Becoming the Master on the Course and in Life: Wisdom from a Golf Pro and a Meditation Master - Brossura

Losar, Geshe Yongdong; Moussa, Jesse

Brossura

ISBN 13: 9798890700308

Casa editrice: Wisdom Pubns, 2026

Riassunto

Perhaps more than any other sport, golf is a mental game, played as much in your mind as on the course. In this insightful and inspiring book, a Buddhist master and a golf pro team up to share techniques to improve your confidence, concentration—and love of the game.

Ever feel like you’re spending all this money on high-end equipment and coaching, and hours in practice, but somehow you're just not improving? Or that you can hit your shots perfectly in practice, but when you step up to the ball in a game, your shot goes awry? Or that you’re leaving the course frustrated—with yourself, your swing, or the world—somehow forgetting that golf is actually supposed to be fun?

Enter Jesse Moussa, a golf pro, and YongDong Losar, a geshe (the Tibetan Buddhist equivalent of a PhD). The latter shares the rich insights into the workings of the mind that Tibetan Buddhism offers, and the former relates that wisdom to his long career of competition and coaching. Together they offer the techniques they’ve honed over the years to eliminate distraction, maintain focus and equilibrium, and let your swing grow just as the grass does.

This is your opportunity to learn from two masters how to remain present and centered regardless of what the game presents to you—and to step up and hit the ball.

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Informazioni sull?autore

Geshe YongDong Losar (Geshela) is a Tibetan Bön lama, or spiritual teacher, in the Yungdrung Bön lineage, which is rooted in the indigenous spiritual tradition of the Himalayas. He lives in Courtenay, British Columbia. where he established and directs Sherab Chamma Ling, the only Tibetan Bön Buddhist Center in Canada. He teaches in many centers and universities around the world and has also founded the Bon Da Ling center in Costa Rica.

Jesse has extensive education in golf management and instruction in Canada and the United States and has been a Class A Professional with the CPGA since 2007. He has developed his career with the CPGA for seventeen years, and his commitment to the game and industry is still strong. His passion is in growing the love of the game and developing ways to make teaching more effective and learning more fun. Jesse is an inventor of a patented golf training aid, “The Right Touch,” which he developed to help his students wipe out the stubborn slice, with the backing of world-renowned instructors Fred Griffin and Mike Adams. His passion lies in inspiring confidence, enjoyment, and progress in his students and fellow instructors. He believes that improving your skills can be as much fun as playing the game. Jesse’s favorite place to be, other than home, is at the golf course, sharing his love of the game while supporting others, and playing and honing his own skills, too.

 

Estratto. © Ristampato con autorizzazione. Tutti i diritti riservati.

Geshe-la

As I learn the game of golf, one of the most important things I need to keep reminding myself is to slow down: not just my tempo, but my level of urgency and my “trying” dial as well. This same awareness is important in everyday life too. Everyone is on the “go, go, go program,” and once they are on it, pushing forward for more of their personal needs or wants, they don’t know how to stop. They may even feel guilty if they are not pushing as hard as they can.

I was in Costa Rica when the Covid-19 pandemic started, and everyone was suddenly in lockdown. For many people[LC1] , this was like an unexpected STOP sign, and I wondered how they would react. So many of us are like ants, working as hard and fast as we can, sometimes forgetting what the original mission was. When we were forced to be still, it led to some stress and, for many people, a wake-up call for healthier change. It is important to take time in our life to be still and balanced, and to find out who we are and have an awareness of what we are doing. True happiness comes when we consciously live, and we mindfully do life.

One day Jesse, my golf instructor, told me to slow down and just swing the club without forcing it, and a poem by the Japanese poet Matsuo Basho came to my mind:

Sitting quietly, doing nothing
spring comes and grass grows by itself

If you are just sitting still, everything becomes still. Your mind and thoughts clear. This happens naturally if you don’t try to fabricate it or force anything. That is what I practice and teach in life. Grass grows by itself; you don’t have to push it to grow. We tend to think that doing nothing is not productive, but it is when you are actively still that you can be most productive and successful. It does not mean you do not work at anything, as we all still need to work and continuously learn; instead, we do it mindfully and with ease and let the productivity show itself in its own time.

