So, Jason Day, the golfer. Yeah, I remember watching him quite a bit back when he was really tearing it up, especially that year he won the PGA Championship. You see these guys on TV and think, wow, looks smooth.
Trying it Out Myself
I noticed he had this really deliberate routine. Took his time, eyes closed sometimes, looked like he was really zoning in. And I heard about his back issues, the vertigo stuff. Made me think, it’s not just about hitting the ball hard, there’s a lot going on mentally and physically just to stay in the game.
Anyway, watching him and others got me thinking maybe I should give golf a proper try. Not just messing around, but actually trying to learn a bit. So, I did what anyone does, I went and got some cheap second-hand clubs. Found a set online, probably cost me less than one of Day’s golf gloves.
Getting Started
Took them down to the local driving range. First bucket of balls, I felt pretty good. Whacked a few okay, mostly topped ones or ones that dribbled off the tee. But that feeling when you connect just right, even once? It’s addictive. So I thought, okay, I can get into this.
I started going maybe once or twice a week. Watched some videos online, trying to copy swings. Tried to do that whole ‘quiet eye’ thing, focusing hard on the ball like I imagined Day doing.
- Bought more balls.
- Tried different stances.
- Focused on my grip.
- Even tried closing my eyes for a second before swinging. Didn’t help. Nearly missed the ball entirely.
Reality Check
Man, it’s frustrating. You see guys like Day make it look effortless, even when they’re grinding. But standing there myself, trying to get everything right – the grip, the stance, the backswing, the follow-through – it felt impossible. My back started aching after like 30 balls. Not exactly the same as playing 18 holes under pressure, but still.
All that focus I tried to channel? Mostly turned into frustration. Every bad shot just made me tense up more for the next one. It wasn’t relaxing, it was work. Hard work. And honestly, I wasn’t seeing much improvement after the first couple of weeks.
I realized it takes a ton of time, patience, and probably lessons, which cost money. And those guys dealing with real physical stuff like vertigo while competing at that level? Completely different world. My little driving range struggle was nothing.
So, yeah. My Jason Day inspired golf phase. The clubs are probably still in the garage somewhere. Ended up sticking to just watching them on TV. It’s way easier on the back. And cheaper too.
