Golf Teaches You to Focus

I’ve already figured this one out – golf will not tolerate a wandering mind.  It will force you to focus!  When I played tennis, I could watch my teammates on the court next to me and see how they were faring and still kick ass.  In cross-country, well, you don’t do anything but ponder in that one.  Golf, on the other hand, will kick you if you don’t pay attention to it!

Along with another reminder today that I needed further lessons on golf swing fundamentals, the realization also came that golf is a game that requires tremendous amount of focus.  It is a mental game, much more than other sports I have played.  As I was hitting, probably into my second basket of 50 balls, I noticed my mind was wandering.  But it was a good kind of wandering I think.  I was noticing how two gentleman, who were both very good players, were swinging.  I noticed the straight left arm, the complete turn of the body, and the smooth follow-through (well, for one of them, the other had a kind of weird swing.  He would swing like one of those side-arm baseball pitchers, almost swiping at the golf ball.  But he was getting decent results enough times).  I still don’t know enough about the basics to focus on my own game and improvement when I’m on the range.

I’ve heard golf is a game that challenges you more than opposing players do.  That makes sense because you’re not hitting the ball at someone and waiting for their return shot and you’re not physically defending an opponent’s moves.  It’s a matter of focusing on your approach to your shot, the shot, and the follow-through.  This requires clearing your mind from extraneous thoughts and focusing on each of these aspects, especially because the game is very technical.  You must get your swing down and keep it consistent in order to have success.  I like this requirement for focus, though undoubtedly I will not be perfect at it.  It should be a good training tool.

Meanwhile, I found out that the golf club that opened up recently near my house is actually all but 7 km away!  Wooohooo!  It is a 9-hole course with a driving range and greens for practicing putting.  It’s clean but the grass is not as green everywhere nor is the maintenance as good as the grounds at the Delhi Golf Course.  But, it’s only 7 km away!

I hit 150 balls this morning.  I also got my first coaching session, although it was not by any kind of certified coach (they just started the first golf coach training institute in Chandigarh, so I doubt there’s a body for coach certification).  He was a local guy who worked at Sirifort Complex and picked up the game on his own, as he admitted to me.  So, not the ideal coach, but he was available right there and I hired him for 30 minutes.  He taught me the basics of the swing and it was helpful information, so it wasn’t that bad.  I asked him to hit a few balls too and he knew what he was doing.

As I was leaving, the guys managing the place told me I could not wear a full-sleeved shirt and jeans!  I had forgotten this part of the gentleman’s game.  You must be dressed as a gentleman to play golf as well!  It will be warm enough soon so I am not too concerned about the shirt.  But the jeans!  That is going to hurt.  Man, I don’t even wear slacks to people’s houses and I have to wear them to hit a ball with an iron rod!  I tried protesting for a few minutes but I wasn’t going to get anywhere.  The guy, in fact, told me very clearly that he didn’t make a fuss about it because it was my first time, but he wouldn’t let me play next time!  I guess I have to iron some pants now.

My plan of taking lessons at the DGC and practising near home may work out just fine.  When I take lessons, I can hit at DGC also.  I’m excited about that possibility.  I now just need to make the time to do it.