What does Olympic Snowboarder Shawn White know about playing great golf?

I just saw a tv commercial for the upcoming Winter Olympics (Sochi) featuring gold medal winners. One of them is gold medalist snowboarder Shawn White who, in his own words, defines the ideal state of mind for optimal performance. He says you need...

"...complete focus with a bit of not caring." 

I like what he's getting at here as I think it can be applied to most activities in our lives. Its not that Shaun White doesn't care about what he's doing, its that he doesn't care about the outcome. There's a difference. There are many times out on the golf course where I'm focused but also overly consumed by the stifling expectation of results.

Round: 2013 Deutsche Bank Championship / TPC Boston

I was lucky enough to play a private company outing at TPC Boston the day after the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship. The combination of watching the tournament on Monday and then playing the course in tournament conditions, made for a weekend I'll never forget. We played a fourball tournament with longest drive and shortest to the pin prizes. As we got out to our first hole we noticed the pins were in the same locations as the final round. This did not make things any easier for us! The management staff left all the tournament grand stands in place which added to the experience for sure. Overall, I didn't play my best but I made sure I enjoyed every step of the way. The course is gorgeous and the amenities were impressive. What I liked most was the fairness of the setup. You have to put the ball in the right places, and if you don't, the penalty can be brutal (ie. the 18th green complex is insane). My struggles lied on the greens. I've never played on such extreme slopes and changing of speed. I really couldn't get a feel for them which resulted in many three putts. When it was all over, the experience was pretty inspiring. If I am lucky enough to get another chance to play TPC Boston, I will be sure to prepare to give it my best.

Final score: 95

Range Session - Divots from the pros

The caddies direct us to our starting holes!

I was the long drive leader for most of the afternoon!

Digging out of bunker on the 8th

Stuffed my tee shot on the Par 3 16th

16th green

Beautiful 18th fairway

Diabolic 18th green complex

Found the mountainside of the 18th bunker :(

Good indication of what we dealt with on the 18th

The short Par 4 4th

Classy locker rooms!

Putting Key: Rock the Shoulders

I was watching a recent PGATour tournament and picked up on a simple key for the putting stroke. Announcers Ian Baker Finch and Sir Nick Faldo commented on a player's stroke and emphasized the importance of "rocking the shoulders". By rocking your shoulders, you take your arms and hands out of the stroke, which is essential for developing a consistent motion. Over the years, I've found this tip to be the most effective "key" for consistent results.

Clean your clubs...

...and your grips! I can honestly say that I clean my clubs before or after each round. Not only will you have fresh grooves and grips, but your irons will shine like a new set. Don't forget the small amount of dish soap as this is the key ingredient which gives the clubs the shine.

Article found on golflink.com

Step 1

Prepare the cleaning solution. Fill a bucket with only a few inches of warm water. Water levels should be just high enough to submerge the heads of the irons. Ensure that the water is not too hot, as high temperatures can damage clubs. Add a cleaning solution to the water. Most often used is a drop of dish-washing soap. However, professional cleaning products are available at golf shops. Allow the cleaning solution to become soapy.

Step 2

Soak only the club iron heads in bucket of water. Ensure that the heads of the irons are fully submerged in the soapy solution. Make sure that the ferrules do not get wet.

Step 3

Allow a two-minute soak in the cleaning solution to assist in breaking down sand, mud, oils and chemicals on the club heads. Do not submerge woods into bucket. Instead, dampen a cloth rag with the soapy solution and wipe down the heads of woods.

Step 4

Clean the club head grooves. Utilizing a soft-bristled toothbrush (or any non-wire cleaning brush), gently scrub the club head's individual grooves, carefully removing any dried debris and dirt. Additionally, brush over the sole of the golf club and all sides of the head. Be watchful of scratching the shaft.

Step 5

Rinse the heads of the irons. Once you're finished with the scrubbing process, use a garden hose to rinse the club head with warm water (be careful to not let the other club parts get wet).

Step 6

Soak club heads a few minutes longer in the cleaning solution if they still appear dirty. Use a medium-to-hard bristled toothbrush to help remove dried dirt.

Step 7

Wipe down and polish the golf clubs. After a careful inspection of groove and club head cleanliness, use a soft rag or towel to dry the shaft, ferule and club head. Verify that the clubs are thoroughly cleaned and dried before replacing them into a golf bag.

Step 8

Clean the golf club grips. Begin with a fresh bucket of warm water and add a little bit of dish washing liquid. Once the solution is sudsy, dampen a cloth, clean golf club grip and dry with an dry rag. Inspect the grips during this process and determine if replacement is necessary.

TAKE DEAD AIM

'TDA' is the most important tip author Harvey Penick describes in his famous book The Little Red Book. I actually wrote the letter TDA on the left thumb of my golf glove. I remember Louie Oosthuizen drew a red dot in the same place on his glove during the 2010 Open Championship as a reminder to stay in the moment of the present shot. It did wonders for him. I'm hoping it will do the same for me.

Personal Best: 85

I just fired my lowest personal score yesterday at Green Harbor Golf Club in Marshfield. I've been stuck in the high 80s for about a year so it feels great to finally break the mold. It also marked the first time I've had more than one birdie in an 18 hole round. It was my best ever driving round which was a HUGE factor for scoring. I hit a whopping 86% fairways. Putting was the other key factor, with mostly 1 and 2 putts on the back nine. I finished the round off in style with my third birdie on the 18th hole (Photo below). Now if only I can get rid of the double bogeys, I'll be sniffing high 70s!

Giving 100%, All the Time

Today, golfers on the pro tour are spoiled. The tournament prize money has made some of the better players far too complacent with their achievements on the golf course. Luckily, we have a few special players (Tiger, ahem) who are not motivated by the money. This is one of the reasons it will be so hard to accept the inevitable end of the Tiger era. The trait that makes Tiger so special is his perseverance. No matter his score on the scorecard, he is giving 100% on every single stroke. After seeing him grind out a hard earned par out of a water hazard (see video); it reminded me of how many times I let a score get away from me b/c of poor conviction. Let this be a reminder to commit to every shot 100% regardless of prior performance. The essence of zen golf is playing in the present, not the past or future.

Where Are You Looking?

Interesting article found in Golf Digest. I've found these visual cues very helpful.

Weight Distribution Tip

Notes from the book, "The Big Miss"

Hank Haney
"In competitive golf...You've got to build a swing that will eliminate the big miss."

On fatherhood
"No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care."

"Tiger never allowed himself to be satisfied, b/c in his mind satisfaction is the enemy of success."

"Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration."
—Thomas Edison

Swing thought for releasing the club on full shots
"...carrying the ball in the air is achieved with a fuller "throwing" release.

Definition of getting "Stuck"
"The position that occurs on the downswing when the lower body gets too far ahead of the upper body, leaving the arms and hands behind. A more reliable downswing would have the hands and arms coming down more "in front" of the body.