I enjoy playing golf with friends. In fact, there is little else that I would rather be doing. Yet, while playing with friends, I am always laser focused on my game and the outcome. It is just who I am. I have such high standards for myself in everything that I do, when it comes to my turn to hit nothing else matters aside from hitting the perfect golf shot. I can't turn it off.
With that said, today was something special.
I showed up at my club at about 4:45 and the cart barn kids had already picked up the flags. I had initially planned to walk 9 holes as fast as I could to get some exercise and beat the kids to the pins.
With the pins already up, I no longer had to rush through my round. Walking to the first tee I told myself, "You know what, I'm out here alone today. I don't have to worry about pace of play, ensuring my playing partners are done in time for dinner, or darkness. How about I just take my time and try to relax. It's not like I'm keeping score anyways, I don't know where the pins are."
I then proceeded to play the most enjoyable 9 holes of my life! I stepped up to each tee box with my hybrid and picked a spot in the fairway. Normally I would look down range to find the pin and start thinking about how far I would have to hit the ball to have a good shot at a par or birdie. Today, I didn't look past my landing spot in the fairway. Why should I? I admit, I didn't hit many fairways, but I also didn't hit any snap hooks and didn't loose a single ball.
Next, I casually walked to my ball. Any other day I would be walking to my ball all the while thinking about trees blocking my shot to the pin, bunkers around the pin or what club I need to hit to land right on the pin. Not today. Today, I strolled down the fairway without a care in the world. Upon arriving at my ball, I guesstimated the distance to the middle of the green based on the 150 / 100 markers. Pulled a club that I know could get to the middle, took a few practice swings, picked a spot on the green and hit the ball. I didn't miss hit a single ball all day. Sure, I didn't always hit the green, but I hit good golf shots and was very pleased with the results.
Similar to my tee shot, my walk to the green following my approach shot was very relaxing. I wasn't criticizing how far I was from the hole. I wasn't worried about being short sided. I wasn't contemplating the impossible chip I had ahead of me. How could I? I had no idea where the hole even was. Again, I truly enjoyed strolling to the ball without a care in the world.
Believe it or not, I had one of the best ball striking and scoring 9 holes of my life! And on top of that, there wasn't a lick of stress, anxiety, or golf related thoughts in my mind the entire round. This, is how golf should be played! I have never enjoyed a round like I enjoyed this one. It was like some kind of golf nirvana. Not a care in the world. I'm going to try and play with this mindset as much as I can moving forward.
With that said, today was something special.
I showed up at my club at about 4:45 and the cart barn kids had already picked up the flags. I had initially planned to walk 9 holes as fast as I could to get some exercise and beat the kids to the pins.
With the pins already up, I no longer had to rush through my round. Walking to the first tee I told myself, "You know what, I'm out here alone today. I don't have to worry about pace of play, ensuring my playing partners are done in time for dinner, or darkness. How about I just take my time and try to relax. It's not like I'm keeping score anyways, I don't know where the pins are."
I then proceeded to play the most enjoyable 9 holes of my life! I stepped up to each tee box with my hybrid and picked a spot in the fairway. Normally I would look down range to find the pin and start thinking about how far I would have to hit the ball to have a good shot at a par or birdie. Today, I didn't look past my landing spot in the fairway. Why should I? I admit, I didn't hit many fairways, but I also didn't hit any snap hooks and didn't loose a single ball.
Next, I casually walked to my ball. Any other day I would be walking to my ball all the while thinking about trees blocking my shot to the pin, bunkers around the pin or what club I need to hit to land right on the pin. Not today. Today, I strolled down the fairway without a care in the world. Upon arriving at my ball, I guesstimated the distance to the middle of the green based on the 150 / 100 markers. Pulled a club that I know could get to the middle, took a few practice swings, picked a spot on the green and hit the ball. I didn't miss hit a single ball all day. Sure, I didn't always hit the green, but I hit good golf shots and was very pleased with the results.
Similar to my tee shot, my walk to the green following my approach shot was very relaxing. I wasn't criticizing how far I was from the hole. I wasn't worried about being short sided. I wasn't contemplating the impossible chip I had ahead of me. How could I? I had no idea where the hole even was. Again, I truly enjoyed strolling to the ball without a care in the world.
Believe it or not, I had one of the best ball striking and scoring 9 holes of my life! And on top of that, there wasn't a lick of stress, anxiety, or golf related thoughts in my mind the entire round. This, is how golf should be played! I have never enjoyed a round like I enjoyed this one. It was like some kind of golf nirvana. Not a care in the world. I'm going to try and play with this mindset as much as I can moving forward.