The year ahead: take a deep breath
It almost doesn’t seem right that golf has been (mostly) immune from the limitations everyone has been enduring with Covid. The golf course has always been a retreat and, for many of us, the green expanses have delivered a valued respite from the pandemic and the world of political polarization.
Dr Rich Golf has always been about the “inner” game of golf. This year, Dr. Rich Golf is going to address something more technical. It seems more important than ever to make the “inner” aspects of the game more accessible and more unified with technical “outer” issues.
The fundamental bridge that brings together and reconciles the “inner” and “outer” worlds for the golfer involves correct breathing. You will find this out in almost every golf psychology book. You may think you know how to breathe. I guarantee, most of you don’t. Most people are aware that breathing and anxiety are closely related. Good athletes, at the very least, know the value of taking a deep breath to relax before big moments. What is not well appreciated is that the synchronization of breathing and swinging can improve every shot (including putting).
There is no place more critical to engage in this synchronization than on the first tee. Of course, we like to remember those days when we step out of the car, take one swing and stripe the ball long and straight (so much for practice). To be more realistic, think about the surprising number of opening tee shots that miss the fairway, by a lot, even on televised (L)PGA events.
For most golfers, there are two common problems on the opening tee shot (mulligan please). The commonest is the result of quick tempo, coming over the top leading to a pulled shot left. The other issue, a little more common in mid-high handicappers, is failure to shift weight to the leading foot, ending up on the back foot, out of balance and not finishing the swing. The result is a push or weak fade to whatever ills await far outside the fairway. In more extreme cases, this problem leads to ground balls.
Correct breathing fixes both problems (and much more). On the opening tee shot, concentrate on synchronizing your breath with the swing as follows: a slow full inhalation through the nose on the backswing followed by a relaxed full exhalation through the mouth on the forward swing. This synchronization of breathing and swinging regulates tempo, fosters correct weight shift and full completion of the swing. This breathing practice will work, and should be employed, on every shot for the entire round. You will also notice that good swings with good breathing create energy rather than using energy!
No one wants to wait while you go through a lengthy preparation to tee off. Here’s a brief structured approach for the first tee, that involves taking only 4 swings, which must be done with full attention. Synchronize one complete breath with each swing. At the limit of the slow inbreath through the nose with the backswing, notice the pause that must occur before you start to gently exhale – don’t rush it, the breath will dictate its own way of turning around. Then, allow an even, unforced exhalation out of the mouth. The finishing of exhalation should coincide with the finish of the swing, in the desired finishing position. For most people, creating the breath-swing synchrony takes some practice.
For the rest of the round, continue correct breathing on every shot, including putts. You will notice other benefits, especially that emotions become more balanced and you tend to stay more in the present. The round of golf becomes more meditative – and meditation does not mean inaction or passivity. The most beautiful meditation is one which marries action and inaction, the inner world harmonized with your physical actions.
Next, bring this breathing exercise into your everyday life. It’s the royal road to harmonizing opposites. Perhaps, it will contribute to making this coming year one of reconciliation: not only of the inner and outer aspects of golf, but of our polarized politics that are so counterproductive. It’s not all or none. Let’s just be willing to close the gap a little to get started.
Afterall, we play golf to become better people, not just better golfers.