I love Shivas Irons...

.....He is in my top ten of people I would love to meet.

I am often caught reading Michael Murphy's adventures, with Shivas Irons, in his book, 'Golf in the Kingdom'. In it Shivas had a 'list of people who knew'. What it is they knew he unfortunately doesn't say but I like to think that he was referring to their capability to activate positive inner energy.

As I mention in the title Shivas Irons is in my top ten of people I would most like to meet. Along with him are Mozart, Victor Hugo, Joan of Arc, Jesus of Nazareth, Gandi, Ben Hogan, Alexander the Great, Achilles, Sherlock Holmes and Leonardo Da Vinci. (I do realise that with Shivas, this list is actually eleven but I can't find it in me to take one of them away.)

My wife can't understand why I read this book so often and she asks me, "What is so important about that damn book?"

To which I always reply, "My quest to find 'true gravity'."

So what is 'true gravity'?

Murphy described it as 'feeling force', 'heart power', 'adrenelin rush', 'consciousness-force', 'gravity-with-loving-eyes' or Gallwey's explanation 'the energy dam'.

I open my dam and let the warm syrupy energy flow out during my down swing.

Bobby Jones called it adding 5-10 mph to the force of gravity. I know what he meant.

As Shivas Irons describes it, it's not difficult to achieve. We used to drop into this state in battle. These days we use it to swat flies or throw a stick for our dog. It is there. You just have to know how to activate it.

I see the top sportsmen doing it all the time. It needs a little focus and then when its activated, you just have to let it flow.

What is it then?

For me it's a warm feeling that runs from my throat down through my core to my naval. Or what the orientals describe as using their 'Chi' or 'Ki'.

I have days when this syrup is so rich that I just know I'm am going to hit the ball well and other days where I have a mellower syrup which creates less impressive results.

I turn my thoughts to some of Murphy's or Gallwey's words and the richness soon returns, or 'retoorns' as Shivas Irons would say it.

I do fortunately summon the rich syrupy feeling at will these days and enjoy miracles and great pleasure on the golf course.

Imagine you are going to swat a fly, kiss a beautiful girl, or you have won the lottery. It doesn't matter what does it for you it is important that you feel it and when you do, receate it again seconds before you swing and you'll hit great shots.

Try it out. I am sure it will work for you every bit as good as it works for me.

S.MacD.

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