You’re standing in the tee box of the par 5 third hole on your home golf course. You just bogied the last hole—a par 3, and now you’re facing one of the longest holes on the course, woods on the right and a pond that runs the full length of the fairway on the left. If you don’t hit this ball well, you know you’ll end up wet or deep in the trees for certain. So what do you do?
Many golfers get lost in the confusion of “what to do next” or “I sure hope I don’t blow this” or any other stinkin’ thinkin’ ideas that can float through at that moment. They worry and wonder and stay confused. Without a target and clear vision of how to play the ball, they step up and swing, hoping something good might happen. It often does not, and another good round of golf goes down the tubes.
It doesn’t have to be that way. LPGA Professional, Lynn Marriott and her business partner at Vision 54, Pia Nilsson, have developed a method to corral all the negative thinking and get you to focus your energy on making the best possible shot you can. They call it “Think Box – Play Box” tactics. Watch this short video as Lynn offers a quick explanation.
They’ve published a book that goes into the philosophy and science that’s behind this technique. Every Shot Must Have a Purpose. It’s all about VISION.
They don’t believe in prescribing the same stance, grip, and swing to everyone, followed by hours of purposeless drilling. They don’t even believe in beginning with physical technique. Their success has proven to them that a great game begins with a great vision.
Unlike any other golf book, “Every Shot Must Have a Purpose” offers cutting-edge techniques for integrating the physical, technical, mental, emotional, and social parts of a player’s game. The book’s revolutionary pre-shot routine will improve your focus, leading to a golf swing that is not only successful but can be repeated under extreme pressure. – From the Amazon Listing
What does this mean for you?
If you follow the basic principle of separating your thinking about a shot from the actual playing the shot, you’ll find you are more focused. By thinking through and then committing yourself to how you will play a shot, you take away doubt. You don’t allow second guessing when you step into the “play box.” You’ve already decided, you’ve committed to it, and now you simply play the shot. That’s it. No second guessing.
And this is how you play every shot, from driving off the tee to putting on the green. Think, Commit, Play. Simple. Right? I believe in the method. But it takes time to develop the discipline to follow it. And I’m still working on it. I’ll let you know how I improve as time goes on. In the meantime… have you read the book, watched the videos, tried to method? Love to know your thoughts.
What do you think? Add your comments in the space below.
