In my last post, I asked you all to stop trying to hit the ball. I provided what I think are compelling reasons why trying to hit the ball is a bad idea. Let me explain a bit further. Almost everyone has played tennis, or badminton, or ping-pong. You also must hit the ball (or birdie in badminton) in those games, but I would bet that is not your focus. I imagine your thought is only where do I want to place this shot. Then you execute. For you tennis players (or even if you’re not), if you’re attempting a cross-court forehand shot, do you think, “Are my hips open enough? Have I shifted my weight correctly? Is my grip right? Is my swing on the right plane?” etc. I doubt it. The beauty of those games is that you react to what is coming at you. There’s no time to fill your head with various thoughts about how to do this or that. You only have time to decide where you want to hit your shot, and then, boom, you do it.
Unfortunately, golf gives you all the time you want to analyze, adjust, fidget, worry about outcomes, worry about who’s watching you, keep your head down, left arm straight, need I go on? Perhaps worst of all, “I need to hit this ball hard.” I’d guess almost no time is spent on the essential matter at hand; the target. I believe there is a mantra all golfers should embrace, it is, “The ball is not the target, the target is the target.” Repeat after me, “The ball is not the target, the target is the target.” What is the target, exactly? The target is that place in the distance, on the ground where you want the ball to come to rest. It doesn’t matter if this is a 10-yard pitch or a 250-yard drive. The target is on the ground somewhere out in front of you. Most amateur golfers seem to think that if they get to positions A, B, and C in the correct sequence, the ball will magically fly to the target. The opposite is closer to the truth. If amateur golfers concentrated on the target and swinging to the target, positions A, B, C would occur in the correct sequence.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying the secret to golf is never practice, never learn swing mechanics, and never study the golf swing’s proper positions. That’s not it at all. Anyone wanting to improve at golf should work with a certified, knowledgeable instructor/coach. The practice range is the place to work on swing mechanics, positions, sequencing, etc., with a reliable coach you can trust. Once you’re on the course, trust your coaching and the practice time you’ve put in. Don’t overthink it. Concentrate on and swing to your target. Your scores will drop, and your fun will increase!