or carefree or hitting too quickly – it is about a swing which is unencumbered by unnecessary thought!
    I found trust in the automatic swing very hard BUT once I accepted that bad swings and bad results do still occur, then I believe I found the turning point. The bad shots will hopefully become fewer, but the good shots are often quite a deal better.
    No doubt, as you say, work to improve as you want but go to automatic when playing.
    Must work tomorrow – bugger. Would rather practice short game!
    Cheers, Prydie

  • Cameron Strachan

    Reply Reply August 13, 2009

    Prydie,

    Thought you’d be a fan of having your name plastered all over the blog.

    Finally, you’ve managed to ease the strain and adopted the automatic approach – how funny that you’ve dropped two shot. Who would have thought?

    Talk to you soon

    Cameron

  • Debasish Roy

    Reply Reply November 24, 2009

    The opposite of a hatcher is a whacker.

  • Debasish Roy

    Reply Reply November 24, 2009

    I always thought the best reason to preserve this game and nurture it, is that it creates a lot of green areas which preserve the natural environment and the perennial water table. In overcrowded cities such as New Delhi in India, this space would otherwise have been converted into apartments and condominiums.

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