Whether birdie or bogey or double or par, whether topped shot or fat, not so terribly far, I love you golf even more than a Cuban cigar, and the times I pause for praying. It’s a love that at times leaves bad tastes in my mouth. It’s a love that does grieve me, makes me rage […]
Practice
Golf, Nerves, and Meditation
In response to a hi-stress job, I spent quite a bit of time at the range last year pounding balls in order to not only improve, but to lower my anxiety levels. And it worked, but with a price paid. After hitting many balls, my anxiety did lower, but I developed golfer’s elbow as a […]
Dealing with Injuries
China has recently banned golf for its 88 million Communist Party members (yes, 88 million!), labeling it bourgeois, decadent, and too representative of Western values. But we democrats know it to be a game that can etch good character and perseverance, especially in the face of injury. Though not quite as brutal as rugby, it can also wear […]
Tracking Matt
The word “natural” implies an athlete who came into this life with his or her skills. Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Bode Miller, Babe Zaharias, Michael Phelps, and Serena Williams come to mind. When you see them run, jump, walk, swim, or swing, most of us can spot a natural straightaway. There is a certain grace about them, […]
A Simple, Repeatable Swing
One of the challenges of the game, as many handicappers and pros will attest, is bringing your driving range game to the course. And I think the main reason for that is the nature of both venues. On the range, everything is the same: same lie, same terrain, same target, same time between shots, same […]
Deep Stillness
There’s an interesting book that just came out called The Art of Stillness by Pico Ayer, the renown travel writer, describing the inner journey. I can think of no better book for the golfing aficionado, even though there is not one mention of the most interesting game in the world. But to approach golf, you must experience […]
The Key Downswing Move
At the transition between the back and downswings there is a point in time and space that sets the tone for the coup de grace of the golf swing, namely impact–that vital moment when the hands lead the clubhead down and into the ball, compressing the ball, which leaps to an elliptical surge, tracing a […]