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New Release
The Fairway Of Life
Simple Secrets To Playing Better Golf By Going With The Flow ~
Rand Scott Marquardt
Life & Mental Golf Performance Coach 
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FacebookRory Wins the 2011 US Open
Congratulations to Rory McIlroy on winning The US Open. McIlroy quoted Muhammad Ali, saying: “It’s repetition of affirmations that leads to belief — and once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.”
Rory spoke with Jack Nicklaus on what it takes to finish the deal. Jack coached him by asking Rory certain questions, like, “What did you learn from the last nine holes at Augusta?”
It’s refreshing to watch a new humble and hungry superstar in the making! It’s refreshing to watch someone with a bounce in their step who doesn’t waste much time over the ball.
Sometimes it’s an inspiring to quote, a solid sounding board to propel you to the next level.
“Be as you wish to seem,” Socrates
Conditioned Patterns of Behavior
Our subconscious brain runs everything in our life, including our golf game. Stated another way, we become conditioned to same or similar patterns of behavior time and time again, unless we don’t. Unless we break free and create new neurological pathways. In other words, if we keep thinking the same thoughts, we keep getting the same results. How we play, how we respond, how we score, how we react are all conditioned patterns of behavior. It’s almost like clockwork. Over time these conditioned patterns of behavior fall into the realm of being in our comfort zone. Anything on either side of this comes across as a miracle, a fluke, being on, being off, or sometimes an outright aberration. However, for most of us we continue to stay stuck in the confines of mediocrity; within a few shots either side of our comfort zone. Our actual comfort zone can actually be pin pointed to a single score.
Finding Your Comfort Zone – page 279
Our Comfort Zone is actually comprised of a single score, while our general Comfort Zone in golf may on the surface appear to be three or four strokes either side of our actual Comfort Zone. It’s easy to find this single score. Once we find this score, we acknowledge it, know longer are we disillusioned or in denial. Applying the Mental Edge Golf Technique (MEGT) to our Comfort Zone can be a very enlightening experience.
It’s important for you to know your own Comfort Zone, without any self-deception, in order to start the process of lowering it. I also suggest you complete this procedure on a daily or perhaps weekly basis. How much time you invest in your own mental game is a direct match to what you reap.
Imagine lowering your Comfort Zone by a few strokes, or even a single digit or two. In the world of professional golf, the difference between averaging 69.5 and 70 could very well be millions of dollars. For many it’s the difference between making the cut, or not?
Here’s how you find your Comfort Zone. For the actual process of lowering it, buy the book, or let me Coach you.
Step One: Pick a score that is several strokes higher than what you normally shoot on your home course. The idea being that the first time you finish the statement, you will feel confident; it will feel true for you.
Example: I would pick 83 and begin there. If I were to play only 9 holes I would pick 42. Eighty-three, and forty-two is much higher than I normally shoot.
Step Two: Complete the following statement and then answer yes or no.
Statement: “I am confident I can consistently shoot _____ 83, answer (yes).
Step Three: Keep on repeating this process, one stroke at a time lower and you will get a feel for your own game. Keep on doing this until you get uncomfortable and you can no longer with 100 percent certainty say that you can consistently shoot that score.
Example: “I am confident that I can consistently shoot _____ 83 (yes), 82 (yes), 81 (yes), 80 (yes), 79 (yes), 78 (yes), 77 (yes), 76 (ah…no, can’t quite claim 76 consistently).” So, shooting 77 is my actual Comfort Zone number. The score just above where I could no longer say I can consistently shoot. Shooting a 76 (trombones) raised a doubt in my mind. I’ve just discovered my Comfort Zone. Have I shot 76 before, certainly! I also shot a few 70’s, 71’s, 72’s, 73,’s, 74’s, and 75’s. Besides my Comfort Zone limitation, shooting in the 60’s is also one of my self-limiting barriers that I wish to break through. I’ve only done it twice in my life.
Note: Disappointment is the understanding that we have settled for less than what we know we are capable of. Knowledge of this is critical to your ongoing and ultimate success. Most people want to think they are better than what their Comfort Zone tells them. It is okay to feel this disappointment. You’re supposed to feel slightly upset with yourself that you are not quite playing golf to your full potential. That’s what this book and my message is all about.
