Golf for Enlightenment: The Seven Lessons for the Game of Life

The game of golf in my opinion is 50% mechanics and 50% psychological. Golfers tend to get sour when they over-analyze everything from the swing to the short game. It is just as important to learn to relax and enjoy the game. Chopra brings this point home. Enjoy the game with its ups and downs as you would the game of life. I once had a collegue at work come with me to the driving range, where I practiced my swing every other day. He took the driver and hit the ball further than I ever did, and although not quite as straight, good enough for a good lie. Completely frustrated, I asked him "How is it that you can hit the ball so good for a non-golfer." He replied, "I don't think about it much. I just hit it." I think it would do a lot of golfers well to look at the spiritual side of golf and take in the surroundings, rather than focus on just the mechanics.

Heard the CD version of GOLF FOR ENLIGHTENMENT: THE SEVEN LESSONS FOR THE GAME OF LIFE, written and read by Deepak Chopra . . . don't be put off by the title; even if you're not a golfer, you can get value from this material . . . the first part of each chapter, "The Lesson," contains a story about a golfer named Adam and his search for ways to improve his game . . . that material was only fair . . . what I did enjoy much more was the second part, "Playing the Game" or what the lesson taught Adam about life . . . and the third part, "Applied to Life," made the book really come alive, as it dealt with the relationship of golf to a happier, more spiritual life.I have not played golf since I was a kid . . . however, if I everpick up the game again, I'd make it a point to reread this book . . . it showed me how the sport could be not only played, but enjoyed as well.As Chopra notes toward the end, in talking about the hidden keysto both golf and life:When you laugh at a bad shot, you've transcended sorrow.When you can take genuine pleasure in someone else's victory,you've transcended jealousy.When you can feel satisfaction with a round of 97, instead of 80, you've transcended self-importance.The point is that only when you set your sights to go beyondoutcome can you allow in the possibility of defeating the voiceof self-criticism and ending the frustration that holds in checkdeeper, darker fears.

I've been playing golf for many years and have tried all instructional books and tapes with very poor and inconsistent results. For sure I discarded the possibility of learning golf thru instructions on the mechanics of the golf swing, after so many years I'm convinced that my brain can't process the many nuances of the golf swing to produce a consistent one.I've had more success when using mind and feeling techniques in the way that Jim Flick or W. Timothy Gallwey teaches in his book the Inner Game of Golf. Although it has improved my game and lower my handicap apparently my right side of the brain is underdeveloped and is still very hard for me to have consistent success.In Dr.Chopra's approach to golf instruction he raises the level from the mechanical and the emotional all the way to the spiritual level. Maybe it has been that I've been searching for a different approach to the game and at the same time I love all this spiritual literature but the reality is that by using this book as an instructional guide and appplyng his techniques with an irrational faith has make me play the most sublime golf I have ever played in my life. Not necessarily by lowering my score wich I have done lately but by hitting the golf ball with a joy and a pleasure that I didn't have before. A friend lend me this book the night before a tournament and I finished reading it in my car in the way to the tournament ( is a short book and I was in heavy traffic). In the first tee I imagined a line from the ball to my heart and did as he recommends and for some reason I hit the longest and most beautiful drive I've ever hit, I still go to sleep with the memory of that shot in my mind. Needless to say I played a wonderful round and won the tournament. I'm still inconsistent but when I can really connect and truly play from my heart the results are beautiful. In my case this book has really impacted my golf game and my life is also fine, thank you.

Sometimes I think the game of golf is the endless pursuit of perfect frustration. Deepak Chopra, in his distinctive magical way, taught me otherwise. His mystical/mythical tale of a golfer and his not-quite-human teacher gave me lesson after lesson not only on golf technique, but also on just allowing the process of life to provide me with wonder and joy. I really "got" the game for the first time. Guess what? I cut 2 strokes off!

I love all golf books: biographies, histories, instruction, especially sports psychology/ peak performance... Guy Rotella, Richard Coop, Zen Golf, and even hardcore Csikeszentmihalyi... I love them all. This book I love the most since it has helped me with my game the most. I still revere the others for the great golf stories and thoughts, but this is tops.Deepak has brought "mindfullness" to the masses in a long string of books... he has fine tuned his craft and skills. Deepak has utilized those skills to help make this book effective and palatable to the golf masses... key being "effective". His history and experience helping people has led through example, story, and recommended practices, to real, action-able solutions for the golf game.Sounds corny but my life and game has improved... my enjoyment of golf has massively improved! (I am one who's scores bounced just above 80 but not breaking through... pushing, pushing for that (ego) kept me from both letting it fly and enjoyhing the game)A key concept that has lightened it all (golf, family, work) up for me is "leela"... life, though serious, is a game... not mortal combat, not suicide. Wheh. Also, a Bobby Jones quotes, 'a lot of people mistake worry for concentration', and 'golf is most enjoyed when played well'. I'd rather have wildly high emotions than 17 holes of wildly low emotions.NOTE: "Mindfullness" does not mean you have to play boring, iron off the tee Grandpa Golf to avoid the big number... it means being 'mindful' of what you are trying to do... going for the lowest possible score with lowest variability, or going for the lowest possible score and the thrill of the miracle shot... it leads you to accept your goal and let go (eg. if you go for the 250 yd 3wd over water to get on in two, and it goes in the water, you don't try to break your club) I feared that "good" golf would be "boring" golf.