Have you ever hit a perfect shot? Of course you have. Discovering the formula to re-create those shots is the greatest “hook” in all of sports.
Dedicated golfers are the quintessential masochists; they willingly endure four to five hours of incessant frustration, in pursuit of the elusive perfect shot, whose ineffable quality is often referred to as being “better than sex.“
Golf is the only game where the majority of shots are mis-hits. The criteria varies from one player to the next, but even at the highest competitive level, the quality of “misses” determines the difference between winning and losing.
Which shot would you regard as the ultimate frustration? Is there a definitive answer? While the answer varies according to skill level, the natural response is measuring the degree of frustration in relation to results; a wild slice, dribbling tee shot and missed two-foot putt are a few of the possible candidates.
Why are these shots so frustrating? Because the underlying (faulty) swing mechanics are easily explained. A wild slice is the result of an outside-in swing plane, a topped shot is the inevitable result of lifting one’s head too soon and the missed two-foot putt can often be attributed to mis-reading the slope of the green.
The longer one plays, the greater the tendency to focus on swing flaws. The underlying assumption, is that understanding your mistakes will, eventually, lead to permanent improvement.
Poor shots are frustrating enough when one understands the cause(s), but how does a perfect shot become a candidate for the most frustrating shot in golf?
Perfect shots are the raison d’etre for playing the game; I would suggest, however, that trying to figure out how to reproduce those shots on command is an exercise in futility.
Can you recall what you were thinking just before hitting the last perfect shot? Did you keep your head down, shift the weight and cock the wrist, or maybe, lock the right leg, turn the shoulder under your chin and pause at the top of the backswing, or…
Are perfect shots the result of a perfect swing? How do we account for perfect shots?
The key to re-creating those shots is beyond conscious understanding. Attempting to recapture the feeling, by resorting to swing mechanics, is self-defeating; just when you believe the answer is within reach, it slips away.
The missing ingredient is trust. You have to believe that a perfect shot is the result of “letting go”.
The first step to consistently playing to the best of your ability, is to trust your ability to forget right and wrong for one and a half seconds and just hit the damn ball!
I hope this article acts a catalyst, to help you develop the state of mind that is the one connection between you and the professionals you watch on television.
Thanks for reading!