So, now that you know this what do you do to improve? One must change their internal programming in order to change what they get. It starts with your thoughts. You must create new thoughts that support your intention. What is your intention? What is your goal? What do you desire to experience yourself as? The MEGT will give you, your mind, body, and soul an opportunity to change and create new focus and beliefs.
In order to change, you’ve got to change your own internal paradigm. You’ve got to acquire new neurons and pathways to emerge from your new thoughts. You’ve got to believe it and practice it everyday. You’ve got to imagine the event happening already and it will find you. You’ve got to allow it to happen, and you cannot force it. You’ve got to feel it and actually become it before it has even happened. You’ve got to act as if it is already so. Then, the field of quantum mechanics and physics becomes a match to you.
My whole book can be summed up in one sentence – I’m gonna be a 5-handicap golfer…by July 4th. The time agenda need not be there either…I just didn’t want to procrastinate. Once I became a 5-handicap I set a new intention. “I’m gonna be a 2-handicap by the end of summer.” I ended that year at a 1.2 handicap index.
From this statement of intention, you don’t have to know how. Okay! Why, because that’s how The Universe works. The how’s will be shown to you when and only when you have fully committed. If you see the steps of how it’s unfolding, then that’s not it! Trust it, and it will unfold without your knowing of how. It will come even more wonderful than what you may have imagined. That’s exactly how the how’s started coming into my experience. The end result was even more incredible than I imagined it to be.
And – even before I set the intention, if I hadn’t done the internal work within myself, I wouldn’t have been able to get to the point to actually believe and trust the Universe / God in this process of creation. It would have been all woo woo kind of stuff, which most likely is for many of you. So, I get it…and each is on there own journey. There are plenty of paths, no one path better than another. I just share my message and what worked for me and believe me, I have dealt with plenty of demons and challenges and adversity on my way – and still do! It’s about keeping on!
Like I state in my book, The Fairway of Life, if you set an intention, or dream your dream and end up saying…but, or yeah but, or any number of negative statements, you end up killing the whole thing. I also give an in depth technique to lower our comfort zone. Like anything else, few will do it, some will only listen, and others will do nothing at all.
Life is like a circle. It is as simple, and as complex as that!
Behavior & Demeanor on the Golf Course
Unedited expression from Jack Zlotow
I’ve been able to incorporate into my golf thought process a couple of the principles in Rand’s book “The Fairway of Life.” I’m not playing a lot of golf this year. In fact, I’ve been on the course a total of six times. So - using his techniques in an effort to lower my handicap by a few strokes in one year wasn’t in the cards for me. I don’t know anybody who could pull that feat off by playing, on average, once a month or so. There are a couple of principles I’ve taken to heart that have increased my enjoyment of the game - and probably caused my golfing partners to enjoy playing with me more than they otherwise would have.
Let me back up a little. I’ve had a volcanic temper on the golf course since at least high school, when Rand and I would regularly play together - and regularly witness each other coughing up some titanic tantrums. I’d not only throw clubs - if I really lost it, I was famous for throwing my whole golf bag, clubs, balls, tees all flying. My playing partners were either disgusted by my behavior, or they’d try to stifle laughing at me behind my back. God help them if I actually saw them laughing at me . . .
That type of behavior on the course, unfortunately, stayed with me well into my adult life, finally moderating somewhat in the last couple of years. But - I’ve still had those moments that made me feel quite silly after I calmed down - if I calmed down - and made my playing partners uneasy being around me.
