Ben Hogan’s caddie pointed at four palm trees and said, “Aim for those.” Hogan gave him that hawk-like stare and said, “Which palm tree?”
Harvey Penick says, “Take dead aim” at the smallest target. Dr. Bob Rotella agrees. He says, “Before taking any shot, a golfer must pick out the smallest possible target.”
Listen carefully to Mike’s advice. He says, “When choosing a target, it’s crucially important for you to pick a very tight, very small target area.”
Did you notice the difference? Instead of picking the smallest target, Mike wants us to pick the smallest target area.
To understand the difference, let’s first consider picking the smallest target—and no one picked smaller, more specific targets than our old friend, Ben Hogan.
Dr. Rotella heard a great story from the members of the Los Angeles Country Club, which is hosting the 2023 U.S. Open.
Hogan was playing an exhibition match. He came to the 5th hole. Par five, 476 yards. The fairway sloped upward, offering Hogan a completely blind tee shot. He asked his caddie for a target. The caddie pointed at four palm trees in the distance, rising above the high fairway.
He said, “Aim for those palm trees, Mr. Hogan.”
Hogan gave the caddie that hawk-like stare and said, “Which palm tree?”
Picking the smallest target is one of the golden rules of golf. It works for many, many players. But Mike believes that some of us would do better by choosing small target areas.
He explains that an area gives you more margin for error. On some level, that might relieve a little pressure which, in turn, could produce better shots.
Think of three circles. The first is the size of the hole. The second is three yards wide. The third is seven yards wide. Now, start with this framework.
For a pitching wedge or less, the target area is the hole itself.
For irons, the target area is a circle about three yards wide.
For hybrids, fairway woods and drivers, the target area is a circle seven yards wide.
You’ll need to adjust the size of these areas based on your game. But according to Mike, target areas offer a little more elbow room while still focusing our attention. And for some of us, that combination makes it easier to commit to the shot and accept less-than-perfect results.
MIT professor Woodie Flowers said, “When you see your target, your aim is perfect.”
Whether you aim at a small target or a small target area is a personal choice. But it might be worth testing both methods. As you experiment, notice if you feel more relaxed and committed when choosing a small target or a small target area. And of course, keep track of the results.
You might confirm the advice of Harvey Penick and Dr. Rotella, which will only increase your confidence. On the other hand, you might discover that Mike’s target areas produce better shots and lower scores. So either way, you have nothing to lose.
That’s all for today. Meet me back here tomorrow when we’ll talk about using visualization to feel your swing. Until then, keep imagining what’s possible.