The same thing applies to playing golf. You can take lessons, practice, and set goals—then, let your body swing the club. Try to let go of the mind’s forceful nature and allow your swing to grow, just as the grass grows; it uses the resources it has at hand and grows in its own time. Some days it is easier to do than others. On days when it is hard to let go and just swing the club or just live the day as it comes, mindfully, just let it go and try again tomorrow. I am here to remind you and myself to slow down; be aware and mindful of what and how you are doing, and good things will grow. When you feel out of sync, as Jesse and Nadine have said and as the poem suggests, watch the grass grow.

A friend of mine moved from Hong Kong to northern British Columbia. After a long time, he went back to Hong Kong for a holiday and noticed himself being caught up in the quick pace. But he reminded himself that he was on holiday and didn’t have to rush like everyone else, so he slowed down. You have this choice too.

How do we stop always trying to go, go, go? It can be difficult to slow down because of the pace around you. But it still comes down to a conscious choice. There is a Tibetan saying: “Running, running, you won’t catch the others; laughing, laughing, won’t satisfy others.” It doesn’t matter what you do with your body; you must slow your mind down.

Part of my training as a Tibetan monk focuses on mindfulness, really paying attention to what is going on around me and not focusing on stories in my head. Even though our society doesn’t always seem to always value this, stopping negative thoughts and turning my attention within for a few moments grounds me and opens me to new approaches. This is something I can do in the moment on the golf course.

I can also study and learn more about myself by taking some time to reflect off the course. By being curious and without judgement, we can observe a lot about ourselves and make the corrections we need to be happier both on and off the course.

Reflection

When you are in a quiet space and have time to reflect, you may want to consider the following questions:

1. How does the movement of your body affect your mind? Are they tied together, or do they operate separately? What sort of movement brings the best results for you?

2. How does your thinking affect your body? If you are stressed, how do you feel? Have you noticed which thoughts bring more calm and positive results? Which thoughts bring you agitation and more negative results?

3. If you notice that your body and mind are not in balance how do you balance your body with your mind?

Everyone experiences the same barriers in golf—even Tibetan lamas[LC5] ! I have found that these steps allow me to accomplish what I want: slowing down, being aware of both mind and body, and really observing what is actually happening and then responding without judgement.

We can slow down, focus on the grass, and recognise that it grows naturally at its own pace. We can also be aware of your own mental and physical growth from childhood to now. We all have our own pace of growth that we can recognise and appreciate.

Slowing down can bring quick changes.

Jesse

As a competitive golfer, I can recall so many rounds where the stress and intense drive to have a great round of golf sent me into such a spin that I couldn’t find my balance or sense of control. Drive and the determination to be great at something is a positive trait for an athlete, but not when it stifles your ability to perform. Maybe you can remember that feeling at a championship, or maybe while playing golf with your friends or even a boss.

One week, when I was competing on a mini-tour event in the States, I was fortunate to have my wife, Nadine, who is also a professional golfer, caddying for me. She noticed that I had a sense of urgency in my walk and talk before I teed off. She could sense my stress. She said to me, “Honey, stop what you’re doing and watch the grass grow—slow your eyes down.” At the time I did not appreciate the entirety of what she had said to me, but her words helped me slow down my thoughts and breathe, to play one shot at a time with less panic in the outcome.

We discussed it more after the round. She explained that she used that advice herself whenever she felt out of sorts and stressed on the golf course. When you turn your racing mind away from stressing about swing and score and hazards, and instead focus on something so perfectly green, mowed, and quiet, and try to get so still inside so as to watch it grow, you create a relaxed space in time and in your body. This grounds you, and you can move and think with more relaxation and creativity, instead of reacting to the stress.

Since that day, I have learned to breathe and allow a space inside of me to be clear of stress and distraction, so that I can perform freely. When I play golf, I know I am playing a game that I love. I enjoy being competitive, but often I am able to let go of the intensity, and it feels like I am just on a walk, hitting a golf ball in the direction the land and grass has laid out for me.

