A fairway surrounded by forest, a tee ground where only the chirps of birds and the sound of the wind can be heard. Human voices are small, and movements are quiet. When standing on a golf course, there is a moment when you suddenly think, “Isn’t this a modern Zen temple?” Of course, there are no bells, main halls, or monks. There is only grass, wind, and silence. However, golf and Zen overlap beautifully in the respect of “concentrating on the here and now.”
Breathing and hitting the ball: the art of being immersed in the moment
In Zen, “shikantaza,” or simply sitting, is itself considered training. Straighten your posture, focus on your breathing, let go of thoughts, and simply stay in the “now.” The golf swing is the same. Get ready, inhale, exhale. Swing the club mindlessly. The fate of the ball is determined in large part by the quality of your concentration at the moment of hitting. If you think too much, it will get out of whack, and you can get to the center by simply feeling. In golf, technique alone does not determine your score. Everything is determined by emotion, consciousness, and control of the breath. In other words, the swing is “moving Zen.”
Surrender yourself to the "soundless sound"
Silence in a Zen temple does not simply mean “the absence of sound.” It refers to the calmness of the mind, “not reacting to anything that enters the ears.” The same can be said about silence on a golf course. If you listen carefully, you can hear countless sounds of nature. The birds singing, the rustling of the wind, the sound of footsteps on the grass – these are not noise, but environmental sounds that help to anchor your consciousness in the “here and now.” Players do not seek “silence” before a shot just to maintain their concentration. By placing themselves in a soundless space, they can harmonize their body and mind.
Golf courses as a way to distance oneself from the secular world
Zen monks retreat to the mountains. By distancing themselves from the secular world, they can confront their own inner thoughts. For modern people, escaping from their smartphones and driving for over an hour to a golf course can be considered an unintentional “modern version of monkhood.” The hustle and bustle of the city, the stress of notifications, the pressure of human relationships – it’s only by temporarily letting go of all of these that one becomes aware of one’s inner voice. The “concentration,” “calmness,” and “breathing” that one feels on the green – this is no different from a Zen experience.
A Zen temple faces inward. A golf course returns to the inside through the outside.
If there is a difference between the two, it is that a Zen temple is a “closed space” where the purpose is introspection itself, whereas a golf course is an “open natural environment” where you become aware of inner stillness. But the essence is the same. Both are places to sense the delicate balance between “self,” “nature,” and “the moment.” Golf may be a modern form of “shikan” training using grass, wind, distance, and gravity.
Beyond the score, a place to calm your mind
A Zen temple is a training ground for those who seek enlightenment. A golf course is a place where not only your technique but also your state of mind is tested. In both cases, self-dialogue is more valuable than competition. What is important on the golf course is not hitting the ball well. It is knowing “where your mind is” and acquiring the ability to calmly return it to its original position. This is the first step to what Buddhism calls “wisdom.” Today, as you stand on the green, even if you lose your score, if you do not get angry or depressed, but instead take a steady breath and head for your next shot – you will have already come a little closer to enlightenment.