I'm sure you must have seen at least one Samurai movie in your lifetime. You know the scene, with the warrior standing erect and stiff, while tightly holding a sheathed sword in his left hand and the villagers scattering for their lives. The camera zooms in on his face, his eyes move slowly from left to right and beads of sweat trickle down his forehead. Time seems to stop, and after what appears to be a lifetime, he slowly unsheathes the traditional weapon and assumes a fighting stance. Focused and unstoppable he then proceeds to wipe out the villains and save the poor villagers from the bad guys.
How many times have you felt like a samurai as you approach the green. A tournament deciding putt awaits and your partner looks on in helplessness as you prepare your mind for the task ahead. Slowly, you remove the putter from the bag and walk towards the ball. Ouch! That chip shot didn't go exactly as planned and you've left yourself with a ten meter long putt on a green with more hills than Rome. Genuflecting on one knee and holding the putter plumb at 90 degrees, your eyes follow the curves and contour to find the exact line to the cup. You take a deep breath to calm your nerves and bravely stand up. Trying to keeping mind all the factors that will enable you to succeed in making this difficult but possible shot you assume your stance.
Are my feet correctly positioned?
Are my shoulders straight?
Did I get the right line?
Am I focusing on the ball?
Will I keep my head down?
How much power do I need to give it?
Is my grip alright?
You can hear your heart beating in your chest and time slows down.
You could hear a pin drop. (If it weren't for the grass)
Again, another deep breath, but this time holding it in, as you bring back the club head and take the shot.
You cannot see where the ball is going as it roller-coasters the uneven terrain but you anxiously wait for the exhilarating sound as ball meets cup in perfect unison.