You really have to visualize success when playing golf. It’s something everyone seems to agree on.
Jason Day, one of the top golfers globally, has his own rhythm and routine that keeps him consistent. So, it’s fair to say things are going pretty well for him lately.
During Memorial week, while catching some of his game, I heard him mention “stories” in relation to his approach on the course, and it got me curious about what he meant. Thanks to the great folks at TruGreen, I had the chance to sit down with Day this week, and his perspective on “story” was quite fascinating.
“Essentially, telling yourself a story is another form of visualization. But, like any good story, you need to ask questions. Your brain kicks in to help out. For instance, when you’re trying to hit a draw with a 7 iron from 185 yards, visualize what that looks like. It’s like you close your eyes to see the shot.”
“As soon as you imagine the shot, you start thinking, ‘Alright, I see the ball coming off, spinning, peaking, and then landing. It has to roll just the right way.’ Right before you take the shot, you’re creating a visual story in your head to help you relive that moment.”
“For us golfers, if you approach a shot—say, 185 yards—and just smack it, the outcomes can vary greatly. But if you link it to your story, like ‘Okay, I’m hitting a draw with my 7-iron, aiming for that target, reaching its peak, and landing there,’ you set yourself up for a better chance of nailing that shot.”
“After hitting the shot, reflect on whether you were close to your visualization. Did you start on the right line? Did it reach the right height? Was the spin where you wanted it, and did it land as planned? If it didn’t go well, was there something that threw you off? By going through this process repeatedly, you kind of lessen the emotional weight tied to good or bad shots.”
- On June 23rd, Jason will bring his pitching wedge to the pitcher’s mound for a unique honorary first pitch at a Harford Yard Goats game—rather than using a glove, he’ll be hitting a golf ball over home plate.
- This event aims to demonstrate that top-quality turf is achievable everywhere, not just on professional courses. He and TruGreen are collaborating to help homeowners create golf-worthy lawns.
We all want to emulate the professionals when we’re on the course, but I’m really trying to adopt this “storytelling” approach in my golf game and beyond. It seems to me that it goes deeper than simply picturing where the ball will land.
When we craft these stories, we tease out the “why” behind our actions—and in golf, that’s a question with layers of meaning.
Thanks for the insights, Jason Day.