I finished reading “The Fairway of Life” early this summer. Shortly thereafter, I had occasion to play golf with three old friends I graduated high school with. Two of the three don’t play a lot of golf and aren’t accomplished golfers, but they’re a lot of fun to play with. The other plays a game close to mine, though I’ve played a lot more golf than him over the years and should beat head to head seven out of 10 times. The old Jack Zlotow would’ve been all keyed up on the first hole, intent on showing all three that I can still play like “the old days,” even though that was my third time on the course in 2010. I would’ve wound up, tried to smack it hard, and probably snap hooked it 160 or so yards - and maybe out of bounds. The day would likely have slid downhill from there. But this time something was different. On the way to the course, I was thinking over and over about one of Rand’s core principles -”Golf is Supposed to be Fun!” Here I was, on a picture perfect day, playing with three guys I’ve known for more than 35 years, and there was no way I was going to ruin it by trying to impress them that I could still play like I did in my 20s and 30s when I was playing four, five times a week. My plan was simple - I was going to enjoy the day, no matter how I played. “Golf is Supposed to be Fun.” And I enjoyed the round immensely, even though I shot 91, which is 10 - 15 shots worse than the scores I shot on that same course when I played it often and was at the top of my game.
The other principle I’ve embraced, and certainly embraced that day, is accepting the shot - great shots, good shots, lousy shots. It takes a while to learn to embrace bad golf shots, but you can do it. You let your mind wander a little, you’re not focused on the present, and you bungle a shot - skull it out of the bunker, push it 30 yards right of target. I certainly make those kind of shots, but instead of steaming on my way to the ball to make the next shot, I accept the result and do my best to recover. I’ve been able to calm myself down, and it’s helped me stay in the moment. It’s helped me stay on track and not ruin my whole round because I’ve made one or two bad shots.
Maybe next year I’ll be in position to play a lot of golf again, and if I am, I’ll apply Rand’s principles in a different fashion. For this year, these principles have allowed me to enjoy the game and keep from being uptight, and that’s more than enough for me.
Competitive Spirit & Temper
Competitive Spirit & Temper
Even Tiger Woods can do “better”…
I’ve been, wanting to write about this apparent insidious dichotomy for quite some time. For most of us having a competitive driven spirit with a burning desire to be our best almost seems to go hand in hand with short outbursts of temper tantrums whenever we hit what we consider a bad shot, or we at least give it some internal muttering. Does it have to be this way? Do you have a choice to be angry or not? What I have come to understand is to take the high road whenever I can when it comes to this apparent catch-22. Is it a perfect science, absolutely not! Like all of life, it’s an eternal process to become better than you used to be. You want to get so mad at yourself then finally you decide not too. That’s a big change and a big adjustment in most of our set patterns of behavior. And it is possible to do this WITHOUT losing one ounce of competitive fire, only to gain a “better” golf game in the long run! Is it possible to not lose your temper after a “bad” golf shot and still play your best from here on out? ABSOLUTELY! What do you think?
Geoff Ogilvy came to this understanding of taking the high road several years ago. Now look at his demeanor, without losing one ounce of his competitive fire. In an interview with John Huggan from Golf Digest after winning the 2006 US Open, Ogilvy shared some enlightening insights that he has come to understand with his golf game.
Q: As a young player, were you impatient on the golf course?
A: Oh, yeah. I was horrendous. I could hit five good shots in a row, then one bad one. I’m sure I was a nightmare when I was 16 or 17, as many at that age are.
Q: What sort of stuff did you do?
A: I’d throw clubs around. I broke a few. I used a lot of four-letter words. The temper stuff is easy to fix psychologically. You either get angry or you don’t get angry; you have a choice.
A: I realize now that I was getting angry for everyone else around me, not for me. When you get that, that’s the day you fix it. When you play by yourself, you never smack the bag with the club, or get angry…ever…because there’s no audience. That’s my theory, anyway. After you hit a shot you get angry because you want the person you’re trying to impress to think that you’re better than this. I think that’s the root of it for nine out of ten people. The other one is purely psycho.
Which one are you? Which one am I? Which one is Tiger?
Tiger Woods is still in the process of working through his own self-criticism and impatient issues. He gets mad at himself and drops some four-letter words, or uses the Lord’s name in vain, which I think is just a habit of attraction, not an intentional jab at God or Jesus. He’s stubborn, like many of us, as the day is long. He still thinks he has to get mad at himself whenever he hits a less than desirable shot to keep his fire and competitive spirit, which, by the way, I am certainly not judging. I am merely observing. I have been there most of my adult life.
