Nirvana on the golf course

Apr 15, 2010, 12.00am IST
DILIP NADKARNI.


When a golfer is in the Zone, irrelevant thoughts just disappear. The desired result just 'happens' rather than made to happen... And that can be described as nirvana.

I was standing on a cliff with the Atlantic on my left, a deep valley in front of me and the thick woods to my right. I was on the Tee box of the signature par 3, 15th hole at the Vale do Lobo ocean golf course in Algarve, Portugal. The putting green was a little over 200 yards ahead and one had to hit a long straight shot over the valley, avoiding the water and the woods. I teed up the ball, breathed in the sea-laden breeze and shifted my focus towards the target. I took a swing.

What happened next, happens once in a while to golfers of my level. However, when it happens, it can be described as nirvana. The ball took flight, carried all the hazards and landed on the putting surface. The pleasurable sensation of hitting the sweet spot, the melodious clunk and the ball trajectory had consumed me and did not realise that my buddies were clapping. Where was I? I was in the ‘Zone’, in the Tao, in the flow of golf, completely lost in the moment.


The zone continued for the next few holes. I was at peace with myself. The shots were happening through me rather than by me. My opponent’s banter and ribbing did not bother me. There was no pressure, no expectations, just awareness of pure bliss. What I did on the other holes, please don’t ask. I had some atrocious shots, some forgettable shots and a few good ones, but the zone had happened on the 15th hole.

Players like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus are known to have played several rounds in the zone, rewriting history. When a golfer is in the Zone, irrelevant thoughts just disappear. The desired result just ‘happens’ rather than made to happen. The mind and body work harmoniously to create a swing free from tensions and distractions. Some golfers say they experience a sense of euphoria, others say they are totally calm and in control when zoned in. There is ease and effortlessness in swing. Moments like these make the game of golf attractive. The bad shots are forgotten and the memory of the zone moment brings you back to the course.

Apart from the zone, golf can be made meditative in many more ways. Walking with awareness on green can be an enriching experience. Most golf courses provide beautiful sights with manicured grass, landscaped fairways and strategically placed water bodies. Birds, butterflies, flowers, and trees add to the visual delight. Audio pleasures include the wind whistling between the trees or the plop of the opponent’s ball in water!

Meditation and golf are interlinked. Just as golf is recognised as a form of meditation, several meditation techniques help the golfer tremendously, by slowing down thoughts and facilitating an easy, smooth swing.


For me golf personifies Calm Sutra even before I have reached the first tee. I tee off in my mind, as I am packing my bag and making my way to the course. Yes in the personal theatre of my mind, creative visualisation of the forthcoming golf shots is a great preliminary ritual I relish. The pleasure of golf continues even after the round on the 19th hole in the clubhouse.

From the Calm Sutra, the Art of Relaxation , published by Times Group Books .