I wrote to a friend who is playing golf while recovering from a serious illness, “The golfsmarterpodcast.com interview with Lynn Marriott talks about a ‘tai chi practice swing’ where you do a practice swing as slowly as you can. I think this fits with what you are saying (about success from swinging with more ease and a slower pace), and I’ve found it useful as a way to be more aware of the whole swing. She says that it originated with Fred Shoemaker, but they’ve taken it further.”

This friend wrote back to me today, “I am feeling very fortunate to be able to play golf… I have to take it slow no matter what… My mantra is: grip firmly, swing slowly.”

I responded, “Enjoy! One swing at a time. It’s interesting learning to trust the process, eh? I feel myself getting more deeply into that. Even keeping my head down while putting is becoming more fun as I focus on the process of the swing rather than the results. I like Joe Parent’s thing of “making putts” even if you don’t hole them. Yet, I still have a bit of that feeling you once described (even though I don’t really believe it) that it’s unfair when a well-struck putt on the line I intended isn’t holed. In other words, I still have the reaction of disappointment, but it is lessening. The more I just enjoy the ride (including as you say the feeling of being very fortunate to be able to play golf) the better. Blessings on ya.”