In Attitude & Motivation, we talked about what we observe about other people. Things that tend to get my attention are eye contact and a firm handshake. I also tend to notice how people are dressed. Airports are my favorite place to people watch. Sometimes I’ll just cruise through with my sunglasses on just so I can people watch.
Then we discussed types of stress, the harmful effects of stress, and good vs. bad stress. Stress is the non-specific response of the body to a demand made upon it. Stress comes from within. Pressure comes from the outside-in. That brought about a discussion about relaxation techniques and meditation specifically. Tim X had us sit up straight in our chairs with our arms hanging at our sides and then focus on our breathing for about 30 seconds. I have to say, I felt a lot calmer after the exercise than I did before.
Then it was on to Golf Fundamentals and our first quiz on Ball Flight Laws. There are five Ball Flight Laws, nine ball flights and 14 in-swing principles. The principles influence the laws, which are absolute. We also watched a really interesting YouTube video by the TrackMan Maestro. He discussed the reason why players slice. Depending on the ball’s starting position, it could have more to do with swing path than clubface angle. Take a look:
We also discussed the pre-swing principles of grip, aim, and set-up. You have three basic grips: the overlapping, the interlocking, and the ten-fingered (baseball) grip. Golf is about solving distance and direction, and grip and aim primarily influence direction. Set-up influences both distance and direction. You should aim your clubface before you align your body to the target for the best results.
On the schedule tomorrow: Business Management and History of Golf. What is taking my Titleist irons so long??