SIMPLE?
A discovery has been that simplicity in golf can be uncovered on the other side of its human created complexity. Could it be as simple as one through eight? Let us take a look.
- Integral life practice: exercise the physical body, the subtle body (felt energies), and the causal body (resting). [Wilber, et al, 2008, Boston, MA: Integral]
- Mind”full”ness: learn to work with all three minds (conscious, subconscious, and super-conscious-spiritual-peak performance).
- Mindfulness-concentration and awareness meditation: paying attention, in the present moment, nonjudgementally. Offers one-pointed grounding and inspiration for ritual; and visibility of how one chooses to show-up via the personality, character, and mentality.
- Nurture self-restraint, a learned skill: the alternative response to two shots in a nearby pond and insanity.
- Pre-shot routines.
- Immaculate set-up: grip, aim, stance, posture, ball position, sense weight balance desired (irons, scoring wedges, pitching wedges: front leg; driver balanced), and turn neck-chin to trailing shoulder. Maintain width of arc.
- Rituals to create personal teepee where, on every shot, the programmed subconscious is trusted: go to the breath; ground-center, elevate: two-three quick, deep breaths; and pull the trigger. Maintain width of arc.
- Takeaway: stable swing center, forward press to target synchronous with connected-whole body (arms, torso, and hips as one unit) and shoulder tilt, coiling against a stable right side with no hip sway away from target; and no hurry to transition point. Goal: optimum length of arc and maintain width of arc through entire swing.
- Forward swing: stable swing center, shoulder tilt straightening right arm and flattening left wrist to square the clubface. Goal: maintain width of arc.
- Solid impact of club with ball:
- Head behind ball.
- Knees and elbows toward each other.
- Right heel off ground.
- Right shoulder below left-shoulder tilt 36D, water draining from right ear.
- Left leg is resistance.
- Left foot on outside edge.
- Right knee is bending toward the left knee.
- Have a good coach.
Gosh! Woody Ball, Golf as Guru: Mind”full”ness, Awareness and Self-Restraint, would offer, “Golf is not very simple!!! However, golf can be “bestest” and “funest” ever.” And the patient’s patient search for simple continues. And then, Birdy Ball exclaims, “John, you forgot all the technical junk, the logistical factors, ball flight laws, swing principles, and green reading. And most important of all, the 19th tee.”