Friday, July 20, 2007

"Unforced Errors"

We suppose that is inevitable that TV golf commentators will look for increasingly clever ways to say things. We often wonder how much such flippant messages influence unwary golfers through innuendo that is taken as gospel. We suspect a lot more than most would admit to.

One such among our favorites, as most know who have been within earshot of us, is the much revered "muscle memory," which has been joined by the ever loving "mental toughness."

Now we have a new contender. A recent senior tour event found Brian Hammond and Doug Tewell using "unforced error," in connection with a player's shot that went to another zip code.

While we we were wondering if we heard it as stated, it came again. Now, we thought, what in blazes is an "unforced error" in golf. Strikes us that all errors in golf are "forced," either by poor preparation, poor thinking or any anxiety attached. Of course, any and all golfing errors will have anxiety on one side or the other.

So what do people hear when such a clever word is dropped? We know what is meant when that is applied to tennis. It means that one's opponent did nothing to put enough pressure on to cause the error, so it was unforced. So when and how is the golfer ever in position to make an unforced error? It doesn't happen.

That simply means to us that there is no such thing as an "unforced error" in golf. The only opponent we really have in golf is found in the presence or absence of self-management, in particular, as related to the only condition that can produce an error, assuming that the player has some sort of skill, and that would be what is commonly referred to as "pressure." That, of course, is one of many default terms used instead of anxiety, which most don't want to mention for fear of "catching" some or being "infected." It is just too dangerous to talk about. Most players will insist they don't have any, not realizing that there is no such thing as a human being without any anxiety ever - oh, except dead people.

So errors in golf are all forced, some more than others. Get yourself a good self-management program to go with an educated golf swing. You'll find it to your liking.

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