There are multitudes of methods that players use in order to improve their golf game. While many players prefer to practice or work on the course, Anirban Lahiri takes a different approach to his game.

Lahiri deals with a lot of pressure on the PGA TOUR as the only major player of Indian nationality. Essentially, Lahiri plays for over 1 billion people in his home country. That stress is difficult, especially when you come up just short of some big victories on both the PGA TOUR and European Tour. Some of these close calls include being the first Indian player to finish in the top five of a major championship and two runner-up finishes at the Memorial.

Rather than attempting to take the next step through increased practice and time on the course, Lahiri turned to Vipassana, an old Buddhist meditation method. Vipassana is a silent meditation practice that allows thoughts to pass through your mind without contemplation or attachment. This is something that Lahiri has practiced since he was young and did so again for 10 days after his second runner-up finish at the Memorial this year.

Anirban Lahiri of India attempts a putt on the fourth green during…

Anirban Lahiri of India attempts a putt on the fourth green during the first round of the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club on August 17, 2017 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

“I went in there thinking it was just going to be good for my golf, it will help me with my concentration, and I came out feeling this is great for life,” Lahiri said of his 10-day experience, “Golf’s just a part of our lives. We do have a life off the course, and it helped me be a better person, made it easy for me to make decisions.”

While many might scoff at the idea of using Vipassana to help a professional on the golf course but the results seem to be stellar for Lahiri. After finishing up with his meditation, Lahiri played his next event at the Traveler’s Championship, where he finished T-17th. And he is yet to be knocked out of the FedEx Cup playoffs, a feat that not many golfers have achieved this year. So I’d say it did some good for him.

While a large part of golf is physical, the mental aspect of the game is just as important. So the next time a player is struggling, trying something like Vipassana could be the answer to their woes.

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