Tiger states it this way after his comeback tied for 4th place finish in The Masters, “I received some criticism for bad language, which I apologized for immediately after Saturday’s round,” Woods said on his blog. “It’s tough when you’re in a competitive environment and in the flow of a tournament. I’m not perfect. All I can say is I’m trying to do everything I can without losing my fire and competitive spirit.”
The world’s most mentally tough athlete and golfer still struggles with his anger and foul language – perhaps it’s a habitual patterned response? He later apologizes as he seeks to work through this negative perception he is giving the public as a most recognized role model.
The real question is can one control, manage, or “be with” their apparent disgust of their “bad” golf shot while still keeping every bit of their competitive juices flowing? I say absolutely a resounding YES, but I invite you to experiment and experience it on your own. I shared some of this talk with the Petoskey High School golf team recently. Now I share it with a wider audience. These concepts and more are mentioned in my book, The Fairway of Life. Please visit me at http://golfissupposedtobefun.com and sign up for my free newsletter too!
Dreams
What are your dreams and intention for your golf this season and beyond? What are you expecting?
I am inviting you to get really clear about what you want. I am inviting you to get really clear about playing full out 100%, making the commitment, and taking action - one action step at a time. What action step can you take today, this week? It all begins with a thought and we always get what we expect. Reach for the best feeling thought.
Remember this: the one who wins is always the one who is clearest about their wanting and is most expectant of it.
Once you make that commitment to play full out The Universe will open up new perspectives, Providence will move through you, and the how’s will begin showing up. You will just know. There is no better feeling in golf or life when everything Clicks. And for me, it clicks a lot more than ever before. Why? Because I align with myself and allow it in. Because it’s my expectation…which always delivers a match to what I expect.
It’s how I became a low single digit handicap.
What are you expecting this year?
Clicking along…
Camilo Villegas wins Honda Classic
Camilo Villegas wins the Honda Classic with a new attitude!
Having worked with sports psychologist Gio Valiante, Camilo is poised to make a run on the PGA Tour. His new attitude is “attitude of gratitude” and to have fun playing golf. Gio suggested Camilo take stock of where he is and just have fun and appreciate. Imagine that! It all comes full circle back to having fun, appreciating, and enjoying the journey. Even golfing great Johnny Miller chimed in, “Appreciate, what a great way of making a living” as Camilo tied a five stroke win with another golfing great, Jack Nicklaus.
Golf is “supposed” to be fun. The “supposed” to be is just a reminder. Professionals are even putting smiley faces on their golf balls as reminders. Isn’t it funny how this fun thing comes full circle. Golf is fun! Too many of us end up taking this golf too damn serious. Hence, frustation sets in. You can’t play your best golf being all pissed off. Lighten up folks and have fun. Guess what, you’ll end up playing better golf simply by appreciating, having fun, and by following your bliss with outrageous joy! Too easy you say? Nah, instead of strugglin’ and trying too hard - just go with the flow ~. The joy is in the journey!
The Power Lies Within YOU!
Always has been…and always will be.
What is your greatest ambition in life and for your golf game?
What kind of a golfer do you know yourself to be? What do you want?
I came to this decision after years of trying very hard to work on my game – with very little to show for it. If only I could find that magic swing. If only I could drop into the slot. If only I could stay behind the ball. If only I could finish my swing; not be so nervous; remember what I’m doing; be on plane; figure this game out… If only I…
One day while in the middle of an intense internal “spiritual processing” program I announced that while I was here to work on my own internal understandings about God and about Life I also stated that it would be nice to play better golf too! It was if I was too afraid to ask to become a better golfer, ashamed of my fears – hiding behind an insecure little boy. All those years of trying so hard to figure it out – beating one range ball after another. The thought of becoming a better golfer kept coming up and I couldn’t deny it any longer. It was like, hmmm… perhaps this is another reason why I am here as well? I finally asked one of my Life Coaches about it while walking downstairs in a hotel while going to another processing program. Jim asked me what’s holding me back? I said I guess it’s my fears and afraid to play like I know I am capable of. He said, “Can you be with that?” Wow, no one ever gave me that kind of answer. Can I be with it?
