raison d’être behind this tradition is having fun and making our daughters (and our wives) laugh at our expense. That’s when I loosened up. And do you know what? I started to remember the moves. The less I thought about what I was doing, the better my movements became. Maybe this two-footed klutz could dance after all! You can apply this same approach to golf. The swing is such a complex movement that we often try to self-analyze all of the minutiae of our swings and wonder where we might have gone wrong, when the shot which we visualized does not materialize in the way we planned. Let go and let golf. Think of Chevy Chase’s character (Ty Webb) from the classic 1980 slapstick comedy Caddyshack who practised Zen Buddhism, telling his young disciple to “Be the ball.” Golf Dance − and Golf – Like Nobody is Watching Dance like nobody is watching. At first, I found it hard to follow this famed aphorism penned by American writer Mark Twain. But once I relaxed and realized that the Dad’s Dance was about fun and getting to know the other dads, my dancing and my footwork both improved. So, silence that inner voice as you step to the tee − or hit the dance floor − and you will discover that your confidence grows. Before I type the last words on my laptop, let me offer a few final similarities between golf and dance. Both pursuits require dedication, perseverance and athleticism. Did you know that the main muscles used in golf are the same ones which you use in ballet − glutes, chest, back, forearm and core? Both sports also cause a roller-coaster of emotions from anger to joy and sadness to confusion − when you can’t figure out what went wrong. Those are the moments at which a little Zen, now and then, comes in handy. Trust your swing and golf like nobody is watching. Let me know how it goes. And, while you’re at it, why not take a few dance lessons with your partner. It will not only be good for your relationship, it just might improve your golf game. Here’s to a season of getting on the dance floor (golf slang for the putting green, for those not in the know) in regulation more often. CSANews | SUMMER 2022 | 49
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