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I am familar with the feeling in other sports and activities. The point where the faster you go the slower it all seems. I can rip on a snowboard at 40mph and it feels like I'm on the bunny slope or when tracking a fly ball in the outfield the whole world goes silent and I'm chasing a floating balloon.

I suppose it has to do with the level of concentration and the hightened sense of urgency but my question is what does the "golf zone" feel like cuz I'd like to find it.

I've been playing golf for 2 years and I'm not all that familiar with a golf zone. However, one time i made a 30 foot putt and got excited and experienced something similar....but then my next driver shot flew into the bunker on the right side. I got unexcited very quickly....

The closest I`ve come to a golf zone is when I`ve been so pre-occupied with my playing partners scores that I`ve completely forgotten how I`m doing myself. Then when we`ve got back to the clubhouse and added up the scores you realise that you`ve shot a 76 which I`m more than chuffed with...! That kind of surprise is one of the nicest this game gives you every once in a blue moon..!

While we all go through stretches of good play, the "Zone" is a level far above what we normally experience. If you have to ask what it is....you've never been there.

I've been lucky enough to experience the Zone several times in the past 3-4 years. Twice I went -5 in the last four holes, once I shot -5 for nine holes of league play, and this past summer shot -6 for 18 holes in a money match. I mention this, not to boast, but to cite my experiences in the Zone. Each of these instances had one thing in common. There were no spectacular shots, no chip ins, and no long eagle or birdie putts. Every shot just came off as I envisioned it and the game seemed very simple. Pull the club, look at the target, and swing. Look at the hole, the line seems so obvious and the stroke rolls it in. Everything just happens perfectly and correctly and I've felt very calm and confident. I found myself not becoming overly excited and just going with the flow. The Zone never lasts forever and you never know when it will appear and worse yet.....disappear!

I've tried to duplicate the feeling (haven't we all) but it's always to no avail. That's the best explanation I can offer from my own experience. I may never find myself in the Zone again but having been there a few times I can honestly say there is no better place to be! Here's hoping you find your own "Zone" and soon!

For me, being "in the zone" has to do with putting. I've played well enough to shoot under par only to have 37 putts ruin a good round. My best rounds have had 23-25 putts to shoot under par. When you make a 35 foot putt for a birdie or par saver on several occasions during the round, then you know you are "in the zone". When things are clicking, there really is no better feeling. I wish it would happen more often. Good Luck!
Cat

My zone is not nearly as good as LG's (in fact, if we were both in our zones and playing a match against each other, he'd beat me 7 and 6!). However, the experience he describes above is exactly the feeling I've had on those random occasions when the zone appears. I've learned that (for me, anyway), it doesn't break the spell for me to realize I'm in the zone. In fact, sometimes I even laugh that I'm playing so well, and the golf gods continue to let me play that way (well, maybe they toss one bad hole my way). So, when it happens, I just think to myself, "OK, the zone is here; don't freak out, just enjoy the ride."

The zone for me feels like you dont worry about any shot. You dont see out of bounds, water, or traps. You also feel you can pull off hard shots, long putts, and imposible chips. I have been "in the zone" on many occasions. Once I shot 2 under for 9, 1 under for nine, and have shot 2 over for 18. I have had two occasions where I have played ten holes in a row without a bogey. All of these have been in the last 8 months or so. Monday I was in the zone for 8 holes where I shot one over during that stretch, on a long hard course. I was playing effortlessly, I had ONE bad hole and I LET that snap me out of the zone, then I preceded to shoot 9 over on the last ten holes with three double bogeys thrown in.

I have experience the zone in different sports and have been able to creat the zone as well.

When in the zone I can make anyshot I have ever learned or have seen that I have never practiced. The only thing that can destroy the "zone" is if I get to excited and start to see a great ending or the normal negative self talk. I must as Jim said "enjoy the ride".

Positive affirmations that start even before I get to the course can get me into the zone. Keeping the zone for me is difficult.

Aah... The elusive "Zone"

We all want it... Is it possible to grab a feeling?? I say Oh Yes it is!!!

How??? Drill, Practice, Rehearsh... Staying in the moment!!!! sorry, no short cuts!!!

I respect all of the other comments (especially those of league Golf),

I was taught at a very young age to place NO VALUE on any shot, pitch, chip or putt... We must all remember its only a game!!! When we place value on a certain shot often we set our selves up for a huge let down. How many times have you said to yourself, If I pull this shot off I will be in good shape? then what happens? Highly technical Golf terms fill the air.
I was taught to DEVALUE all shots which forces me to execute each and every shot, make solid contact[u] and then and only then go to the next shot. This requires that mental discipline that we have all heard before, time and time again. When you can stay in the moment, You'll find this elusive zone...
(no secret, no magic, no lighting in a jar)

I did not say it would be easy, it requires mental discipline to remain focused on the shot at hand and to place NO VALUE on its results!!!

You will find that the round goes quicker and you will have no idea what you shot!!! your scores will be like prices at Walmart...Constantly Falling!!!!
its like swinging easy as opposed to as hard as you can, the ball goes a lot further.... Btw, this also requires Mental discipline...

My thoughts....

Try it and let me know

I've experienced the dead zone lately... You know, the one in which you start swinging horribly and can't seem to get out of it to save your life.

I've experienced "the zone" in other sports... football, bowling, basketball, but I've found that in golf my "zones" have been about 1 shot long. The feeling of standing over a shot and knowing that your going to hit it stiff. I've never been able to sustain it for more than a shot or 2 though.

As with cat, so far, mainly the feeling of being in the zone has been in putting. I know I'm going to make a putt, and I don't even worry about it. I was in that zone yesterday for a few holes, where I easily sank 3 10-25 foot putts in a row... that was just awesome.

I have also had some experience in the zone in my chipping. It wasn't so yesterday, but for previous rounds I have felt on many occasions that there was no doubt I'd execute the chip perfectly; and I did. I chipped in a couple times, and rolled to within makeable putt distance several others.

Well the "Zone" to me was when I shot my first under 80 round (76) a few months back. Nothing out of the ordinary but things did seem to move slower and I was really in tune with my game. I wasn't hitting it far but I was in the fw's mor than not. One thing I noticed was that I had numerous up and downs for par saves. I remember at a few times I wasn't even thinking about the round but what I was going to do afterwards..I was out of body..LOL It really did feel like I was watching myself play. That day I had 6 up and downs for the first 6 holes and bogied 7,8,9 and did the same for the back nine. I didn't count my score until the last hole. Even with a double bogey I was going to break 80. Now that's a good feeling.

Standing over a shot and getting the feeling that is going right where I'm looking, and letting it go.

I see the fairway, I see my Titleist ball, I see the fairway, I see the ball soaring down the fairway.