They talk a lot about preshot routine unlike Shoemaker. What do you think?

Interesting book I am reading too but it is too much Anika this-Anika that.

Thomas (French experience)

Hi Thomas, I haven't read far enough into the book yet, but I did see reference to their emphasis on a preshot routine and that did catch my attention. You're right, this is quite the opposite of Shoemaker's approach (and mine). My first inclination is to lean towards Shoemaker's opinion that any routine interferes with creativity, but I will read further, with an open mind, and respond further if they change my mind. Very observant of you!

I thought it was a wonderful book. Really inspiring and I took a lot from it.

I'm a huge fan of a solid pre-shot routine. For most golfers I just feel it helps to create the mood much more effectively. I totally "get" the concept of playing without it but generally I think we get in our own way too much for this to be properly effective in the heat of action.

Thanks for the compliment. Really appreciate the thought.

Some of your drifting is obviously the same as mine. i.e. it was a goal and not a milestone on to better things. I think we both have to adjust a few things slightly to fully appreciate golf without huge goals as the driving force. But that will happen.


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Every shot must have a purpose, great book about opening up possibilties, but the flip side is every shot must be purposeless, this is the paradox. I have found that practising with a purpose can be limiting.
As Fred says to hit with freedom is the goal
There’s a great example in Fred’s book about putting to no particular target just hitting the ball, it’s great to do just to feel the sweet spot of the putter and hitting the ball with total freedom, then intermittently you introduce a target and become aware of the difference in contact and movement and how you create “interference”.
I feel the title has half the story “Every shot must have a purpose and no purpose.” Might be more appropriate.
Sometimes to have a purpose you can lose the playfulness.
The purpose is to discover and learn
Michael Hebron says on his web site about learning
Every worth while discovery mankind has made was based on the "intelligence of play", not "How To" directions that are always changing.
Play never tries to memorize - but has wonderful long-term memory.
Play never has failure, only feedback, that's never wrong.
Play does not try to be exact, but is often perfect.
Play does not rely on directions, but always gets to its destination.
Play tries what's new and different, but is never scared.
Play takes risks (learning requires risks) but is never anxious.
Play has many Ah! moments, that last forever.
Play happens in safe environments. Learning requires a safe environment where outcomes are observed without being judged or criticized.
To quote runner George Sheehan
“In play you realize simultaneously the supreme importance and the utter insignificance of what you are doing. You accept the paradox of pursuing what is at once essential and inconsequential. In play you can totally commit yourself to a goal that minutes later is completely forgotten.”
To have a purpose and no purpose may seem contradictory but it is actually often a single simultaneous act of the creative process.

Thanks for all the great feedback. I was thinking about this post more last night after finishing another early chapter which introduced the Think Box and the Play Box. Although I agree that you need to be clear about your intention before each shot, I found the box idea too rigid.

I can see where some golfers would like introducing this much structure into their game, but I prefer less routine.

I like to think of an artist approaching the canvas. The artist may at times step back and look at the canvas to determine what to paint next, but the creative process continues while painting, standing at the canvas. The process of intent, creativity and action are intermingled and can't be so easily separated into boxes.

I like to approach golf in the same way. I may look around at the surroundings and evaluate the break or wind conditions before stepping up to the ball, but it's often only after I'm standing over the ball that I get that intuitive feeling about how I want to create the shot, especially when putting. The key for me is just making sure I've chosen my target before taking the club back, just like a painter knows the color and stroke he intends before touching his brush to the canvas. I like to remain open to creativity right up to the point that I swing the club.

And Andrew brings up a very important distinction about purpose. Purpose doesn't have to be about performance. Like Andrew shares, Fred Shoemaker's purpose is about swinging freely and pursuing a balance of performance, learning, and enjoyment.

You can still have a vision for your pursuits in golf and a purpose for your game and shots, but the more your purpose is about play, creativity, self discovery and growth, the more Golf as Art shows up.

I liked the book. Well thought out.
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