What Stays With You ?

Granite Links, Quincy, MA



     June 15, 2017 - I had a really fun afternoon at Granite Links yesterday and found myself thinking a lot about my round later that night.  It was interesting to me that I could remember the feeling of a couple of shots so clearly.  Here's what stayed with me:

 

     I think it was the 6th or 7th hole - dogleg right.  I crushed my tee shot over the dogleg and landed about 25 yards from the pin.  I blew the approach shot in what I call the classic "how to ruin a great tee shot," but what stayed with me hours later was how great that tee shot felt, not the blown approach shot.  And it didn't feel like I was consciously making a choice to focus on the good shot rather than the missed birdie opportunity.  It just was what it was. 

 

     The second thing that stayed with me happened maybe one or two holes later.  Short par 3 - a little intimidating - but I was focused on repeating my practice swing when I hit the ball.  This may not seem important to you, but I find that it's not that common.  When I'm practicing my swing, unconcerned with actually hitting the ball, I tend to be looser, freer.  I stiff up when I step up to hit the ball.  But yesterday, for that one shot, I stayed in form and it felt so awesome.  Now I remember on that hole that I shanked my first ball into the weeds and had to hit a second ball.  I'm not sure whether it was the first or second shot where I held my practice swing focus, but what stayed with me was just the feeling in my body of being in the moment of what felt like a perfect swing, not the result.

 

     Maybe it's just me.  What's more important to me than score is my experience on the golf course.  The people, the beautiful weather and the opportunity to feel the sweet energy of swinging a golf club. 

 

     Hope you're finding your happy places out on to the course this season.  Looking forward to a great one...

Obstacles



12th Hole, Mt. Hood, Melrose, MA

     Obstacles...When I decided to write about them, I turned to my coach's book for inspiration and realized immediately that there was no way to improve on Maria Nemeth's writings in her book, Mastering Life's Energies.  Here's what she had to say in a sub-chapter called, "The Elements of a Game Worth Playing:"  

     "Psychologists and sociologists have studied games for years, and most agree that they share the following fundamental qualities:

     - Structure:  a playing field with one or more players
     - Goals, and the object is to attain these goals
     - Obstacles to attaining these goals
     - Skills that must be developed to play the game competently and overcome obstacles
     - The possibility of losing or failing to attain the goal due to the obstacles
     - Rules of engagement
     - Feedback, which lets the player know how well he or she is playing
    
     We are shaped by the games we choose to play because playing requires clarity.  We ask:  How is this game structured, and what are the goals ?   How do I get around obstacles ?  What are the rules ?  By being clear about these things, we focus our attention and actions.  Clarity is about where to apply focus...and obstacles are at the heart of every interesting and worthwhile game." 

     Maria goes on to write about how meaningless any accomplishment would be had there been no obstacle to overcome.  When I've hit a ball to a less than desirable spot out on the golf course, I always think as I approach it, "another great opportunity to make an amazing shot."  We want extraordinary golf experiences, and obstacles are what provide us those opportunities.  It doesn't mean that we aren't happy when we have a great lie and make a good shot from that position, but isn't it the awesome shot from a crappy lie that stays with us after the round ?  

     Lastly, Maria writes about playing with ease, which seems to be in direct conflict with her position that a game worth playing must present obstacles.  But, having the ability to approach an obstacle with ease doesn't mean that it's easy to get through; it simply means that you have developed the skills to approach it with confidence.  You are clear about what you intend to do, and you have the ability to focus your energy for optimum results.   Then, when you are resilient and centered as you move from one obstacle to the next, you have found grace out on the golf course, and that's a great way to play golf...

