Contents

Sixth Printing

In March ZEN GOLF went to a sixth printing, bringing the total in print to 50,000. That is regarded as a huge success in the publishing industry, especially without a big publicity campaign. Thanks to all of you for spreading the word, which is ultimately the most effective mode of communication.

We get occasional reports of people not being able to find ZEN GOLF in bookstores. Please let us know if that happens to you so we can pass the info on to the Doubleday sales staff. Please include the name and location of the store, if any were on order, and how long they said it would take to get in more copies. Thanks so much for your assistance in making ZEN GOLF available to more people.

The AudioBook is in production! It should be available mid-to-late April, in time for listening to on the way to the golf course as the season warms up. It is unabridged, read by Dr. Parent, in a four CD set, and a price of $29.95. We'll be sending out an update soon on how to order it. Keep it in mind for Mother's Day and Father's Day gifts for your favorite Zen Golfers.
 

Latest Reader's Comments

"I was so impressed with Dr. Parent's book, I called him up and arranged a one-day, 9-hour, private lesson with him at Rancho San Marcos in Santa Barbara on January 13. We talked about my game for an hour and a half, emphasizing the places my mental game was breaking down, then worked on my biggest weakness---chipping and pitching---for two hours before breaking for lunch, then playing the Rancho San Marcos course together (a terrific and lightly-played Robert Trent Jones, Jr. track). Folks, I don't know when I've ever hit the ball better than I hit it that day and his short game advice seems to have solved my chronic problems in that area. I followed this by shooting a 79 last Monday at the Prince Course at Princeville, Kauai, one of the toughest tracks I've ever seen (142 slope rating), which is a great score for me; most importantly, I played this tough course, with danger everywhere, without being burdened by the fear and anxiety about the bad things that can happen when I put a golf club in my hands. I think Dr. Parent's book and personal instruction have taken me to a new plateau, and on that basis recommend him wholeheartedly (while hoping I won't regress to old habits and old fears!). I think you can get 80-90% of what he has to teach from his book, but if you have the opportunity to get personal instruction from him, I recommend it. So, that's my unsolicited advice for the day."

Guy S., San Francisco

More reader's comments...

ZEN GOLF: Mastering the Mental Game
50,000 in Print

Audio Version Soon 

Latest Reader's Comments

ZEN GOLF Schools

Golf Magazine Survey

Spring/Summer Schedule

MasterCard Ad

Other Media Sightings

Notes From the PGA Tour
 

ZEN GOLF For Business
 

ZEN GOLF Lessons
A Preview from Dr. Parent's next book.
 

Calendar
Upcoming events 

Contact Us
 

ZEN GOLF Schools

Rancho San Marcos Golf Course
Santa Barbara, CA
Site for ZEN GOLF SCHOOLS

Upcoming ZEN GOLF SCHOOLS

May 3-5,2003
June 28-30, 2003

August 19-21, 2003

Golf Magazine Survey

ZEN GOLF Schools are being considered for inclusion in GOLF Magazine's "Top Golf Schools in America." For those of you who completed the GOLF Magazine Survey, thanks so much for your support. The issue will be published this summer.

The April issue of Travel & Leisure Golf magazine (on the stands now) has a feature that includes ZEN GOLF Schools.

Early March saw two schools, a customized program arranged by a group of aspiring Zen Golfers from Colorado, as well as the regular three day school March 8-10. A comment from one of the participants: Doc, I want to thank you again for your insights and comments, all delivered with style, grace and humor. To mix a few metaphors, you shined some light under my basket! Several of your observations really gave me pause. It is not too difficult to see that how I am with golf reflects how I am with life. Thanks again for being you, R.H.
 

The spring and summer regular ZEN GOLF Schools will be May 3-5, June 28-30, and August 19-21. Either school can be attended for the first two days only. (Click here for more information)

The ZEN GOLF Retreat will be a special four-day program, July 28-July 31. Location is still to be determined. It will either be in Santa Barbara or at Fox Acres CC in the Colorado Rockies. (We're waiting to hear when the snow is cleared!)

All the above regular golf schools will be conducted at Rancho San Marcos Golf Course. This spectacular Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design is in great condition from the winter rains, with lush fairways, and greens that are running fast and true.

You can also arrange your own golf school at your home course by contacting the Zen Golf Office for available dates and participation requirements. For information, see Customized Golf Schools on the website.

Shivas Irons Society

Dr. Parent will be the featured presenter at a regional gathering of the Shivas Irons Society (see shivas.org) at Rustic Canyon Golf Club, in Ventura County, CA. The event is open to the public, but there are only four spots left and registration closes April 8. For information email Dee Dee Pettersen at diempett@earthlink.net.
 

MasterCard Ad

Some of you may have seen the Mastercard magazine ad featuring Zen Golf in its "priceless" series. There is a picture of a golfer hitting balls off the end of a pier. 'Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game' and 'buckets of balls' are the items in the picture with prices, and below the picture it says "No one rushing your swing: Priceless". It has appeared on the inside back cover of The New Yorker and of the New York Times Magazine section, in GolfWorld magazine and others. In all it's scheduled to appear in over twenty different magazines, a few times each, over the course of the year.

