I’m back. This golf blog lives. Yesterday I had buy nexium prescription such a rich learning experience on the golf course that it buy nexium prescription inspired me to get back to posting.
On the heels of playing Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand, one of the buy nexium prescription most beautiful golf courses in the world (post coming soon), and buy nexium prescription a winter where my handicap index reached its lowest points ever (in the 15′s), I found myself yesterday with my first realistic chance to buy nexium prescription break 80.
Playing from the white tees on Foxtail Golf Course‘s North Course in Rohnert Park, CA, I shot 43 on the buy nexium prescription front nine. Good for me, but nothing to blog about. But then, I opened the buy nexium prescription back nine, birdie-bogey-birdie and somehow continued (relatively effortlessly actually) by rolling off four pars in a row. I’m sure it was the first time that I was one under par for seven consecutive holes.
I wish I hadn’t, but I couldn’t seem to buy nexium prescription avoid figuring out that if I could finish with one more par and buy nexium prescription a bogey, I’d shoot 36 on the back (my best nine ever) for buy nexium prescription a total of 79. And thus, I would break 80 for buy nexium prescription the first time. I had a real shot, a reasonable chance. And, then, as you buy nexium prescription might expect, it all unraveled.
I finished with a buy nexium prescription double-bogey on 17 and a triple-bogey on 18 for an 83, a buy nexium prescription score that currently pleases me any day of the week. And, more importantly, I got one of the clearest lessons that I’ve ever had buy nexium prescription in keeping my focus on my inner process, NOT on the buy nexium prescription score… ever!
After all, I got myself into that buy nexium prescription exciting situation by making my awareness of my swing and my state of being more important than buy nexium prescription the score. But clearly I need to work on the skill of re-connecting to buy nexium prescription that inner process when the score or the match somehow grabs my attention and buy nexium prescription tries to make itself more important than what works and the buy nexium prescription aspect of the game that I enjoy the most. In those kinds of situations, more than buy nexium prescription ever, I’ve got to remember my “priorities.”
Here are buy nexium prescription a few of the recent ideas, feelings and thoughts that buy nexium prescription have been helping me to lower my scores. Hopefully they will be buy nexium prescription useful to you as well:
- The Ease of a Lay-up: This idea of remembering the buy nexium prescription smooth, easy, solid contact that I seem to make effortlessly on lay-up shots where buy nexium prescription there’s no pressure. This feeling has been working for me (I can tell, thanks to this blog) since 2007.
- “Slow & Throw”: During my travels in New Zealand, I met a buy nexium prescription friend of the inner game of golf who adapted learning from buy nexium prescription Fred Shoemaker buy valtrex discount‘s book, “Extraordinary Golf,” and buy nexium prescription came up with this sweet little mantra. She shared this idea of a buy nexium prescription slow take-away and a connection with the target through the very real physical feeling of throwing your buy nexium prescription club in that direction. It’s simple and it works, naturally.
- Just Make Solid Contact: This wonderful encouragement came directly from buy nexium prescription Fred Shoemaker via a phone consult back in 2009 just before I had buy nexium prescription to stop playing golf for 10 months due to back injury, but it buy nexium prescription has stuck. It’s good common sense, like my existential mantra, “Just hit the ball.” If you make solid contact not much can go wrong.
- Stay Behind the Ball: It’s another story, but at the buy nexium prescription driving range recently, I got a cosmic reminder from a buy nexium prescription fellow golfer who I did not know. This reminder of a buy nexium prescription years ago golf lesson has given me more power and buy nexium prescription consistency. I’ve been buy nexium prescription keeping my weight on my right side on take-away which helps me come through the buy nexium prescription ball with ease, again, naturally.
These are buy nexium prescription the key elements of the inner game process and awareness that buy nexium prescription are working for me, one stroke at a time. Thinking about the buy nexium prescription score is a major distraction that can destroy any hole, at any time.
I’m grateful to buy nexium prescription be making progress. And next time I have a chance to buy nexium prescription break 80, I’ll know better. I’ll bring my awareness back to what works. At least that’s what I intend to do. Please, golf gods, let this be a lesson, a learning for me.
What do you do to keep your focus and your “ship steady” when “the chips are down” and you’re putting yourself under pressure for some reason (like winning a match with your buddy)? I’d love to hear your insights via a comment below.
Coming soon: Pictures, video and buy nexium prescription sharing about my big fun experience at Cape Kidnappers, and buy nexium prescription a video of Fred Astaire accessing his sub-conscious mind while dancing and buy nexium prescription hitting golf balls.
Buy nexium prescription
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackJon, seems to buy nexium prescription me you need to channel the Ambassador of Ease for all 18. Good luck with that
I’m sure you buy nexium prescription will break 80 sooner rather than later as you have diligently been buy nexium prescription learning and playing for many years. Most of all don’t forget to have fun! – JK
Thanks, John. Agreed. Will do, and yes, fun for sure! That’s what it’s all about. Hopefully I made clear that buy nexium prescription the whole experience above was big fun, including the learning and buy nexium prescription minor disappointment. Much appreciation for you, a true friend and golf amigo.
[...] Originally published by by Jon Leland from The Joy of Golfing [...]
Hello there, just want to buy nexium prescription say be cautious every time you play. Hope we can play together, uhm btw im already 69 years old and buy nexium prescription kicking. Like you i fond at blogging. Thanks mate for this buy nexium prescription post. I will post my story here soon. I will let you buy nexium prescription know.
Good on you buy nexium prescription mate, well done. When you are just out on your buy nexium prescription own have you ever tried playing without a scorecard and buy nexium prescription adding it all up when you’ve finished? I’m just sort of thinking that buy nexium prescription you seem to get hung up on thinking about the current state of your buy nexium prescription score, and by trying to ignore it and not writing it buy nexium prescription down it might help you break through that 80 barrier. if you buy nexium prescription are scoring in the 80s low 90s then i bet you buy nexium prescription can sit down when you have finsihed and work it out. It’s the guys having 130 who wouldn’t be able to remember all of them!
Thanks, David. No, I’ve not done that, but I am buy nexium prescription learning to just let it go more often just by practicing freedom. More on that buy nexium prescription soon. Thanks much for your comment. More posts soon. Just had buy nexium prescription big fun in New Zealand.
I play quite frequently without a buy nexium prescription golf card which lets you play “freely” people get to buy nexium prescription hung up on there scores and it really does effect your buy nexium prescription golf. One thing to add to the article above is to buy nexium prescription get a good practice in before each round. It warms you buy nexium prescription up and loosens the muscles after all.
It is buy nexium prescription great that you are continuing to golf, and doing so well at it! My grandfather, who buy nexium prescription is 75, is still a very avid golfer and actually taught me. It’s nice to buy nexium prescription see a sport that is something you can do for nearly all your buy nexium prescription life. Great post!
The best golf tip I’ve ever heard. Swing the club, don’t hit the ball. P.s. I broke. 80 for the first time today.
Congrats, GJake! Awesome. Thanks for sharing that here! And, yes, swing, don’t hit. Stroke and brush the ball on putts etc. It’s the ease that works best.
And BEST to you all.
All good points. The idea of making solid contact is so easy but critical. I once heard a buy nexium prescription pro say that his only swing thought is making solid contact. You might be buy nexium prescription interested in a blog post I wrote that goes deeper into this buy nexium prescription subject.
http://www.threeguysgolfblog.com/2011/07/be-the-ball-danny.html
Awesome info, you don’t even know how much I’d love to play Cade Kidnappers.
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