As the 33 straight days of intense Life Education Program ended I came back home from my little cocoon, and gradually integrated myself back into “normal” society. Whoa, what a trip! I probably felt a little bit like Ricky Williams, the Miami Dolphins running back when he was off doing his healing and cleansing at his retreat, not too mention what Tiger is going through right now. It’s about coming clean, being authentic, and open to new understandings about life. Anyway, I took in quite a bit of stuff, to say the least. I also learned or was reminded about The Power of Intention, and to trust the power of The Universe, which at one time might have seemed more like the genie with the magic lamp – airy fairy woo-woo stuff.
After all this, I was now “ready” to put this stuff into play. It felt kind of like a test, like okay let’s give this understanding a real life experience. Let’s set a powerful intention. Let’s announce and declare, express and experience, become and fulfill who I really am. The “announce and declare” stuff is what I did. “I’m gonna be a five handicap or less by July 4th.” It stunned me to say this out loud. These are my words, my declaration, and my intention. I knew that you don’t have to know HOW, or BE READY. You just have to set the intention, commit fully, and really trust. That whole summer became an incredible roller coaster ride that tested my resolve, my fears, my acceptance, my perseverance, and my trust. I simply noticed, observed, and allowed whatever to come up, come up. Needless to say, my handicap steadily dropped from a 10 to a 7 to a 4.3 by July 4th. I then proceeded to set a new intention, “Okay Universe, awesome, I’m grateful…now I’m going to be a 2 handicap by the end of the summer.” I ended the summer at a 1.2 handicap.
The trick is learning to maintain an unwavering focus
upon your desired end result, your completed dream, the “finish line,”
without insisting upon, or even contemplating, its means of attainment,
no matter how logical, obvious, or tempting it may seem.
–Totally Unique Thoughts
This was and is my reality and my truth. What works for you, will be your reality and your truth. I’m simply inviting you to get in the game in a new way versus trying so hard to figure it out. Or perhaps you think you’ve already got it figured out? Is it working? That feeling of surrender and letting go, and letting God is what it was like for me. I tried the “I’ll figure this out path for 35 years.” Remember: The Power lies within YOU!
Three levels of awareness: I also see how this evolution and growth works in everything in life, including our golf game. Where are you?
1. Hope – I hope to make a thing happen, but it might not. I sure hope it does.
2. Belief – I have faith a thing will happen. I feel certain it will. I have faith in the outcome.
3. Knowing – I know a thing will happen. Knowing is a statement of fact. The energy of knowing is more powerful than any other energy in The Universe.
* Golf: I love it when I know I will sink this putt, stiff this shot, or hit a great drive!
Be as you wish to seem!
Dialogue With Golf Enthusiast John Rowe
There is nothing more thrilling than a willing student!
John Rowe came to see me personally this past summer upon reading the article in the Petoskey News-Review regarding the releasing of my new book, The Fairway of Life. He just had to have an autographed copy and connect with me personally. I am so grateful he did. As it turns out he remembers my dad from many years ago. I recently received an e-mail from him and asked him if I could share it with all of you. I also provide some of my own feedback and questions back to John. Thanks John! Here’s to keeping on…
Rand,
I finally finished, “The Fairway of Life”. The delay was due mostly to a great September for golf! For the first half of the book it seemed a little like one of my pastor’s sermons; I found myself saying, “I get it, I get it!” Then for the rest of the book, I couldn’t get enough because I REALLY did get it! This is a must read for any golfer whether he’s there already or has lots of room for improvement.
John, interesting that you mention the part about a pastor’s sermon. That’s exactly what I thought I would be asked to become when I fully surrendered to God. I went on to ask John if in his opinion everyone could benefit from the messages in the book, including say a Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson?
As for Tiger and his peers, if there is such a thing, it seems to me that ANYONE can benefit from a continuing education. That is to say, if they live with an open mind, then they are receptive to new and enlightening concepts; much like rereading the Bible or other spiritual writings. NO ONE got it all the first time through! And surprisingly, many of these very talented athletes will mention a book about their field they have recently read. Phil Mickelson is taking, as well as giving, short game lessons; doesn’t that indicate a continuing desire to learn and teach? My answer is a resounding YES, to your question!
