Ah, the “Secret.” The one thing that makes the golf
swing perfect. Is there really such a thing, or is
it just legend? Ben Hogan claims he found it, yet he
practiced harder than anybody
and never actually revealed the
magic motion. However, Hogan
was right. There is a secret and it
is in every good golfer. They just
don’t know what it actually is. It
took me years to comprehend,
but finally it dawned on me and
it came from the most unlikely
source. It was the best golf
lesson I ever had, and it came
from someone who is not even
a golfer. In fact he is not even a
real person. His name is George
Costanza from Seinfeld.
While pitching a sitcom
idea to NBC executives, George
was asked what the show was about. His reply: “It’s
about nothing.” There it is, that’s the “Secret” to a good
golf swing – nothing. Most people have 10 different
thoughts in their head while swinging a golf club.
And, unfortunately, golf instruction today just makes it
worse. Most would have one believe that if you know
what to do and concentrate hard enough at the right
moments, you can make a great swing.
Nothing could be further from the truth. I always
hit my best shots after I so thoroughly butchered a
round that I didn’t give a damn any more. That got me
to questioning: Why not swing that way all the time?
Just focus on a routine and then pull the trigger, no
swing thoughts at all. Now, this is not an easy thing to
do, especially over 18 holes, which is why golf is such
a hard game, but it works. My fairways and greens
percentages have increased dramatically. Look, we all
know how to swing a golf club, been doing it for years.
We just have to get our brain out of the way and let our
body perform. Remember the words of Bagger Vance,
“The swing is never learned; it is remembered.”
As I prepared for the 2010 National Hickory
Championship at Oakhurst Links, I was determined
to use my no-thought swing
throughout the two-day
competition. This tournament
requires players to use pre-1900
equipment or replicas of such,
and is played on a course built in
1884 in White Sulphur Springs,
West Virginia. It is considered
the most demanding event
in hickory golf. After being
properly announced, I placed a
new gutty on a carefully-crafted
sand sculpture and prepared
for my first swing. As I began
that graceful motion I have
made so many times, there it
was, a moment’s doubt and “oh
no,” cold-topped it. Double bogey. What a way to start.
Second hole was not much better, as I had to hole
a six-footer for bogey. I wasn’t trusting myself, which
often happens when you hit a bad shot. On the third
tee, I just focused on my routine, cleared my mind and
swung. Six inches later I had my first birdie. Then, par,
par, par. On seven, I launch a shot dead at the flag, but
the rubbery gutty bounced hard just past the stick and
rolled over the green and out of bounds. Then, a bad
break on nine caused another bogey and I turned at
43, six over.
The swing was working, however. I hit every fairway
on the incoming nine and shot even par, which put me
on top of the leaderboard at the halfway point. Round
two started out with more of the same, five straight
pars, but two three-putts left me two-over going out.
As I said earlier, keeping it together for 18 holes is not
easy. It happened on my approach shot at 11, just an
instant of doubt because my lie was a little dicey – a lateral into the tall grass. I managed to bogey, but I was
shaken up. I didn’t let it go and my tee shot on the next
par-3 was awful. I got a break as it did not reach the
tall grass, but I was faced with a
difficult pitch uphill over a bunker.
I managed to get it on and settled
for another bogey.
As I stood on the next tee, the
most difficult hole at Oakhurst, I
decided no matter what, no thinking
was going to be my mantra for the
rest of the round. I split the fairway
with one of my best drives of the
tournament. Par, par, par, par,
birdie. As I stood on the last green
surveying a 12-foot putt, I said to
myself, relax and just let it happen.
I still have trouble putting without
thinking, but on this occasion, I
just put all my faith into my body
and the ball rolled firm and true,
dead-center into the cup. I became Champion Golfer
for the second time on my favorite golf course in the
United States.
The “Secret” had worked. No more experimenting,
no more tips or trying every new method some
supposed guru says is the answer. I have always
believed that a golf swing involves
a good swing path, good balance
and the ability to get the club
squarely on the ball. Add in the
true “Secret” – NOTHING, and you
might just surprise yourself. The
real question is, can you clear your
head and just allow your body to
perform?
Mike Stevens is Southeast Region
director of the USGTF and golf
teaching pro at MacDill Air Force
Base in Tampa, Florida. He was the
2005 National Hickory Champion
and the 2004 US Golf Teachers
Senior Champion. In 2010 Mike
won a second National Hickory
Championship. He also owns and
operates the Mike Stevens On Target
Golf School in Tampa and Sarasota.
For more information on Hickory Golf go to
www.hickorygolfers.com.
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