I learned an astounding golf secret about golf swing improvement from a zen master. Zen Master Dogen Zenji frequently spoke about the "four horses," which is a metaphor used by the Buddha in the Samyuta-Agama sutra. The path to golf swing improvement is described most eloquently by the metaphor of the four horses.



The horse that runs fastest by only seeing the whip's shadow is the first horse - or the superior class. The second horse, the good class, runs fastest when the whip brushes its hair, the hair of its mane. The horse that runs fastest when the whip touches its body is the third class of horse - or the poor class. And the fourth, the lowest kind of horse, is the one who runs fastest only when the whip can be felt to the marrow of its bones.

At first glance we all want to be like the first horse in the superior class. These are the fast learners - the ones who seem to be a natural. Dogen Zenji says this may not be so desirable. A study of master golfers has shown that it is not the students with innate natural abilities who have achieved golf mastery. The golfers who have achieved mastery are mostly the students with average to below average natural abilities - the ones who have practiced their craft diligently. This is very interesting - why is this so?

Many plateaus in golf skill levels accompanied with short bursts of golf swing improvement is the path to golf swing mastery for all students.

When the first class of student takes up golf they see an immediate spike in golf swing improvement and are very motivated. When they reach that ultimate first plateau where their golf swing does not improve despite hard practice, most gifted students get discouraged.

Gifted students are used to seeing fast progress, so they may blame the golf instructor or something else just so they don't have to put in the hard work that is needed to continue along the path to golf swing improvement - and the ultimate goal - golf swing mastery!

Many superior students will then give up the game of golf due to frustration.

The fourth class of student will see a slower rate of golf swing improvement, much time spent on plateaus in their golf swing skill level. If the fourth class of golf student stays with it and practices hard they will learn the golf swing to the marrow of their bones, like the fourth horse.

Before you can master the golf swing, you need to learn the golf swing to the marrow of your bones. To learn the golf swing to the marrow of your bones you need to stay at each skill level for however long it takes. Most first class students never learn the golf swing to the marrow of their bones because it comes easy to them. The time spent on plateaus for golfers who learn fast are shorter than the ones who learn slower.

The enigma of the parable of the four horses is we must learn the golf swing like the fourth class of horse to become like the first class of horse - or the superior class - to become a master golfer!

Hit 'em Long and Straight!

John Lynch