These 3 things knocked 4 strokes off my golf score since my last outing.
I played golf today the first time in 2 weeks and knocked 4 strokes off my score on my home course. And today’s result is 9 strokes better than my golf score 3 weeks ago. The most amazing part is I accomplished this while missing 2 planned trips to the driving range. Here’s how:
- My Zen Putting method works beautifully. I 3 putted on very few holes and did not have any 4 putts all.
- Core conditioning. I’ve done Yoga classes for 2-1/2 weeks and 1 Pilates Class. Both have strengthened & stretched my core muscles. My back did not tire and tighten up until the 18th hole (BTW I walk and carry my clubs).
- Being present. My ability to address the ball, see and execute my planned shot was much better.
My Zen Putting method worked very well. On long puts > 10 feet I left the ball withing 2 to 3 feet on most putts. Within 6 feet I hit about 65-70% of the putts I had. I huge improvement. The times I missed putts my mind had grabbed onto some stray thought making me not present to the putt.
Core conditioning is paying off. I did not realize just how weak and inflexible my lower back was. It doesn’t take long in a Pilates Class to know that I’m indeed a Core Strength Girly Man which is very humbling in a room of ladies who are Core Strength Giants. After the class I needed to take a nap and the next morning my fat and skin were sore. I’m going again tomorrow morning. 
Being Present on the Golf Course playing golf was another big factor. I blew up on 2 holes scoring an 8 on a par 5 and a 10 on a par 3 with water. After the big numbers I settled into the next hole and did the job at hand. I can see the foundation I’ve built with 20+ years of Zsa-Zen Total Stillness Meditation practice.
My biggest joy today was seeing immediate and tangible results in the physical world of the Golf Course. So many times our practices are esoteric or long term in nature. Dropping my Golf Score 9 strokes in 3 weeks with only 1 physical practice is a very nice improvement. Many people have said that golf is a mental game but it is also a physical game where conditioning counts.
As a side note, I may have won today’s Encinitas Ranch Men’s Club Golf Tournament. I did not win the long drive. I had the distance to win but sliced my ball into a parallel fairway. This next week I will work on maintaining my putting progress and correct my recurring patterns of slicing on specific holes.