New Post #42 Mental Monday

Hi Friends

Did anyone actually watch the final round of the Open yesterday?

I didn’t, well I started to but then Scottie birdied the first and it was all over, to be fair it was all over before that. I was living in hope of a collapse and maybe a battle with Rory or Fitzpatrick or even Haotong Li.

I ended up watching the Tour de France - Stage 15 MURET to CARCASSONNE.

Many years ago when in France for a wedding, I stayed within the ancient walls of Carcassonne - its quite a place.

The Tour de France is being dominated in the same way that Scottie dominated the Open. Tadeg Pogacar is over 4 minutes ahead of his nearest rival, which in the Tour de France pretty much means victory is a forgone conclusion.

This is even with 6 stages still to race, including the mighty Mount Ventoux (scene of the death of the great British rider Tom Simpson in 1967’s Tour and more recently Chris Froome running up the mountain without his bike as his chain had broken)

So if The TDF is a foregone conclusion and The Open was a foregone conclusion why did I watch the cycling and not the golf?

Well being a Francophile I suppose I just enjoy the overhead shots of the stunning French countryside.

Was I the only one who was less then enthralled with final day at The Open?

Judging by my social media today and comments from friends, no I am not and in the words of Andrew Cotter from the excellent podcast “The Chipping Forecast”99999999 it wasn’t a gripping day of golf.

I thought Scottie Scheffler played almost flawless golf, very very impressive. When he did finally make a mistake, he just birded the next hole. I also believe Rory and perhaps Dechambeau (demonstrated by his scores in rounds 2,3 and 4) have higher peaks then Scheffler but Scottie is so consistently very very good.

Will the youth of today be rushing out to buy clothing with a swoosh on it the same way we all did when Tiger was in his pomp? I doubt it.

But I did like Nike’s advert that came out this morning, very good.

The golf swing takes about 1.2 seconds from start to finish. 1.2 seconds is an eternity for the mind (how many things can you think of in 1.2 secs - A lot!).

According to Dr Karl Morris as that 1.2 seconds is happening we have 5 areas that we can focus on, that will allow our skills to emerge, he calls it “One Point” as in one point of focus while making the swing.

1 - Target

In Karl’s experience this is best utilised by high level golfers, and its as simple as focusing on the target in your minds eye while making the swing.

Bob Rotella loves this one as does Harvey Penick with his “take dead aim” maxim

2 - Ball flight

Again Dr Karl thinks this is best used by accomplished golfers

Sam Snead was a fan of focusing on the ball flight and he did ok

3 - The Golf Club - in particular the club face

Karl uses a simple drill of drawing a dot on the club face a couple of grooves up from the bottom. The task is then can you keep your attention on the dot for the whole swing?

You can also draw a dot on the ball as well and then try and swing freely and connect the dots.

The “Inner Game of golf” by Tim Gallwey (featured here in Newsletter #5 my top 5 golf books) has a similar drill of focusing on the club head through the swing.

4 - The Body

Karl talks about from learning from Martial arts that you could place your attention on the lower Dantian. An area just below your waist as per the picture below. Centring your focus and energy as you swing.

5 - Something Unrelated

For this one Karl uses the example of an old European tour golfer turned agent, Chubby Chandler. He tells a story about how he remembered the best year he ever had on tour and that he could not get a song out his head.

Chubby thought he had to get rid of it and finally managed get it out his head and never played as well again!

I’ve also talked about this concept in Newsletter #34 Dr Carey Mumford and Clear Key golf - so you can always check that out again if it so interests you.

We are now only in mid July but all this years majors are finished.

But before I go a quick look at next years venues,

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night,