     Happy Spring - We're so close to our first round of the season :)

February Golf Getaway

Marriot Resort, Palm Desert, CA - February, 2017

     March 3, 2017    It's always good to get away from the Northeast in the winter, and Palm Desert delivered 5 days in the 80s.  Can't complain about that.  I could complain about the unexpected snowstorm that hit the morning we left causing us to miss our connection in Denver (we spent 8 hours there).  Or, how we just barely made our connecting flight home after running through SFO (not a fan of that travel experience).   But...we'll just keep the focus on the 5 days of 80 degrees   :) 

 

      Our patio was right on the 3rd green, with no view of the fairway, leaving us to only see golfers finish out the hole.  It was interesting to me to observe - in general - how poorly they performed around the green, and I wondered if they were just out of practice (probably visiting from cold climates like myself) or not warmed up yet (it was only the 3rd hole).  Many of them seemed rushed and/or stressed (the course was busy), and that's never good for any part of your game.  I did see one young teenager chip the ball in from the fringe - that was cool.   I guess the other side of this equation is that usually when I watch others play golf it's the pros on TV, and watching recreational golfers perform the most precise part of the game was a completely different experience.  I struggled to not be too judgmental - not too harsh - and as I write this I am just now realizing that they weren't pro golfers.  They were just your average Joes out for what was probably the only round of golf they'd played in months.  We'll cut them some slack...

ps.   For those of in the Northeast, golf season is just around the corner -> It's time to start warming up !  ( in more ways than one... )

Extraordinary Golf Schedule

Program Updates

Wahoo !  

The new Extraordinary Golf Schedule is out. 

I can't wait for February  :)  

