Today, I had the incredible opportunity to tee it up with one of our local club professionals Seth Murphy. Like many amateur golfers, I’d always wondered what makes professional players so special. After 18 holes alongside Seth, I got my answer – and it wasn’t what I expected. The setting of today’s story is HTCC, but unlike any normal round today there were wind gusts up to 35 mph spicing things up.

Clear Differences

Seth has played as much golf so far this year as I have this week, but that didn’t stop him from besting me by 20 strokes. I do not have all of Seth’s stats from today, but here are some of the big things that I took note of during our round. Seth played the same ball all day while I lost 5 balls to hazards and white stakes. I was only able to hit four fairways today, but no matter what direction the wind was blowing Seth stood on the tee box thought through his shot, and found the fairway. He only missed three fairways all day, and not only were all of the misses in the first cut, but two of them were beautiful drives that just carried the fairway. I don’t know how many greens in regulation Seth was able to hit today, but the ones that he missed were few and far between. Not only that, but the misses were usually easy chips from the fringe with plenty of green to work with. On the other hand, I was only able to put together four greens, and my missed greens involved several bunkers, as well as short-sided shots on tight must-nip, lies. Seth was able to set himself up for success all day. In comparison, I was fighting just to keep my ball in play and double bogeys off my card. One ability that I did not know I was lacking today was the ability to hit my clubs different yardages in different situations. Seth hit an eight iron from 125 and also 165 today while I only have one gear and swing normal and hope it goes the distance I think it can because I hit it that far one-time IYKYK. I had a great time playing with Seth, and it was a really eye-opening experience for me.

Course Management

Seth didn’t try to overpower the course. Instead, he methodically plotted his way around, consistently putting himself in positions that maximized his chances for success. This could be a Seth-specific trait, but one thing he did that you will often hear people on podcasts trying to talk you out of is he hit diver a lot. He pulled driver on nearly every non-par three on the course, and HTCC is only about 6600 from the tips. On the other hand he did not hit very many full irons. He opted to swing easier and flight the ball lower to keep it out of the wind. One thing that I could use some work on is planning out my misses. Seth was constantly planning where he would like his ball to go if it didn’t go exactly where he wanted it. I can’t think of a time today when Seth put himself into a position where he had to take his medicine. Every shot left him at least a chance on his next shot.

The Short Game

The real eye-opener came around the greens. I will be the first to admit that I can’t stop myself from attempting heroic flop shots and aggressive putts, Seth’s short game was a masterclass in simplicity. I don’t think he hit a hero shot all day. Every time he had to hit a chip he kept it simple and gave himself a putt to save par. Seth wasn’t out there doing anything crazy like holing 45-foot putts, but all of his putts were hit with great speed that left him very manageable come-backers.

The Mental Game

While I have been doing a lot of work on how I react to bad shots on the course it now occurs to me that there may be another side to the mental game. On the course, Seth is constantly thinking. He thinks about every shot what the wind doing, is the ball below his feet, what shot shape is most optimal, and many more that I am sure he was thinking that I wasn’t able to pick up on. While I am capable of perceiving a 35-mile-an-hour gust and clubbing up, I feel as though I am often not as aware of the situation as I could and should be. I am an overthinker by nature so I am not sure how incorporating this into my game will affect it, but it is at least something to consider. I remember watching Grant Horvat’s video with DJ and Phil and thinking wow I cannot believe how much planning Phil puts into every shot. If you have not seen that video check it out if you are a ’no thoughts head empty’ golfer on the course it will blow your mind.

Lessons Learned

Playing with Seth taught me several valuable lessons:

  1. Simplicity is key: The best players often make the game less complicated, not more
  2. Position over power: Strategic thinking trumps flashy shots
  3. Preparation matters: Every shot was preceded by a clear routine and purpose

The Biggest Surprise

What surprised me most was how ordinary many of Seth’s shots looked. When you watch golf on TV, the professionals make it look too easy. It can be hard to remember at times that we are watching a highlight real consisting of only the best shots from all of the best players in the world. However, Seth wasn’t hitting miraculous shots or making impossible recoveries. Instead, he was stringing together a series of solid, well-planned golf shots. The magic wasn’t in any single shot – it was in the consistency and the strategy behind each one. To be very honest with you Seth’s round was boring. On nearly every hole he stepped up on the tee, put the ball in the fairway, then onto the green, and then gave his birdie putt a chance. He wasn’t hitting the ball 345 like Rory or hitting flops you might have seen from Phil. In many ways, he is just like you and me. He hit his driver under 300, made a couple of three putts, and had to go for some par fives in 3. Unlike us, he has the uncanny ability to stay out of trouble and put the ball in the hole, and to be honest I think I am going to be chasing that experience for the foreseeable future.

A Humbling Experience

Walking off the 18th green, I had a new appreciation for what separates professionals from amateurs. It’s not just about talent or practice (though both are crucial). It’s about approach, mindset, and the wisdom to know when to be aggressive and when to play it safe.

The next time you watch professional golf, look beyond the spectacular shots. Watch for the subtle decisions, the emotional control, and the strategic thinking that truly sets them apart. These are the lessons that can benefit all of us, whether we’re playing for a living or just enjoying a Saturday morning round with friends.