On Days When You're Lost, Choose the Simple Path

"On Days When You're Lost, Choose the Simple Path"

At the driving range at night, there was someone standing still.

A night on the way home from work.
I am standing alone in a hitting bay at the driving range, illuminated by fluorescent lights.

From next door, the pleasant sound of balls being struck continues.
And yet, my ball alone makes a dull clanking sound.

There are nights when the difference in that sound lingers strangely in my ears.

Standing on the mat, feeling a little sweat in my gloved hand,
I place a ball down, thinking, "Just one more."

But every time I swing, my mind gets busier.

"I have to rotate my shoulders."
"I have to use my hips."
"I shouldn't hit with just my hands."

The more I think like that, the stiffer my body becomes.
Golf is a strange thing.

The more you want to get better, the more you have to think about,
and the more you think, the more you sometimes fail to make contact.

It's not just beginners who overthink

This doesn't just happen to beginners.

I have experienced it many times myself.

Even as an instructor,
there are days when I think,
"For some reason, I can't hit it well today."

Especially at times like that, I end up trying to fix too many things.

The form of the swing.
How to rotate the body.
The path of the club.
How to use the hands.

Sometimes, I, who tell my students to "keep it simple" in lessons,
am the one thinking about things in the most complicated way.

That is exactly why I think this.

On days when you are lost, rather than adding difficult things,
it is better to choose one simple thing.

What a student's single shot taught me

One day, a student who had been playing golf for about six months
looked a bit troubled at the driving range.

"Coach, I can't stop shanking the ball... what should I do?"

Watching them, I saw they were trying to focus on their arms, shoulders, hips, and weight transfer
all at the same time.

Because they are diligent, they try to do everything at once.

So, I told them this:

"Let's focus on just one thing today. Try to focus only on not forcing your body to rotate."

Then, on the very next shot,
there was a crisp sound as the ball hit the sweet spot.

The student said with a look of slight surprise,

"Oh, it hit!"
Seeing that smile made me happy too.

The answer wasn't in adding more complex things;
the answer was in subtraction.

Today's quote: "On days you feel lost, choose the simple path."

Golf is a sport that becomes more difficult the more you seek perfection.

I want to fix this.
I want to be conscious of that.
I want to swing more beautifully.

I completely understand that feeling.

But especially when you are feeling lost, it is important to keep your mind simple.

For example,
"Today, I will just focus on my setup."
"Today, I will just focus on swinging slowly."
"Today, I will just focus on following through to the end."

That is more than enough.
Don't look down on simple things.

In fact, those who can continue to do simple things carefully
are the ones who will quietly improve over time.

One thing you can try starting today

When you feel lost, please try just this.

Today, I will focus on my setup.

You don't need to think about your swing for now.

Stand in front of the ball.
Align your feet.
Straighten your back a little.
Gently place the club down.
Look at your target and set up once more.

That is all.

It might feel very plain.

But when your setup is in order, your mind also settles down a bit.

The feeling that "I am properly prepared" remains.

This small sense of security will help you with your next shot.

Golf becomes easier as more things become subconscious.

Things you couldn't do without thinking at first will gradually stay with your body as you repeat them over and over.

At first, focus on your setup.
Next, focus on swinging slowly.
After that, focus on picking a target and hitting.

By building them up one by one like that,
eventually, the number of things you can do naturally without thinking will increase.

The moment you hit the ball most comfortably in golf
is surprisingly often when you are not thinking too much about anything.

So, there is no need to rush.

Starting with just a short iron is fine.
Once you get the feeling of hitting well with a short club,
it will gradually lead to longer clubs.

That becomes a small reason to want to go to the driving range again.

Just being able to stand on the grass is enough.

The course in the morning.

The air is cool, and the green of the grass shines in the morning sun.
You can hear birds in the distance, and the dew at your feet gently touches your spikes.

Will I be able to hit well today?

Even if you have a little bit of that anxiety,
just being able to stand in this scenery feels like enough.

Golf is not just about performing difficult things perfectly.

Decide on your aim.
Take your stance.
Swing as gently as you can.

Even just by repeating those simple steps, major mistakes will gradually decrease.

It is okay to feel lost.
It is okay to choose the easy way.
That is perfectly fine.

It is fine to have days where you work hard at difficult things, but
on days when things aren't going well, you can just go back to the simple things.

When you feel lost at the driving range,
how do you settle your mind?