The Skydiver’s Commitment
Day 4 from “My Greatest Shot” by Ron Cherney & Michael Arkush
The Golf Book Club: Every day, we share a mental game lesson inspired by great golf books—stories and strategies to help you think better so you can play better.
We talk a lot about commitment. In your pre-shot routine, you make a smart decision based on the shot conditions. Then you commit 100% to that shot.
But sometimes it’s hard to know if we’re committed or not. That’s the distractible nature of golf.
LPGA legend, Louise Suggs, recalls a time when she not only knew she was fully committed—she knew that anything less would end in disaster.
“Aim 30 yards right of the green.”
In 1947, Louise won the U.S. Women's Amateur. The following year, she traveled over the pond to Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s Golf Club and competed in the British Ladies Amateur.
Louise had never played links golf. It all came down to an exhausting 36-hole match between Louise and Scotland’s three-time amateur champion, Jean Donald.
The deciding hole was a tough par 4.
Strong crosswinds pushed across the fairway. This was the kind of wind that would demoralize any American not from the wind-blasted plains of Texas.
Louise was a young amateur in the battle of her life—and she had no idea how to play the shot. She says, “My caddie told me to aim 30 yards right of the green.”
That sounded crazy. Have you ever aimed that 30 yards away from the green? That’s almost a third of a football field.
But Louise knew if she had a divided mind, her swing would reflect that indecision.
So she committed 100% to that crazy target, swung hard—and the wind slowly pushed the ball all the way back. It dropped on the green and ran into the cup for an eagle.
She won the championship, turned pro, and went on to claim 61 LPGA tournaments, including 11 majors.
“Pack your parachute… then swing.”
How can we learn to be more committed on every shot?
Let’s ask two of our favorite teachers, Pia Nilsson and Lynne Marriott. In their classic book, Every Shot Must Have a Purpose, Pia and Lynne offer a powerful metaphor.
They compare commitment to skydiving. Think of your pre-shot routine as packing a parachute. Consider the shot conditions and make a smart decision based on your ability.
Pia and Lynne say, “You pack your parachute and do all the other preparations. Then... you just jump.” Or as Louise might have said: you just swing.
The actor Sammy Davis, Jr. said, “You always have two choices: your commitment or your fear.”
Pia and Lynne’s skydiving metaphor is so effective because our brains respond to analogy. Like Louise said, a divided mind will show up in your swing.
So when you’re struggling out there, think of your pre-shot routine as packing a parachute—and think of the shot as jumping from a plane. That metaphor of total commitment will help you practice total commitment, and before you know it, you’ll see and feel the difference in your game.
That’s all for now. Tomorrow, we’ll learn how to let go of the negative stuff getting in our way. Until then, keep imagining what’s possible.
Today’s Photo
Silloth on Solway, England
