Find Your Happy Place
I got to experience my son's first birdie a few years back. He was just four years old. It happened on PGA family golf day, a warm afternoon on a 440 yard (from the forward tees) downhill par five 14th hole at Catta Verdera C.C. . . . Luka aims for cart paths for some extra length and on this particular tee shot, he just caught one perfect and was rewarded with an extra 70 yards of roll. With roughly 270 yards remaining, his next shot caught the giant hill side for more distance (165yds left). This was followed by the only hick up. He dribbled one that ran out from the hard sun baked fairway, 80 yards from the green. I remember say to my little guy, "that one is as good as a good one." Quite honestly, Luka really did not have a care about that; he was living in the moment. I could feel it from just being with him. His fourth shot was with the same club he had teed off with, the trusty 3 wood that was almost as big as he was. He caught it perfectly with his split handed grip off a tricky downhill, ball above your feet lie. I watched in amazement as the shot took off with some loft. As it reached the green the others in the group cheered for him. It was a feat in itself that he reached the green in four strategic strokes. Then we all watched in silence, as the ball continued on its path to destiny. It toppled in on it very last rotation. I looked at Luka as we all screamed with joy. He pumped his whole body straight up into the air. I suddenly felt for a brief moment the feeling of euphoria followed by the realization that my son had now crossed some unexplainable threshold that instantly will raise expectation levels for all future shots. I don't care who you are, if you're human it happens at that very instant. I could see it on his face. He was 4 and a half and officially hooked on this game.
Having been introduced to the game at a similar age by my Dad and not really learning by the driving range simply because there weren't many ranges when I grew up. I learned to feel comfortable on the course, playing golf instead of practicing. To that extent I learned to use my time more productively when I was out there, coming away with new senses of improvement each time.
Here are 4 ways to feel this sense of improvement and I find that they will bring you to a happier place on the course.
1. Play around with just 3 clubs.
This is a great way to increase your sense of creativity and decision making. I don't think there is a better way to test yourself and exercise your imagination.
2. Take the pressure off each shot.
Remember the song from John Lennon, "Imagine all the people living for today." ya ha ha ha ha, that's right Your going to throw expectation out the window and enjoy golf for what it really is- a game- play each shot in the moment and be accepting of the results whatever they may end up being. This means you are going to forget about par and the designated score on each and every hole. Who cares about par? It's just a number. The par five 14th hole that my son Luka birdied is downhill and even from the tips a player will consider it an eagle/ birdie hole. You want know what happens if a hole like that gets changed to a par four? All of a sudden the mind twists you into some self-imposed pressure; a short par five becomes a brutally long par four where bogies and double bogies lurk.
3. Use your recall. If you have a favorite hole that you have hit well off, think about the feeling you have when you walk onto that tee. Let your body feel it and transpose it mentally over the view of the shot you are about to take.
4. Find a happy distraction. Byron Nelson was finishing his breakfast, readying himself for the first round of the 1937 Masters. In the background was a waltz lilting in the lobby and dining area of his hotel. Upon arriving at the course, Mr. Nelson went thru his warm up; easy pitch shot lead into crisp iron shots that just seemed to hone in on his targets. The driver felt effortless. He stepped up one the first tee and ripped an effortless drive down the middle and his swing danced to the rhythm of that waltz until his final round to win his first of two Master championships. By using swing tempo as a primary thought it will help you stay distracted from the ball itself and the results that will happen much better if you can stay out of the way.
Congratulations, you are now on the way to playing golf with an alert attitude of indifference. http://billybondaruk.com/
