Earl's Recent Past Golf Blog's

March 2, 2024

Great golfers have great imagination

Long time "on the course" golf commentator, Bob Rosburg, was famous for reporting that "so and so" golfer had "no chance" after Rosburg had analyzed and viewed his lie and circumstance. Then the player hits this miraculous shot out of trouble to get on the green and close to the hole, to which Rosburg would utter that, "I didn't think that was possible". What was most ironic was that Bob Rosburg was a PGA Champion and one of the best scramblers and out of trouble players the game as seen. Most likely if he had to hit the shot that he was describing, he would have had the imagination to pull that shot off.

The most imaginative golf shot that I ever witnessed was on the 15th hole at Santa Maria Country Club during the final round of the 1967 California State Open. I was still an amateur after just graduating from college. My friend, Bill Feil, and I had made the cut and finished our round and we went out to see the leaders finish their round. The fifteenth hole was devilishly difficult, demanding a straight tee shot with OB on the left and trees and sandy area on the right. Ted Makalena, was a touring pro that had won the Hawaii Open the year before and was in contention for the lead. He pushed his tee shot to the right in a clump of trees that blocked his path to the green. His lie was on soft sand about 130 yards from the green. Bill and I had a good look at his predicament and saw no clear shot and disaster everywhere. The pin was located on the right side of the green, right over a deep culvert, which was instant bogie or double bogie. Over the green was heavy rough and not where you would want your ball to end up. Ted sized up his shot and saw a small window between the trees about twenty yards ahead of him and about four feet high and six feet wide. Going through that opening was pointed straight out of bounds, so any shot he had to hit had to slice dramatically and carry the culvert in front of the narrow green. Normally from 130 yards a touring pro would hit a wedge or possible a 9 iron, but the opening was not far off the ground. So, Ted used a five iron to hit only 130 yards. Ted took out his five iron and Bill and I didn't know what he was doing. He executed a near perfect shot that picked the ball cleanly off the sand, when through the small opening and sliced 20 yards landed on the greens and bit and stopped about 10 feet from the hole. Unbelievable. Bill and I looked at each other and I said, "we're not ready to turn pro".

Jack Nicklaus has stated, "I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head". If you can't see it, how are you going to achieve it? "Imagine great things, and they will become real". Imagination to golf is what gets you to the next level. Your imagination should push you to try new things and expand boundaries. You don't know you can do something if you don't try.

Paul Runyan, one of my top three short game specialists of all time, made this statement at a PGA teaching seminar that I attended many years ago. The subject was a routine 60 foot shot to a level green. Most would have a standard technique and shot to handle this situation. Paul then stated that he probably had over one hundred different shots to choose from for this particular shot. That's imagination!

Golf pros don't have just one shot for a 150-yard target. They can hit high, low, medium height shots. Small, medium, large hooks or slices, using varying length swings and speeds with different clubs. Doing all the permutations, the combinations could be in the thousands. Your swing shouldn't be one set swing for all occasions. Use your imagination and expand your shot repertoire, your golf game and scores will improve.

February 2, 2024

Concentration

Someone said that, "You can't concentrate to concentrate", and they were absolutely correct. Each person can achieve a concentration state by different steps or methods. Whether you come by a central focus instinctively or manufactured, the result is the same. Your body and mind are focused on one central task and distractions are all but eliminated.

Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo are golfers that you would associate with the ability to deeply concentrate. The Scots called Hogan the "wee ice man". He was no talking and all business on the course. His concentration focus would last the whole round. Nicklaus was similar in his early years on tour, before becoming less stoic and relating more to the crowds. Tiger makes no eye contact with the spectators, and Faldo actions on the course were as an actor following a script that he must follow. Their extraordinary ability to compartmentalize and focus on the task at hand made them the players they became.

Lee Triveno, Fuzzy Zoeller, Chi Chi Rodríguez would be people that you wouldn't think had great concentration. They definitely did, but had entirely different ways of achieving their focus. The ability to hit the ball with a clear image of the target and the ball flight with little or no outside distractions is essential for a successful shot. Decision making, pre-shot routine, and execution of shot can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 seconds. That's all the time these types of players need to get into their concentration mode and preform. What they do between shots is their way of relaxing and defusing tensions and letting their personalities come out.

The ability to better concentrate needs to be a deliberate thought-out strategy. The focus should be on the most important steps needed for a successful golf shot. That would be the 30 or so seconds to make a decision, pre-shot routine and hitting the ball. In this time zone, the attention should be void of distractions. Lessening these distractions takes work and self-awareness.

A discussion on concentration is worthy of a large book. The central components to better concentrate are: quiet mind, elimination of distractions, detachment, singular focus, relaxed muscle tension, and controlled breathing. Outside problems can effect on course behavior. Mediation, exercise, and taking quiet time are methods to reduce stress and unclutter your mind. A balanced life is essential for a happy life and happiness on the golf course.

For our discussion today, we will center on one technique to help you better focus when hitting the golf ball. To better focus, you must be aware of what you are trying to accomplish. Those 30 seconds or so, before you make your shot, should be monitored and judged. The first part is determining the shot you want to hit, based on the conditions and circumstance. Then get a clear visual image in your mind and get your body ready to execute the imagined shot. Then there is only one more thing to do, and that is to hit the ball. Step into the hitting zone and keeping your mental image, with NO words, go and strike the ball. After the shot is hit, grade yourself on the routine your exhibited, not the result of the shot. Grade yourself from 1 to5 on your routine. Did you stay on task; did the mind wander; did you keep your image of the shot in your mind the entire process; did negative thoughts occur; did the body tense up. By monitoring your routine and mental consistency you will have a basis to mark your improvement to better concentration.

Johnny Miller lost his best chance to win the Masters by thinking ahead about what he was going to say when he received the Green Jacket. The game is not over until the final putt is holed. Golf is supposed to be fun. So concentrating for 4 plus hours like Hogan would not be fun for the average golfer. But centering on your pre-shot routine will help your focus and concentration.

 

Sponsors

Advance Golf School

VIP Golf Academy

Callaway Golf Company