Review - Every Shot Must Have a Purpose

I couldn't help but think this book had been written just for me! It covers many of the things I've been talking about in my blog and, intentionally or not, blends philosophy with golf instruction. That's right up my fairway!

Philosophy is about becoming a better person. It gives us the ability to think and navigate life for ourselves. With clear goals in life, we can more easily find the route we want to take. The Stoic philosopher Seneca said, "As long as we wander at large, having no guide and following only the din and jarring cries of men calling us in different directions, our life will be spent in making errors, a life of little enough span even if we should work night and day for a sound understanding." That passage is embodied in the very title of the book and throughout the text I often found myself thinking about the things I've been studying in Stoicism.

There are a couple of passages towards the end of the book that struck me. "When you play with the mindset that every shot must have a purpose, you will improve. When you accept that it is not about you becoming a golfer but rather about golf becoming a part of who you are, you will play your best". "So many of the problems we experience on the golf course stem from the fact that we fear failure or that we remember a time when we had the same shot and botched it. Our past does not have to be our future if we merely change our beliefs and accept that we can create a new golfing reality. The first step is to realize that every shot must have a purpose".  I could almost imagine Marcus Aurelius on the driving range quoting from the book. "Recognise the things you can't control and decide on your attitude towards them".

Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott have been coaching players to great success for a very long time, especially on the LPGA tour. Annika Sorenstam is their poster child and it is impossible to deny the success she has had. More Bob Rotella than Ben Hogan, this book is about the mental side of your golf game but with many more practical exercises and processes than you will find in Bob's books. I've come away with lots to think about and implement into my game. I genuinely believe that their teachings and practice techniques will help me become a better golfer. As they say, "The key to hitting good golf shots is confidence, and the key to developing confidence is understanding how your mind and body react to pressure". Even before I finished it I was already implementing some of the suggestions the last time I played.

Vision54 and Golf54 are fascinating concepts. If, over time, you have birdied all of the holes on your home course, then why is it not possible that you could birdie them all in one round and shoot 54 (if par is 72)? My personal Vision54 is to qualify for the Senior Open by age 60 (54 now). This book is about reframing expectations and changing your mindset. It boils down to implementing repeatable processes and building trust in your routines. Their comment is that trust is the key to performance and honesty is the doorway to trust. If we want to transfer our good performance from the driving range onto the course then we have to practice differently - with a purpose. They provide practical routines and ways to improve focus and concentration both on the practice range and on the course. You might have already heard about their Think Box, Decision Line, Play Box method, or variations around that theme,

Golf is a combination of art and science. It's both mental and technical. We are all capable of getting better technically through lessons with a good instructor. The real challenge is taking that technical competence to the course and delivering over 18 holes. I believe the teachings in this book will help me, and any reader, do that more effectively and become better golfers.

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