I have worked in the golf industry for twenty [LC7] years and have listened to people talk about their scores every day. They compare their 92 to a great 89, or their 81 to their 79 two days ago. Everyone is trying to better their score, to reach their goal of getting to a new level. Even a regular 70s shooter is focused on breaking 70. These are all great goals, but sometimes we are so caught up in the grind of getting somewhere that we stay stuck in that grind, and it becomes another struggle and stress—and it seems that all your efforts hit a wall. Then it may be time to breathe and watch the grass grow.

Everyone [LC8] can master the game of golf this way, by remembering to enjoy the process of the game. When you’re admiring the beauty of the green laid out in front of you, you won’t be fighting the elements of the game or yourself. Your score is the by-product of your walk through a park where nature is beautifully leading you to the hole; your pleasure and presence on the walk create the score.

Your skill level is based on your ability to hit the ball in the direction the hole [LC9] intends, your ability to trust yourself to do that, and your ability to trust your coach who is helping you. Even when you are practicing or in a lesson, take a moment to breathe and see the beauty of the moment. Stop the struggle and the push and the grind. Be right there where you are, feeling your club, seeing and feeling the grass, and hearing your instructor. Be open to what is in front of you, and the growth happens within your openness. You cannot force a future result before you make a swing.

Be aware that the grass is a beautiful thing. A game is a walk on something that is prepared perfectly for the ball to roll into the hole, mowed through the trees to show you the way. The mastery of golf has no attachment to the ball or the score. The mastery of golf is acceptance, just as the mastery of yourself is acceptance. I accept the skill level that I have that day. I accept the amount of focus that I’m able to put into the skill. And I accept where the ball goes. Once I have accepted those things the walk becomes light. It’s not a struggle to play golf. There’s no search for perfection. I’m looking at perfection. Looking at nature. Feeling the wind. Looking at the grass. Listening to the birds. Enjoying the land in front of me as my ball rolls through the grass. The excitement of the display in front of me is more exciting than the score at the end of the day.

There is no doubt that on the golf course the distractions are everywhere: other players, bunkers, houses, out-of-bounds markers, doors banging, people talking, and even your own voice in your head. When I am playing, right before each shot is when I really focus on my target line, and there is no better help with that than looking at the grass in front of your ball. Look to a blade of grass or a leaf or stick gently laying on it that connects your ball to the line to your target. When I take my practice swing, I feel the club brush the grass and I listen to the sound it creates to help me feel the rhythm and timing of my swing. When I line up a putt, I pick a spot on the grass in front of my ball to roll my ball over to get it on the correct line to the hole. The grass on the course is such a big part of each shot you play; take the time to really look at it and appreciate its colour, its texture, the direction in which it grows and even how long it is. All of this provides your senses with information that helps you with your shot, and tuning in to see these things focuses your creative mind and heightens your sense of space and balance. It creates focus without really trying and disconnects you from the destructive distractions.

I challenge you in your pursuit of your golfing goals to “watch the grass grow”—and you will grow, and your game will improve naturally on its own without the extra push and forced pressure that raises adrenaline and panic.

Reflection

What do you do in your game of golf to slow down?

Can you remember a time that you brought a panicky, stressed feeling to a game? Think about how hard it was to play with that energy. For example, do you recall a time when you or your partners complained about a slow round, but when you checked the time, the pace of play is well within the allotted time? So many people mindlessly rush from shot to shot and miss the moments along the way.

The next time you golf, try to focus on the reason you came to play—friends, fresh air, time to relax, or a chance to practice your skills. See if you can notice your running mind and make a conscious choice to slow it down by focusing on something in the present. For instance, on each hole see if you can focus on the rhythm of your footsteps on the grass, the sounds of the birds, the sensation of wind or sun on your skin, or the long grass blowing in the wind—or try to watch the grass grow! You have to really slow down to try to see it. As you play golf, practice focusing on aspects of the grass—the colour, texture, or length—even as you wait between shots, and see if it changes your focus.

As the grass grows, so will your focus.

Dettagli dell'edizione

• Editore: Wisdom Pubns
• Data di pubblicazione: 2026
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 13: 9798890700308
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 200
• Contatto del produttore: non disponibile
• Persona responsabile: Simon and Schuster Netherlands BV; info@simonandschuster.nl; ; Herculesplein 96; Utrecht; 3584 AA; Paesi Bassi