In the realm of Soto Zen, a renowned saying attributed to Suzuki Roshi carries significant weight:

“Don’t invite your thoughts to tea.”

Interestingly, this principle holds true for the game of golf as well. Engaging in excessive swing thoughts, technical swing mechanics, or meticulously over-analyzing a putt, should be avoided during an actual round of golf. These thoughts are better suited for dedicated practice sessions.

While our minds persistently generate random thoughts, we possess the power to prevent them from infiltrating our game. Once we set foot on the first tee, there is no turning back. Save the tea party for after the round.

Dodie Mazzuca is the author of “Seamless Golf,” “Golf Sūtras,” “Daily Golf Tap-Ins,” and is the founder of Golf PROformance LLC. She teaches golf lessons, golf schools, and performance coaching in Santa Cruz, CA and Reno, NV.