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Zen Golf in the
news:
 GOLF: 'Zen Golf' is mind over swing
5/30/02
By DAVE
LOVETON
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Keep your head down ... elbow straight ... take a full
backswing ... rotate your hips ... follow through.
Most golfers have heard those instructions at one time or
another. And despite those lessons, everyone has experienced the
frustration of trying to hit that little white ball in a straight
line.
It doesn't have to be that way, however. Just ask Dr. Joseph
Parent, the author of an interesting new book called "Zen Golf:
Mastering the Mental Game."
"People say 'If only I'd play better, I'd enjoy it more,'Ê" said
Parent, a Buddhist teacher. "It actually works the other way. If
you'd enjoy it more, you'd play better."
Parent has been coaching golf at Rancho San Marcos for the past
year and works with several PGA Tour pros. Vijay Singh became a
client a few months ago after reading Parent's book.
A few weeks after they got together, Singh registered his first
PGA win in two years with a tournament-record score of 22-under at
the Houston Open.
"The lessons in Zen Golf make the mental game seem so simple,"
said Singh, a 10-time PGA Tour winner who captured the 2000 Masters
and 1998 PGA Championship.
Parent will be signing his books on Tuesday at Borders, 900 State
St., from 7-8:30 p.m.
Parent, an 8-handicapper, has been teaching meditation and stress
management for more than 25 years. His book combines Buddhist
philosophy with modern psychology.
The lessons in the 199-page book are a quick read, ranging from 1
to 6 pages. A few of the unique titles are "Never Keep More Than a
Hundred Thoughts in Your Mind During Your Swing," "Fire Your Evil
Caddy," "You Can't Stop the Waves but You Can Learn to Surf" and
"Chi Chi's Prayer."
Here's the prayer, by Senior PGA Tour pro Chi Chi Rodriguez: "I
never prayed that I would make a putt. I prayed that I would react
well if I missed."
"The most important lesson in the book is we're not broken and in
need of fixing," said Parent. "I see players hit one bad shot and
think they need to fix their swing."
Parent has been teaching "mental game" clinics for 12 years and
his next one at Rancho San Marcos is Sunday, June 2. For
information, call 884-1978 or visit his Website at zengolfer.com.
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For more media coverage see Guy Slocom's comments in the July 2002
issue of Golf Digest and Johnette Howard's column in the June 11,
2002 issue of
Newsday.
CALENDAR
June 20, 7 pm: Book Signing at
Chaucer's Books, State St., Santa Barbara, CA
July 15-20: Annual teaching program with Ed Hanczaryk in Halifax,
Nova Scotia
August 5-9: Annual Zen Golf Retreat
at Fox Acres Country Club and Rocky Mountain Shambhala Center, Red
Feather Lakes, Colorado. This golf and meditation retreat is
an incredible value. Space is limited at this special event
and early registration is encouraged.
August 17: Zen Golf Clinic, Rancho San Marcos Golf Course - a
one-day program for all golfers based on Dr. Parent’s new book.
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