A good teacher teaches what they need to learn even more. Practice the Infallible Formula: cause another to become that which you desire to be even more. Phil does this with his short game video, and Tiger with his clinics.
As a result of reading your book, I have developed for myself 4 main thoughts in anticipation of playing a round:
1) SEE THE BALL, BE THE BALL!
This encompasses all the various swing thoughts such as grip, setup, alignment, spine angle, clubface angle, etc.
2) LET IT HAPPEN!
For me, this replaces my “slow the tempo” thought, which I need when I start to rush my backswing because of a previous miss hit.
3) I AM LIVING THE DREAM!
This a “warm fuzzy” thought on my way to the course to tell myself I am the luckiest guy in the world! It is also a great “comforter” on the course should I begin to doubt why I play the game.
4) I AM A CHAMPION!
The use of this phrase is self-explanatory!!
I put these to use the other day as I played Hawk’s Eye with friends and it really does work! The weather was windy and 45F; why go to Scotland? I played some of my best golf although my score wasn’t great. I three-putted too often.
Just got back from playing 18 at Little Traverse Bay today (10/18) 46F and breezy; my partner was very impressed with my game and I did not tell him of your book yet, because I didn’t want his unsolicited observation tainted. He says something wonderful has changed in my game. As a note to you for future reference, his name is R** L********; just so you know a name of a real person who didn’t know before hand what he was seeing!!
Thanks for the walk,
John Rowe
Tiger Woods Gives Putting Tip To Sean O’Hair
Day one in the final match of the Fed-Ex Tour Championship on The Golf Channel found Sean O’Hair at the top of the leader board leading Woods, Padraig Harrrington, and Stewart Cink by one shot. And to think on Wednesday’s practice round Sean got a putting tip from Tiger to help sharpen his putting stroke.
Imagine someone helping another while competing with or against each other for the same prize. Well, in my new world I know now that my own toughest opponent is myself, and in ultimate reality I’m really not playing against another. However, competition can stimulate our own desire to become better. All the while we help ourselves by helping others – that’s called the infallible formula. I write about these kinds of concepts (and more) in my new book, The Fairway of Life. Tiger practices mentoring and helping others to become even better themselves. As he does, Tiger naturally becomes better himself. I suggest that you practice this wisdom from the ages as well. Cause another to become what you desire to be even more.
The Putting Lesson
“De-lofting” was Wednesday’s lesson and seems to be the key to O’Hair’s newfound confidence with his flat stick. “I tend to deloft the putter and take it a little too square going back,” O’Hair explained, after telling reporters that Woods’ tips were “a little too complicated for you guys.” Woods suggested that O’Hair add loft to the putter for a freer release through the shot. “If you take it straight back and you deloft it,” O’Hair noted, “you’ve got to hang onto it going through or the ball is going to go dead left.” You have to open up the blade going back in order to properly release the putter blade coming through. *Hint – one of those putting arcs from your local PGA professional will help guide you, unless of course you’re tight with Tiger :).
O’Hair says he has much work to do to elevate his putting. “I’m not even close to doing exactly what [Woods] told me to,” he said. “Let’s face it, [my putting] is kind of what’s held me back for a long time.” The guy has a point. While he’s 17th on the PGA Tour in birdies and scoring averages, O’Hair’s 29.61 putts per round has him languishing in the 159th position.
When asked what’s it like taking tips from the world’s best golfer? O’Hair responded, “Getting advice from good players is obviously awesome,” O’Hair said. “But getting it from basically the greatest of all time is pretty cool.” Woods’ good will was no surprise to O’Hair. “We all know how…great of a player [Woods] is,” O’Hair said. “But I think the thing that impresses me more is the quality of guy he is.” The fact that his golf guru is also his opponent was not lost on O’Hair. “I mean, I’m his competition, and for him to help me out like he did was very classy,” he said. The teacher, for his part, was happy to assist. “It’s very simple,” Woods told reporters. “You always help your friends.”
