Mission Accomplished

I just got home from the last Gateway Tour event of the year. If you will remember, I had to make some money so that I could qualify for the Tour Championship. I did it!
I feel very happy about the fact that I played so well during the week.
The first round I shot an average, run-of-the-mill 71. Three birdies and two bogeys. I made both bogeys with wedges in my hand. UGGGH!
The second round was phenomenal. I shot five under, and it was the lowest score of the day. I hit the ball very well, and made a few putts. No bogeys, and five birdies. It felt great.
The last round was a little more difficult. I shot 76 in a heavy wind, with the pins tucked. It was so much more difficult for me to not judge my shots. My conscious mind was going like crazy, and it was tough to stop. I learned more today about how to get out of my own way then I have in a long time. The most trying days are the most important for learning.
I ended up finishing 24th for the tournament, and 41st on the money list. Forty-three people get in to the Tour Championship, so I just made it in. Now it is time to prepare to win the Tour Championship, and make the year a great year.
Here is a quick tip that comes from some things I was reminded of this week.
If you can't stop the chatter and nervousness, then focus on it, and let it happen. Don't try to get away from it, and welcome it. Welcome it with an attitude of learning as much about it as you can. Observe it! I did this today and it worked. I am not sure I can explain it better...so just go try and do it. Remember, if the chatter comes it is usually because of our ego, or our lack of trust in our ability. Hope your playing great.

The Zone...Step 2

I think the next part of getting in to the zone has to do with our attitude. A lot of people like to give lip-service to the whole concept of attitude, and what it is. My definition of attitude here is how we see what we are doing.
This is very closely tied in with our ability to be non-judgmental. If I have a great attitude, and I take my results as an opportunity for learning, then it is very easy to be non-judgmental.
The more I trust my long term commitment, and ability, the easier it will be to not judge the results.
The opposite of this would be feeling like, "the next shot I have to play is the last one of its kind that I will ever get to play. If I do not hit this next shot perfectly then all is lost, and I will not be able to recover." Another common thought on the golf course is, "This shot could mean the match!"
The truth is, yes, that shot could mean the match. Also, that shot might not be for the match. In golf we do not know, and all we can control is our execution of that shot.
In "The Inner Game of Tennis," Timothy Gallwey has a chapter called, "Games People Play." He says that if you watch the game, you will notice that there are a lot of games people are playing out on the tennis court besides tennis.
Some guys are playing to look good, and he calls this, "image-o." Like Bingo, but it is about our image. Some people are playing for health, others for friendship, and others for pure recreation. Some are playing because they want to win, and winning at anything is good enough for them.
There are lots of mixtures of all these games as well, and everyone has their own reasons for playing. This is where our attitudes will most determine how we feel, and what we are playing for.
He wrote about two games that people play that seem to me to be the best.
Fun-o and Learn-o.
If you are playing for pure enjoyment or pure learning, than being non-judgmental, is a piece of cake. Our chances for getting in the zone increase, and our ability to learn increases.
Growing up, my whole desire for playing was to learn. I loved making improvement in golf, and I enjoyed playing. The kids I used to play with made fun of me, because I stood on the range and hit balls for hours. I hated playing, because I could only hit it one time before I had to walk for five minutes. Four hours later I would only have hit 80 shots, and I could have done that in ten minutes on the driving range!
After reading this book, I remembered that I can go to the driving range and just hit balls.
I do not have to be so judgmental, and when I get in the zone, it really becomes fun.
So, take a look at why you are playing, and how that effects your ability to improve.

There is a step three coming soon. Go practice step one and two, and see how you do.
Decide why you are there, and then go see it, feel it, and let it go.

Old Photos...Same Swing

I saw this article on the Golf Digest website. I love to view old golf swings of great players, because it shows that the swing has not changed that much. These guys were very athletic, and very good ball-strikers.
Here is the link to this article, where they compare Jerry Barber's swing to the new stack and tilt method taught by Mike Bennet and Andy Plummer.
Golf Digest Archives
There are two things I love about this golf swing and one thing I do not like. If you number the frames left to right, and then top to bottom, frame number eight is an amazing backswing position.
Frame number nine gets too long, which is a common fault for people who do not sit properly into the right side. There is a picture of him on the website that shows his build up close, and he is pretty thin and probably very flexible. That is another reason he may get too long.
Copy frame number eight...that looks awesome.
The second thing I love is the release. He is fully releasing his arms and clubhead through impact. Check out frame 18 and all the way through to the finish. This is a beautiful release. I thought you might enjoy seeing that...some of us learn visually, and this is a great image of flexibility, power, and balance.
Now remember, see it, feel it, and then let it happen with no judgment or criticism.
Happy Golfing!

Annika Is Engaged

Hey, Annika Sorenstam is engaged!
I am lucky enough to know Mike and Annika through golf. I met Mike when he was a player agent with Ken Kennerly.
Now, I see him around Lake Nona every once in a while, and we chat about what is going on. I actually saw him this past weekend, and didn't know they were engaged!
I am really happy that Mike and Annika have both found someone they love. What a wonderful thing it is to be in love and in a committed relationship. There is nothing better. Congratulations Mike and Annika!
Below is a link about their engagement.
Annika's Website

Wealth

I thought I would share this quote from a friend of mine. He always has great things to say, and keeps them very concise. So in the spirit of being concise this will be a short entry.
He said, "This applies to money, and time...Man is rich in the things he can do without."

Great Practice

The Inner Game Of Tennis has helped already. I feel more energy practicing and a greater sense of fulfillment. I spent about three hours hitting balls this morning, and it was a blast.
The idea of not judging the shot as "bad" or "good," allows me to learn faster as I practice. This is what it's all about...how fast can I learn what I am trying to do.
So, what I do is go through my pre-shot routine on as many shots as possible. I do not judge the results as bad or good, and I look at the shot or the feeling I am working on as objectively as possible.
Lets say that I feel my left arm getting too tense in the transition.(Which is something I have felt often!) I do not try to relax my left arm and force it to work properly. I now just tell myself to notice how tense it gets, and where. I get as in touch with that part of the golf swing as I can, so that I can learn as much as possible about it. Remember though...I do not judge it.
Once I am aware of that part of the swing, I begin to really feel what it is doing. I then can make a change based on an experiential feel, rather than someone telling me to just relax a little more in the transition.
As I become more and more aware of the left arm position, my subconscious mind is free to make whatever changes are necessary, because my conscious mind is not trying to force my body to do something. I can feel it changing within three to five swings.
It changes without my effort to make the change. Doesn't that sound like fun!?
In the book Timothy Gallwey brings up a good point that sparked my curiosity, because now I get to watch it happen firsthand with my baby boy Aiden.
What if you had to learn to walk all over again? Can you remember how you learned to walk?
We were never taught to walk, and it is the thing we do with the most style and grace, and with the least amount of effort.