Focus On A Target

I’ve just returned from a late afternoon practice. The range and practice area were fairly busy, which is good to see. We still have several months left in the season.

Today was fairly quiet. Not too many calls made or received, and no meetings, which is very rare these days. It was a good opportunity to bear down on a variety of office work that required my attention. I made a lot of progress on many fronts. Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo is quickly becoming a reality. We'll open for business this coming winter!

This past Sunday morning I played Foxwood Country Club with an old friend and two new friends. As we made our way around the eighteen holes, I was struck by a thought. For the bulk of my 17 years of golfing, I’ve focused on the dangers that lurk left and right of each fairway and green, rather than focusing on my target. This was quite a revelation!

On just about every tee block, I’ve looked out at the hole before me and considered all of the dangers. Then, as I approach the ball and prepare to swing, my thought pattern has revolved around avoiding the dangers. To put it mildly, that’s terrible!

I should, to state the obvious, be focusing on my target. Those in the know say it’s not even enough to pick out a bunker off in the distance as a target, or a large piece of fairway. Experts agree, your target should be very small and very specific. You can use that bunker as a target, but only the right edge, or the left edge, or that little section of sand that juts out somewhere. Or perhaps your target is a tree. If so, it can’t be the entire tree, branches and all, but must focus down to the trunk.

I’ve decided to really work on this. I know it will be a long, uphill battle. Seventeen years is a long time. Thus, I’m sure this bad habit is very deeply engrained.

And clearly I won’t ignore the various dangers on every hole. Far from it. Again, as experts agree, I will consider my various options on each hole and develop a plan for each hole, one after another. Each plan will include very specific targets for each shot.

Then, when it comes time to execute each shot, I will focus exclusively and very intently on my chosen target.

Thus, the dangers are considered, but they’re not the focus.

I’ll try to remember to report back on my progress.