L E A R N I N G   T H A T    I N F O R M S  &  T R A N S F O R M S Dear Fellow Golfer, Below is our latest schedule, with many program choices, and more to be added (possible programs in Spain, Florida, etc.) All the programs are designed to expand a golfer's capacity to self-coach moment-to-moment and grow the value and enjoyment derived from the game, and beyond the game. Let us know if you have questions, or don't see a program you'd like us to add. Warmest regards, The EG Team 2016 Oct 2-4 Summer of Mastery (Conclusion of 5-15-16 Program)** Cml Oct 9-11 Summer of Mastery (Conclusion of 5-29-16 Program)** Cml Oct 16-18 Regular Program Cml Oct 30- Nov 1 Summer of Mastery (Conclusion of 5-1-16 Program)** Cml Nov 7-9 Extraordinary Coaching: For Golf/Teaching Pros & Coaches PS 2017 (More winter programs to be added) Jan 22-24 Regular Program PS Feb 5-7 Regular Program PS Feb 12-14 Just For Couples PS Feb 17-19 Short Game: Accessing the Whole Game PS Feb 19-20 Solid Contact: A Taste of Mastery (for All Levels) * PS Mar 3-4 to be announced PS Mar 5-6 to be announced PS Mar 12-14 Regular Program PS Mar 20-22 Regular Program Fla Mar 26-28 Regular Program PS Apr 2-4 Spring Training! PS  * Programs for previous attendees of an Extraordinary Golf program ** Programs for this year's Summer of Mastery participants only FACILITIES Cml Carmel Valley Ranch Resort Carmel, CA Fla PGA Village  (To be confirmed) Port Ste Lucie PS Golf Club at Terra Lago Indio (Palm Springs region) CA NOTE ON ACCOMMODATIONS The tuitions listed below do not include accommodations.  For convenience, we provide a list of local hotels with approximate rates and distances to the site of the program.  Participants make arrangements directly with the establishment of their choosing. P R O G R A M S    O P E N   T O   A L L Extraordinary Coaching (for Golf/Teaching Professionals & Coaches) Designed to empower a coach's practice, this engagement is an opportunity to reinvent and revitalize one's experience of coaching in uncommon ways.  Each participant will use the development of his/her game as the pathway into an experiential paradigm of coaching/learning.  This program gets redesigned every year so many attend annually.  It shares the latest insights from our body of work. $1200 pp, 10:1 student/coach ratio, range & 3 lunches, 20 ppl max Just For Couples This program is a modified version of our Regular Program (read below) and offered for Valentine's Day, so we add a little twist: exercises and discussions on coaching your mate effectively, and an exploration of what it means to play together, of what it can bring to a relationship.  And chocolate.  Lots of chocolate. $1730 pp, 3.5-4:1 student/coach ratio, range & 3 lunches, 12 ppl max Spring Training! During spring training, professional baseball teams focus on fundamental practices to set a foundation from which they have the best odds for success.  In golf, these fundamentals are as distinct and individualized as fingerprints, and to be successful the golfer must discover his/her body's unique design. (Because copying someone's formula undermines freedom, and feels like a shirt that never quite fits.) You're designed like no one else. This program is about discovering your fundamentals.  It's about developing the foundation to play freely without a checklist and discovering a swing you can rely on. Come discover your design, learn to coach yourself in it and bring it to every aspect of your game. $1800 pp, 3.5-4:1 student/coach ratio, range fees and 3 meals, 12 ppl max       The Regular Program  (Our Foundational Program)    Explore your capacity to learn, perform and enjoy all aspects of golf (short game, full swing, power, solid contact, concentration, dealing with self-interference, etc.) while learning to practice and coach yourself!  Each program is unique and incorporates students' specific needs.   $1690 pp in Cml, 3.5-4: 1 student/coach ratio, range & 3 lunches, 10 ppl max $1730 pp in PS, 3.5-4:1 student/coach ratio, range & 3 lunches, 12 ppl max P R O G R A M S    F O R   R E T U R N E E S  Short Game: Accessing The Whole Game It's possible to develop your entire game from your short shots. One of our most powerful programs, the Short Game program trains golfers on (re)building their games, from the very small to long. Imagine having a place to start from when 'the wheels fall off'?  We'll cover the basic shots to the more creative ones, while distinguishing solid contact, concentration and what it means to be present.  Those can be learned in our other programs, but dedicating 2 days to the short stuff makes it powerful and sustainable.  And, there'll be opportunities to bring your learning to your long game too. $1250 pp, 3.5-4:1 student/coach ratio, range fees and 2 meals, 12 ppl max  Solid Contact: A Taste of Mastery This program is a perfect complement to the Short Game or as a stand-alone.  It takes principles from Short Game, brings them to the full swing, puts them in a framework of mastery and trains participants in that practice.  Bring these principles into any part of your game and use them to develop solid contact. $1300 pp, 3.5-4:1 student/coach ratio, range/green fees & 2 meals, 12 ppl max The Summer of Mastery       (May to October 2016) What if results weren't a function of innate talent, but of something entirely different?  Led by Fred Shoemaker & Garry Lester, this 5-month engagement is designed to have participants substantially expand their capacity to self-coach and generate their learning, while exploring what it means to be in a mastery practice.  It includes experiential learning, and an inquiry into what allows for mastery.  We will reveal assumptions about learning, self-coaching, practice, performance and a lot more.   Email for details.   The EG Video About Us Other resources CONTACT US Extraordinary Golf  PO Box 22731, Carmel CA 93922  Ph 831 625 1900 or 800 541 2444    Email email@extraordinarygolf.com  Web www.extraordinarygolf.com   Facebook ExtraordinaryGolf

Being "good" at Golf

  


Granite Links, Quincy, MA  August, 2016

      I was working with a very new golfer recently, and she made a comment that I "must be good."  The comment stuck with me and over the next several days, I found myself thinking about what she meant. 

 

     So, what makes someone a good golfer?   If I'm playing with beginners, I probably look pretty good; if I was with a golf pro, maybe not so much.  Or, I might be playing well today and not so well tomorrow.  It could change from hole to hole - I could start out playing well and fall apart or need some time to warm up and take 8 holes before I pull my game together.

 

     I found myself wondering if this particular client would ever be a "good" golfer and came to the conclusion that in working with her, good golf isn't really my goal.  It's so subjective and changes constantly.  What I would like to do is to build her confidence on the course.  Isn't that what leads to good golf ?  You know the difference.  A confident golfer steps up to the ball, proceeds with their routine and takes the shot.  Whether the results are good or bad, they appear to have some skill.  This really only comes with experience on the golf course - opportunities to learn the customs and etiquette involved in playing golf - and that's hard to learn from your traditional golf pro.  It's not possible to build confidence on the golf course by taking lessons on the driving range. 

