Just by reducing one doubt, your first shot of the morning becomes easier

"If you reduce your doubts, you will hit the sweet spot."
I sometimes remember these words during my first tee shot of the morning.

Instead of trying to hit perfectly, first reduce just one doubt.
I feel that just by doing that, my body becomes a little easier to move.

The morning light and the trembling tee-up

The grass, wet with morning dew, sparkles as it is bathed in the morning sun.
Birds are chirping in the distance, and the sound of a cart quietly approaches.

In truth, it is a very pleasant morning.

But, the moment I grip the driver,
my head can suddenly become busy.

There is OB on the right.
There is a pond on the left.
The wind is blowing slightly from the left.
In yesterday's practice, I was hitting a bit of a slice.

"What if I hook it again?"
"Will I hit it properly?"
"I don't want to be a nuisance to the group behind us."

Such anxieties swell up more and more in the few seconds before I hit.

I understand that feeling very well.

I, too, have stood on the tee while feeling doubtful

To be honest, even now that I have become an instructor, there are times when my head gets noisy.

The final hole of a competition.
Right after a playing partner hits a nice shot.
Even though I tell myself, "Okay, stay calm," another version of myself is making noise inside my heart.

"I don't like the right side."
"But the left side is dangerous too."
"If I make a mistake here, the momentum will turn bad."

It is not the case that I don't have doubts because I am on the teaching side.
Because I am human.
I, too, definitely have doubts.

However, I have noticed something after failing many times.

If you try to eliminate all your doubts, it becomes even more painful.
Rather than that, narrowing your doubts down to one makes your body much easier to move.

A small change that happened to a student

I have a lasting impression of a student I accompanied on a course lesson last month.

That person was the type who could hit cleanly at the driving range, but would stiffen up once they got out on the course.

"What if I hit it into the water?"
"I just want to avoid the OB."
"The group behind is waiting."

Those kinds of anxieties were lined up in their head, one after another.

So, I made just one request.

"Before you hit, let's decide on just one target spot. To the left of that bunker is fine. To the right of that tree is fine. Please put everything else aside for now."

On the next hole, that person thought for a moment and then said,

"I'll aim to the left of that Y-shaped tree."

Then, they set up quietly and swung. The ball didn't go high, but it rolled firmly toward the fairway.

That person smiled a little bashfully and said,

"Somehow, I feel like I was able to hit it that time."

That one comment was wonderful.

It wasn't just about whether it was a nice shot or not,
"I decided and I swung."
Because that feeling remained clearly with them.

It's not about saying don't have doubts,

"If you reduce your doubts, you'll hit the sweet spot."

I don't think this means you shouldn't have doubts.

When you stand on a golf course, all sorts of information catches your eye. The white stakes on the right. The pond on the left. The bunker in front. The direction of the wind. The gaze of your playing partners.

There are surely very few people who can hit without thinking about anything.

But if you have too many doubts, your body stops.

"I don't want to go there either."
"That side is scary too."
"I have to hit it straight."

While thinking those things, your breathing becomes shallow, you grip the club too tightly, and your usual tempo disappears somewhere.

It's a strange thing, but when your aim is vague, your body's movements become vague as well.

Conversely, when you decide on one place to look, your body feels a little more at ease.

“Hit it there.”

That alone sets the direction of your mind. When your mind is set, I feel like a small core is born in your swing as well.

A 3-second setup you can start today

There is something I would like you to try in your next round or practice session.

It is to take three seconds just before you hit to look at your target.

“The left side of that tree.”
“The right edge of that bunker.”
“That wide part of the fairway.”

The landmark can be rough; that is fine.

What is important is to look at “where you want to carry the ball” rather than “where you don't want to hit it.”

I don't want to hit it into the pond.
I don't want to go OB.
I don't want to hook it.

The more you think that way, for some reason, the more you end up worrying about those very things.

That is why, for just the three seconds before you swing, you should look at where you want to go.
Then, take a breath before you swing.

You don't need to try to fix every detail of your swing form.

One place to aim.
One breath.
One tempo to swing.

I think it is fine to keep it that simple.

Hitting the sweet spot isn't just about the ball

Of course, that doesn't mean you will hit a nice shot every time.

There are days when it curves to the right.
There are days when you pull it to the left.
There are days when you laugh from the first shot of the morning, thinking, “Golf isn't easy today either.”

But a shot you hit after deciding on one thing before swinging will lead to the next one.

Instead of “Ah, it was no good after all,” you can think, “I'll try aiming a little more to the right next time,” “I put a little too much power into that one,” or “But I was able to commit to that swing.”

In that way, the way you perceive mistakes changes a little.

The first shot of the morning is not meant to prove perfection.
It is just a shot to begin today's round of golf.

You don't have to try to eliminate all your doubts.
Just try deciding on one thing.

That small decision will loosen your grip a little.
It will broaden your perspective a little.
It will make the view from the tee ground feel a little kinder.

Hitting the sweet spot might not just be about the ball.

When your mindset is a little more settled,
your golf for the day will also begin a little more pleasantly.

Take a deep breath on the grass wet with morning dew.
Find one tree in the distance.
And try to look forward to today's first shot a little.

It's okay if it's not perfect.

You made a decision and you swung.
That alone gives today's golf real meaning.⛳

Do you have an "unforgettable shot"?

A miss-shot that was incredibly frustrating, or perhaps a perfect shot that you consider a "treasure for life." If you'd like, please let me know in the comments section.

As a fellow golfer, I would be happy if you could share your story.