So, I was just flipping through channels the other day, not really paying attention, and then this commercial popped up. It featured Collin Morikawa. You know, the golfer? Young guy, really smooth swing.
I stopped and actually watched it. Usually, I zone out during ads, but something about this one caught my eye. It wasn’t flashy, just showed him hitting the ball with that effortless power he has. It got me thinking about my own golf game, which, let’s be honest, is anything but smooth.
My swing is more like… well, unpredictable. Sometimes okay, often wild. Seeing Morikawa in that ad, looking so calm and controlled, I thought, “Maybe I can try to capture just a tiny bit of that tempo.” It seemed like a good practice goal.
So, the next chance I got, I decided to head down to the driving range. Packed my clubs, grabbed a bucket of balls. My mission: try to swing more like Morikawa, or at least, focus on the tempo I saw in that commercial.
I started warming up, just usual stuff. Then I took my 7-iron, the club I feel most comfortable with, and tried to picture that ad. I focused on a slower takeaway, a smoother transition at the top. Big mistake initially. My first few shots were awful. Like, topping the ball, shanking one nearly into the next bay. It felt completely unnatural.
I realized just trying to copy him visually wasn’t working. It felt forced. So, I took a step back. What did that commercial feel like? It felt calm, balanced. Okay, new approach. Forget exactly copying his positions. Focus on rhythm and balance.
My little practice routine became:
- Take my stance.
- Take a deep breath, try to relax my arms (I have a death grip usually).
- Think “smooth back, smooth through.”
- Swing at maybe 70% power, focusing only on making clean contact.
It took a while. Lots of bad shots still happened. But slowly, something started to click. I wasn’t hitting it miles, but the contact felt better. More centered on the clubface. The ball flight was straighter, even if shorter. It felt less violent, more controlled. Like I wasn’t fighting the club.
I probably hit half the bucket just focusing on this one feeling, inspired by that commercial. Didn’t suddenly turn into Collin Morikawa, obviously. That guy’s on another level. But it was a good session. It reminded me that swinging harder isn’t always better. Sometimes slowing down, focusing on rhythm, is the way to go.
It’s funny how just watching a 30-second commercial can send you down a rabbit hole at the driving range. But hey, it was a productive practice. Gave me something specific to work on, instead of just bashing balls aimlessly. Maybe I’ll actually remember this feeling next time I’m on the course. We’ll see.
