My friends, I’m about to take a leap of faith. I’ve decided to change the way I approach my swing, my putting, in fact my entire game. And I’m entrusting this momentous metamorphosis to a man who doesn’t even play golf.
Yep, I’m an idiot.
I’ve just finished reading a book called “Golf Sense – Practical Tips On How To Play Golf In The Zone” (Front Runner Publications, 2010). It’s a book that follows nicely on the heels of another golf book I read recently; “Straight Down the Middle” (see my review HERE).
Both these books are, as it happens, similar in that they don’t really give swing advice, rather, they attempt to put you in a golfing state of mind. Where Straight Down The Middle helped me find “inner peace” on the course, Golf Sense provides you with practical exercises to help you keep that inner peace going throughout your round.
The irony of it all is the author of Golf Sense, Roy Palmer, states right in the introduction that he doesn’t even play golf! I almost closed the book right then and there. But, Mr. Palmer was nice enough to ship me the book gratis from across the pond in England – I figured the least I could do was read it (all the misspellings idiosyncrasies of the Queen’s English included).
I was originally inspired by this golfing inner peace (or getting in the zone) from the movie The Legend of Bagger Vance – the scene on the tee when Bagger is explaining to Junuh why Bobby Jones is so good (“he’s in the field”). To me, there’s just something about letting go of all the BS in your head, getting out of your own way (mentally) and just letting your natural swing emerge – it just sounds like the way a golf swing is meant to be executed.
So as I digested Mr. Palmer’s book, I felt his writings and exercises (many of which can be done without a club and while you’re actually reading the book) would really help me find that happy place to exist in during a round. For example, he points to tension in the swing as a major cause of poor play – tension that you may not even know you have since habitually, you’ve swung the same way for so many years.
But realizing the cause of your poor golf shots is only the beginning. Golf Sense is packed with simple ways to put you in (and keep you in) a calm and relaxed state of mind on the course (which will translate into a more relaxed swing, and subsequently lower scores). I have to say, I’m anxious to give it a try.
So my plan is to put Mr. Palmer’s book to the test. Beginning in the new year, I am going to practice a few of the exercises at home. Then, once the weather gets warmer, I will move to the range and finally to the course. I’ll post sometime next season about how I’m progressing.
If you’d care to join me, feel free to get your own copy of Golf Sense HERE and email me (info@golfstinks.com) with your own experiences using this method. Stay tuned…
I was curious after reading this review so thought I’d give the book a chance. I really enjoyed it and found the techniques have helped my game a great deal. They initially seem too simple, but I realized thats what I needed. Im hitting the ball a good 10 yards further and cutting down on the mistakes. Great book, well written and I would recommend it to all golfers.
John F