Two Bad Golfers Advised By The Same Psychiatrist

A golfer who had been playing badly was advised by a psychiatrist to play a round of golf without a ball. “Do everything you would normally do, but use an imaginary ball,” advised the psychiatrist.” The golfer tried it the next day. At the first tee he imagined he got a 260-yard drive, then putted for a par. As he approached the 18th hole, he met another golfer playing the same way-no ball. The other golfer had seen the same psychiatrist. They decided to play the last hole together. The first golfer swung at his imaginary ball and announced that it had gone 280 yards right down the middle of the fairway. The second golfer matched his drive. The first fellow then took out his 5-iron and after swinging at his imaginary ball, he exclaimed, “Look! It went right into the hole! I win.” “No you don’t,” said the second golfer. “You hit my ball.” (Bits and Pieces, February, 1990, p. 16).