“Golf is a game in which attitude of mind counts for incomparably more than mightiness of muscle.” – Arnold Haultain
By Ian Hardie
Have you ever wondered why the word ‘relax’ won’t help your golf? For years, golfers everywhere have been told by playing partners to ‘relax’. Unfortunately, as you may have experienced, that word doesn’t actually help golfers hit the ball better – this article explains why.
You may not see it as a big problem, but right now, thousands of golfers around the world do. They are probably struggling to hit the ball well and are being told by partners to ‘relax’. They get this seemingly useful advice in an effort to help them play better.
On the face of it, it seems like good, logical advice. Unfortunately, in fact, telling a golfer to ‘relax’ usually has the opposite effect! It’s a word that can actually cause many of the mishits golfers experience on the course.
Now, I know what you are thinking “a single word can really do that?” Yes, it certainly can.
In the book ‘I could play golf when I first started’, the character Pete Norman had experienced problems with his golf shots after using the advice ‘to relax’.
Here’s a bit from the book that explains how he stopped ‘trying to relax’ and started playing golf:
“I get told that most every game, but I expect you are about to tell me something else – probably the opposite”
Pretty much, Pete. A single word can have a huge effect, and words thrown around the course without thought can ruin your entire round.
“Are you serious, how can the word ‘relax’- do anything but good to my golf?”
What does the word mean Pete?
“To feel at ease, or take it easy”
Spot on, Pete, that’s exactly what it means, and in most situations, when people relax, what sort of things would they do?
“Not much, I suppose — sit on the sofa and watch TV with a beer, sunbathe on the beach, just hang around with friends or family.”
Yes, that’s what most people would do, and when you are relaxing, what is your body normally doing? “Not much, that’s the point of relaxing, not doing much at all – it’s like a resting time for both my body and my brain.”
Great Pete, I agree with you totally.
“O.K., so if we agree on what relaxing is, how does that cause a problem with my golf?”
To hit a golf shot, Pete, you use most of your bones and muscles. About 98% of your body moves at some point, along with brain power, memory, your eyes, and your balance system. All of this combines to move a golf club 35 to 44 inches from your hands, with a striking face about 2-½ inches wide but an effective hitting area of less than ½ inch.
From its starting position to the top, you move it from the starting position to the top of your backswing, then down and forward toward and past the ball, and it needs to be struck precisely by that ½ inch sweet spot on the clubface, which can be traveling at around 100 miles per hour when it hits
If that isn’t enough, it all takes less than 2 seconds. What does your body need to relax for?
“Wow, not when you put it like that, it’s a pretty amazing thing, really, isn’t it?”
Yes, I think so, Pete, definitely an amazing thing, and I think now you might be beginning to understand why I would advocate getting rid of a single word to help your golf.
“Still not quite sure about why you want to get rid of the word.”
In the book, there is a simple exercise Pete uses to experience how much effect the word ‘relax’ can have on him.
“Wow, did you see that – my whole body just slumped down about 2 or 3 inches!”
I know Pete, that’s exactly why I’m showing you this. Most golfers do a pretty good job of setting themselves up to hit a shot. Then, just before they hit, tell themselves to relax.
“Is that how I used to hit those shots where I just dug under the ball?”
Very probably Pete. “That really makes sense. What do I need to say to myself?” The phrase I get my students to use is;
‘Tension-free and ready to hit’
And I get them to do it on every shot that they hit.
Like most things that actually help your golf, once golfers understand that the word ‘relax’ actually causes poor shots and they start using ‘Tension free and ready to hit’ instead.
They effectively unlock much of their true potential as golfers. More importantly, most people stop mishitting the ball so often. If you haven’t got a copy of the book yet, you can currently get one here.
One last thing. If you know someone who is struggling with their golf and mishitting the ball, instead of telling them to ‘relax’, send this article to them and really help them! Play well.
