by KYW's Ed Abrams

We're going to work a little harder on the mental game this year, and one of the best places to start is by getting it into our thick skulls that all golfers -- even the good ones -- hit bad shots.

Scott Sterling, head professional at Blue Heron Pines, says how you deal with those gaffes can make all the difference in the world in your enjoyment of the game:

"Look at the recovery shot as a challenge, not as an 'Oh my gosh, my round is over, I stink.' I look at it like, 'OK, I hit it into the woods, what are my options?  How can I make par out of this?' "
 
You see pros do this all the time. But the better a chipper-and-putter you are, the easier it is to do isn't it?

"Absolutely. And that's why we recommend you work on that part of your game more than you work on your driving off at the range."

And after that, don't forget to join me on TV for Golfshots, presented by Buick, Sunday nights at 6pm on Comcast Sportsnet.