Golf by David McPherson ZENGOLF & THE CALM OF CYCLING While golf and cycling are both social, I often enjoy these activities alone. My most memorable golf games have been ones where I was a “dew sweeper,” the first one on a course before sunrise somewhere with the only things breaking the solitude were the mowers ahead of me from the turf crew and a few songbirds. Cycling is the same. While I love riding with my dad, or sometimes with a friend, the times in the saddle I enjoy most are when it’s just my bike and me. This hobby offers time to think without any distractions, to meditate, and to enjoy a few hours where I do not need to talk to anyone. I can focus only on making perfect circles withmy pedal strokes, communing withMother Nature and appreciating the serenity of the scenes seen from the saddle. Finally, golf and cycling both require focus to succeed. In golf, you must block out distractions – both externally and internally – and concentrate on the shot or putt at hand. There’s a reason whyZen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game and subsequent books such as Zen Putting by Dr. Joseph Parent are bestsellers. Take a cue from this noted PGA coach and Buddhist instructor. Next time you step to the tee, take a deep breath, visualize your shot, clear your mind for a moment and watch your concentration sharpen. The same focus is required while riding: whether it’s concentrating on other vehicles or training your mind to focus on your cadence and improve the efficiency of your pedal strokes to conserve energy. This summer, whether you are golfing or cycling, I challenge you to pause. Look around. Soak in the scenery. And, if just for a moment, reflect on how lucky you are. That is the biggest silver lining of this pandemic – the extra time it has given all of us to slow down and be grateful for the bursts of beauty that paint the canvases of our lives. I guarantee, if you make an extra effort to find this meditative moment, you will enjoy your ride and have better shots from tee to green. Both sports also offer the opportunity to chart your improvement. If you put in the time and the work, you can achieve your goals. I track my cycling performance on the free version of Strava. It’s a great app filled with valuable statistics, which allow you to see when you’ve eclipsed a personal best or had another breakthrough moment. This motivates me to set higher goals. As I meet each objective, my confidence rises. In March 2020, I set a goal to cycle from my hometown to my cottage by the end of the summer. Thanks to regular rides and discipline, I achieved this milestone— riding the 145 km in about six hours over the Civic holiday long weekend. Golf allows you to set similar goals and monitor progress. For $50, become a Golf Canada member. One of the benefits is the ability to track your handicap online. Then, you can set a goal to lower your handicap to a certain number by a certain time. All you have to do to achieve this goal is put in time on the putting green, take a lesson, or hit the driving range. The results are immediately tangible. You can see incremental change each time you golf. Hitting smaller weekly milestones will help motivate you to continuously improve your game throughout the season. CSANews | SUMMER 2021 | 53
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