Other Media Sightings - Doc was a featured guest on Rick Dees' Morning Radio Show. He had Rick, other guests and all the listeners do a mindful breathing exercise, saying "at least we helped to slow down the world for a minute." Doc will also give call-in reports on Rick's show during the Masters Tournament.  There will also be an article during Masters week on the mental game featuring Zen Golf and Doc's comments in the Augusta Chronicle. Out-of-towners can look for it at AugustaChronicle.com.
 

Notes From the PGA Tour

Congratulations to Vijay Singh on his win at the Phoenix Open in late January. A rib injury that started at the Buick Classic in San Diego kept him out of action until the Bay Hill Classic last week. Dr. Parent will be going to the Masters in April, and do what he can to help Vijay win a second Green Jacket. Congratulations to Frank Lickliter for his win in the Tucson Open, and to David Toms for reaching the finals of the World Golf Championships Match Play Tournament at La Costa. Doc worked with both of them during the Nissan Open at Riviera, as well as with Jerry Kelly, Bob Burns and Tour rookie James McLean. Several of Doc's students on the Nationwide Tour played well in the two events in Australia. Congrats to Shane Bertsch, Brian Wilson, and Wes Short on a successful trip down under.

ZEN GOLF For Business

Dr. Parent has been retained to do a series of corporate speaking engagements for Nations Funds/BACAP(Bank of America Capital Management). He spoke in San Francisco to a conference of top Merrill Lynch Financial Advisors, and in San Diego to advisors and clients during the World Match Play Championships at La Costa. Upcoming events include talks and clinics in San Jose and Phoenix. He also has given talks at the Bank of America corporate hospitality tents during PGA TOUR events at Phoenix, Pebble Beach, and Riviera.

The Tiger Woods Foundation invited Doc to speak at a clinic for youngsters from Indio, CA, in March. He was sponsored by a team of advisors from the Merrill Lynch office in Indian Wells, CA, who retained him to speak to clients at Bighorn CC in Palm Desert last fall, at PGA West during the recent Bob Hope Classic, and at Indian Wells CC (upcoming, April 15th).

His other recent speaking engagements included a talk and clinic for the members of The Boulders CC in Carefree, AZ, and talks for Fidelity Investments at the Reserve CC in Palm Desert and the World Presidents Organization in Santa Barbara.

For a speaker information packet and demo video, please contact the Zen Golf office at 888-874-9928.  You can also visit the ZEN GOLF for Business page on the web site.

New Appointment for Steve Moore

Steve Moore, Zen Golf Program Coordinator, has accepted a position with the Teaching Academy of Cypress Ridge Golf Club in Arroyo Grande, California. Working with Director of Instruction Jim Delaby, Steve is responsible for beginners clinics, the supervised practice program, and assisting Jim in his programs. Best of luck to you in your coaching job, Steve!

Zen Golf Lessons - A preview of material from Dr. Parent's next book.

The Flow of Golf

 Sam Snead, holder of the record for career PGA Tour victories, was asked if he used a swing thought. He said, “Yeah. I just think ‘oily.’ ”

The word “flow” is usually associated with movement, and a quality that is somewhat liquid, like the flow of a river. One meaning of flow is to manifest smoothness, continuity, and ease. It represents the expression of movement without interference. For living things it has the implication of movement that is natural and effortless, intuitive rather than consciously directed.

Think about how we describe the feeling of a great golf shot. “It felt effortless.  It felt like I wasn’t even doing it. It was like the club swung itself. It was like there was nothing in the way.”

That description is also similar to that ephemeral body-mind state that athletes and sports psychologists refer to as “The Zone,” the ideal condition for peak performance. Flow is clearly an attribute of the zone. In my experience, flow also leads us to the zone. Therefore, we can enhance the opportunities for being in the zone by shaping our mental and physical habits toward qualities of flow.

It’s easy to understand flow if you think about the sound of someone playing the piano. It sounds one way when someone is self-consciously playing a piece on the piano, trying not to make mistakes and correcting the mistakes they make. It sounds very different when she is performing a piece with confidence and feeling, trusting herself, not worrying if every note comes out perfectly.

This is not meant to criticize beginners. A beginner needs to learn and direct the movements of her fingers and hands until repetition makes the movements natural. However, when the time for the performance comes, the less she thinks about the individual finger movements, the more smoothly the piece flows. It’s not hard to hear the difference.

The “flow” of golf is the feeling of energy moving through you rather than you directing it. When you swing with flow, it feels effortless. Mind, body, club, ball and target are all synchronized. It’s as if the shot were completed before it began.

As you stand behind the ball, looking down the fairway, let the image of the shot fill your mind. Feel the earth beneath your feet and settle into it. As you approach the ball, feel the connection to the earth deepen with every step you take. As you take your stance, from your center of gravity, feel energy filling your body. As you swing, the energy flows from your body, through your arms and hands, through the golf club, through the ball, through space and finally back to the earth. It is the flow of the energy of golf.

Copyright 2003 by Dr. Joseph Parent
 

CALENDAR