The Idea Blog

I wrote earlier about Arnold Palmer’s “My Shot” in Golf Digest. But I thought of this from the same interview later:

“Ever stand over a putt and just know you were going to make it? That great feeling where the putt’s as good as in, that all you have to do is stroke it? Hundreds of golfers have described the sensation to me, and I still don’t know what they’re talking about. In my day I was a good putter, and there were times when my confidence ran high, but I never felt that premonition…. I never felt I was in a zone where it seemed like the golf gods were giving me putts. I felt like I earned every one of them.”

Last weekend at Secession’s Member/Member event, my partner, Larry Bouman, made at least four putts on Sunday that exceeded 40 feet. I’m not sure Larry felt he was going to make them, but after seeing three snake their way with perfect speed into the cup’s center, I had a premonition that on 16 he’d make another. And he did.

It’s amazing, wonderful, awe-inspiring to see a bunch of putts go in. Playing partners and opponents are just as likely, however, to think of it as luck. Why is putting considered lucky when it’s been your objective since the tee shot to get the ball into the hole?

Here’s a photo of my partner/hero.