The 60-Day Tathata Golf Training Program: Let the Journey Begin

“This is going to be very different.” – Me, after watching the Day 1 video of Tathata Golf.

“Lift the ribs,” “push back into the glutes,” “Create an openness with your body,” “Centered and in the ground.”

These are just a few of the movement descriptions and concepts you hear from founder and instructor, Bryan Hepler, as you go through the 43 minutes of the first of sixty videos.

Yes, you read correctly, sixty videos.

But Bryan will be the first to tell you, these are not his ideas.  Rather, these are movements that have been used for thousands of years to support world class striking motions in many different martial art disciplines and sports.

Yes, you read correctly, martial art disciplines.

Before we get into both of those things, why is it called “Tathata” Golf Training?

Tathata is a buddha belief or idea of being present, being aware, or in the words of a 5th-century Chinese Mahayana scripture:

“In its very origin suchness is of itself endowed with sublime attributes.  It manifests the highest wisdom which shines throughout the world, it has true knowledge and a mind resting simply in its own being.  It is eternal, blissful, its own self-being and the purest simplicity; it is invigorating, immutable, free… Because it possesses all these attributes and is deprived of nothing.”

Like I said, this is different.

So what’s with the 60 videos and martial arts stuff?

Tathata Golf Training is meant to be a sixty-day program.  However, the folks at Tathata Golf are also realists and understand that sometimes life gets in the way of golf.  So what they really offer is a on-demand, on-line training course.  Along with what seems to be a ton of additional information, tutorials, and bonus videos.  You also need to take a short quiz after each video.  Which seems like it could be annoying but it seems they are meant to simply reinforce the ideas presented in the training.

A small side note: something I really appreciate is the website’s ability to play properly through internet explorer on my Xbox One.  It’s really helped to not have to stare at a computer monitor but watch on my television instead.

In regards to the martial arts aspect of the training.  Tathata Golf uses the fundamentals and aspects of the martial arts to develop balance, speed, power, and leverage throughout the golf swing.

Finally, the third aspect of the Tathata Golf Training 60-day program is mental.  Day one doesn’t get into this very much other than Bryan asking that you be open to the idea of mental training.  He understands that it may not be for everyone, but asks that you at least give it a try.  Which I certainly plan on doing.

Now back to my own Day One training.  When Bryan talks about building a swing “from the ground up,” he’s not kidding.  Day One begins by literally showing (and practicing) where to place your feet in the golf stance.  It’s the most basic of basic pieces of the golf swing.  The only time we even grab a golf club is to place it across the back of the shoulders to help with our turn.  (Although, technically, Bryan does not call it a turn.)

For some of you, this review of the fundamentals may be unnecessary or boring or both.  Personally, when I’m struggling with my golf game, this is where I ultimately end up.  Re-establishing my fundamentals.  So it doesn’t really bother me.  Plus, I decided before I even began the training that I would be open and fully participate through each video.

Overall, I’m excited about the program.  I’ve never taken any kind of golf lesson outside of watching the occasional YouTube video so it will be interesting to go through something this unique.

The program is broken up into six chapters. I plan on checking back in after each one to let you in on my progress and experience.

Now off to Day Two!