Having Fun
…And did anyone else pick up on Sean’s comments about taking golf too seriously after the putting tips dialogue? Seems everyone wants to write and talk about Tiger giving advice, which is obviously very cool. O’Hair went on to say that for the last 6-7 weeks he wasn’t having as much fun, kind of down on his game. He said, paraphrasing, ‘after all, this is my profession and I’m supposed to take it seriously [he thought]. Yet when I arrived here I decided to let it all go and was just going to relax more and have fun.’ Sean allowed himself to relax and have some fun with his golf. That’s the big reminder to all of us. How easy it is to fall into the trap that it’s serious. Next thing you know we’re not having fun and our scoring reflects that. So, lighten up and have fun with it! Even professionals have to catch themselves from spiraling downward with the fun quotient. All it takes is a simple shift in perspective and many will not allow themselves to “go there” and have fun – they want to take it sooooo damn serious until it kills em. Have fun and lighten up for God’s sake!!! When you’re having fun, the scoring will take care of itself.
The 2009 Masters
What drama. What story lines. From the poor beginnings as a 10-year old caddy, Argentine Angel Cabrera emerges as The Masters Champion, his second major after winning the 2007 U.S. Open. Angel took pride in never needing a sports psychologist at his side. Instead, he opted for his trusty pack of cigarettes. There is more than one way to skin a cat. If Angel ever does get rattled it’s after some poor execution where he gets down on himself. On this day, for this occasion, he was the one left standing - for himself and perhaps - for the memory and honor of his fellow countrymen Roberto De Vicenzo.
The 2009 Masters began with some fireworks right from the get-go. The cool Texan, Chad Campbell, started off in record setting form opening with 5 straight birdies. Kenny Perry was playing on house money having accomplished more than he ever imagined with his golf. “Everything is a bonus,” he told us. He’s grateful and appreciative, a true gentlemen and sportsman. He set his goal to play in the 2008 Ryder Cup and now to win 20 times on tour and compete in majors. Everything is going along according to hoyle. It always does. The universe is always yielding to our desires and our asking; now it is up to us to allow it in. Anthony Kim found out he was taking his first round at Augusta National Golf Club way too serious. With the tragic death of Angel’s baseball pitcher, Nick Adenhart, it put it all into perspective for Kim. Life is a precious gift, “That could’ve been me,” he said with a somber heart. Kim set a Masters record with 11 birdies in his second round of golf, posting a 65.
Then came Sunday. First it was Phil to make a charge, next it was Tiger. The roars were deafening throughout the tall pines and magnolias, several groups ahead of the leaders. Everyone was following the two giants - the energy was maddening. The stage was set for a memorable Masters. Then Phil missed two short putts, and Tiger bogeyed…again. Soon after #’s 1 & 2 in the world exited the stage, three were left standing.
Besides the sheer exhilaration of just watching such an event, Nick Faldo provided extraordinary commentary into his own psyche, a past 3-time Masters Champion in 1989, 1990, and 1996. Personally, I resonate with his philosophy more than any other. On the inside I’m not too sure if Faldo’s philosophy is too much different than Cabrera’s mental mindset. It’s just a matter of what works and how we end up believing in ourselves, or not? Cabrera came from nothing but pure desire and sure will. He emerged from the caddy ranks onto the biggest stage of them all - winning a green jacket. Faldo had dreams too. He set intentions; he let his will and his belief in himself turn him into the champion that he is. He practiced training his mind. The key is to find out which way works for you.
Faldo says, “You really got to believe you will make everything. Today I will hole everything.” In order to pull off the shots you need:
Inner courage
Inner knowing
Inner self-belief
Faldo says, “What it takes is to be totally in the moment.” You need:
Creative visualization
A wonderfully def touch
And from high above the Georgia pines the golfing gods on your side
Faldo talks about meditating and how the new guys look at him and say, what’s that? He talks about how he used to meditate twice a day, which allows him to become more present, more peaceful, and helps set the tone and intention for his day and his round.
I write about all of these things in my book, The Fairway of Life: Simple Secrets To Playing Better Golf By Going With The Flow due out in mid-May. The best way is to find out what way works for you. Remember: my way is merely one-way and there are plenty of paths. Do you like what you are seeing with the results in your golf game? Are you making strides? What small action step can you take today that will make you a better you and a better player tomorrow?
Perhaps we can all agree that no matter what: life and golf is supposed to be fun!
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