Replace Obsession with Golf Mechanics with Rhythmic Flow

[Dr Ray]

In his whole life, Bobby Jones had about ten hours of actual lessons
and rarely practiced. When he did, it was usually his putting. He
once told sports writer, Grantland Rice, "A man must play golf by feel
and it's the hardest thing to describe."

Let's look into this issue of playing golf by feel. Ultimately, the
subject finds its anchor in rhythmic flow, the essence of all
performance excellence. So, let's examine rhythmic flow and HOW it
comes into play.

I played a number of sports in my youth, but nothing taught me more
about rhythmic flow than playing drums. I quickly learned, you can
not play drums when you are tense and distracted. You have to relax
into the process and then everything becomes easier and more fluent.
You began to flow. I had noticed this playing hockey, football and
baseball, but it never really hit home until I tried to achieve some
mastery in the delicate performance art of playing drums. Since my
focus, my passion, was playing modern jazz, it was essential to be
able to flow, to improvise along with the other musicians, and this
required self-confidence based on a measure of mastery regarding the
rudiments of drumming.

Now for golf. I have always wondered how anyone can play golf at all,
when tied up in the complex "elements" of the golf swing. When so
tied up, your mind is focused on "one or another" of these elements,
and you miss the pleasure of "flow" and how easy things can be when
you just "let go" into your natural swing.

This does not mean you should overlook the importance of learning golf
fundamentals like grip, stance, swing and overall body mechanics.
It's how you ultimately come to experience the swing as a flowing
process, occurring through your center of gravity. Your posture, your
breathing, your flowing movements, have to occur naturally. They must
occur in concert with each other, and this must happen without any
thought. Any mental activity at this time diminishes rhythmic flow,
speed and power.

Let me offer an example: When learning to play drums, I first learned
the rudiments of the eventually flowing process. These rudiments were
the foundation for my play, just as grip, stance, posture are for your
golfing activities. Eventually, these rudiments become but a part of
a larger whole. (In a future Post, I will discuss my Audio CD, Trust
Your Swing: The Power of the Pendulum and Rhythmic Flow, and how your
back and forward swing are best integrated through Power Breathing in
the Position of Strength).

Now, let's focus on YOU. Examine your approach to your golf swing.
Imagine teeing off on the first hole. It's all about you, your
flowing emotions, your self-confidence, your club, focus in the
moment, the ball, impact, follow through. All of this must occur
naturally, without thought. Yes, you have visualized the flight of
the ball and where it best land, but your focus is rhythmic flow in
the moment. Only one important thing is about to happen and that is
your swing, which comes naturally, because you are relaxed in the
Position of Strength, breathing through your swing. Maximum impact is
the automatic result.

Of course PRACTICE is essential for all of this to happen. My basic
point is this: When it comes to practice, what should you practice?

I suggest you practice Power Breathing in the Position of Strength -
more than anything else - until you have it down. This is the
foundation for your swing and you need to make this reliable;
something you can count on. This is where self-confidence finds its
roots. Once you have this foundation down as a matter of routine,
then you can sharpen other skills, such as creating a reliable slice,
hook, power fade, etc.

I know much of this is unfamiliar to most of you; basically new
territory. You may recall my question from a previous post, "What do
you do with your breathing during your golf swing?" Like most
everyone, you probably said, "I don't really know. I haven't given it
much thought."

Well, I will now go on record, contending that correct breathing and
rhythmic flow in the Position of Strength may be the most important
drivers of your reliable and terrific golf swing.

Once again, replace obsession with golf mechanics with rhythmic flow.

For those who want to further explore this important issue, just e-
mail me with your questions and thoughts and together, we will take it
from there.

Dr. Ray