     So what makes someone a "bad golfer" ?  Or let's ask, who is it difficult for me to play with ?  Watching someone struggle on the golf course is not fun.  I didn't get to play a lot of golf this summer but one of the times I went out with my husband, the guy we were paired up with had a run of bad holes.  Trying too hard doesn't pay off in golf, and all he needed to do was slow down his swing.  He finally figured it out and had a good finish, but it was interesting to observe the spiral of his game collapsing as his confidence abandoned him.   

 

     But...you don't actually have to be a good golfer to look like you are one.  There's a woman I used to play with in a league.  She was probably in her 60s when we played together and is one of the most self-confident women I've ever known.  She was a terrible golfer, but she played with confidence.  She could only hit the ball about 50 yards at best, and it was torture for me to be paired up with her because of her slow play.  But I always admired the way she carried herself - and I still do...

May, 2016

I think this is my favorite golf photo of all time, taken in Mt. Tremblant, Canada, Sept, 2012

I love the conflict of the deer in between me and my ball.  That same day, a dog came running out onto the course and took off with my ball.  His owner came after him - shouting and waving his arms in the air (in French I'm sure) - and in the chaos, the twosome we had been paired up with finished out the hole and bolted for the next tee without us.  It was totally something out of a Bill Murray flick.

          May 5, 2016 - Spring is definitely springing and golf season is officially on.  Had my first round last week.  The back nine at Mt. Hood was a little chilly, but I love to play on those days.    Over 9, we only came across a twosome, who blew by us in a heartbeat .  We had the whole course to ourselves...Nothing better than that :)  Especially for practice.  You can take your time, take more than one shot.  Relax.  Love, love, love it...

          Golf is definitely in the air, in spite of the rain and 40 degree weather.  My friends left for Florida this morning - 80s forecast.  But you can't beat this time of year in New England.  It really miraculous to see the foliage come back.  Tulips & daffodils - it's the best.  I took this photo in my back yard yesterday: 



 

 

It's great to be back outside.  Life is good.   Let's go play some golf ! 

Happy Cinco de Mayo, Jayn 

WEG at Joy Yoga

Joy Yoga launches Wicked Easy Golf
on Sunday, January 10, 2016
Photo courtesy Monica Singh

January, 2016

     Happy New Year !  2016 is finally here, and the Wicked Easy Golf classes are underway at Joy Yoga.  Thank you Joy for embracing my vision to combine yoga and golf and bring opportunities for winter practice to those of us who are just beginning to feel golf deprived - now that we've finally got the holidays in the rear view.

     I'm also incredibly grateful to the seven ladies who showed up on Sunday.  Thank you all for taking on the inclement weather - all early and eager to get started - and for being willing to look at the way you approach golf from a new perspective.   Extraordinary Golf's Fred Shoemaker writes, "Extraordinary changes come from a new point of view," and I feel like after just one class, my perspective on the coming winter months has shifted considerably with the thought of getting to putt and chip on a regular basis.  

     Along those lines, one participant told me that a significant weaknesses in her game was that she didn't practice.  Well, here's your chance.  Not only to get in some practice between now and the beginning of the 2016 season, but also to learn new ways to practice - at your home or office - inside during the winter months.   Transformation comes through repetition, and I can't think of anything better for my golf game than to hang out and chip, putt and stretch until the weather lets up and we can get outside.

     I've got so many great ideas for how to improve on the class and am really looking forward to the next couple of months.  We've decided to cancel the Wednesday night class until late February, when it will move to Thursday nights.  The next Sunday morning class will be held on the 24th at 11:00 am.   Or, if you would like to pull your own group together and schedule a time that best for you, we can do that too. 

     Many thanks again to all.  Happy Indoor Golf Season, Jayn