What Stays With You ?

Granite Links, Quincy, MA



     June 15, 2017 - I had a really fun afternoon at Granite Links yesterday and found myself thinking a lot about my round later that night.  It was interesting to me that I could remember the feeling of a couple of shots so clearly.  Here's what stayed with me:

 

     I think it was the 6th or 7th hole - dogleg right.  I crushed my tee shot over the dogleg and landed about 25 yards from the pin.  I blew the approach shot in what I call the classic "how to ruin a great tee shot," but what stayed with me hours later was how great that tee shot felt, not the blown approach shot.  And it didn't feel like I was consciously making a choice to focus on the good shot rather than the missed birdie opportunity.  It just was what it was. 

 

     The second thing that stayed with me happened maybe one or two holes later.  Short par 3 - a little intimidating - but I was focused on repeating my practice swing when I hit the ball.  This may not seem important to you, but I find that it's not that common.  When I'm practicing my swing, unconcerned with actually hitting the ball, I tend to be looser, freer.  I stiff up when I step up to hit the ball.  But yesterday, for that one shot, I stayed in form and it felt so awesome.  Now I remember on that hole that I shanked my first ball into the weeds and had to hit a second ball.  I'm not sure whether it was the first or second shot where I held my practice swing focus, but what stayed with me was just the feeling in my body of being in the moment of what felt like a perfect swing, not the result.

 

     Maybe it's just me.  What's more important to me than score is my experience on the golf course.  The people, the beautiful weather and the opportunity to feel the sweet energy of swinging a golf club. 

 

     Hope you're finding your happy places out on to the course this season.  Looking forward to a great one...

Obstacles



12th Hole, Mt. Hood, Melrose, MA

     Obstacles...When I decided to write about them, I turned to my coach's book for inspiration and realized immediately that there was no way to improve on Maria Nemeth's writings in her book, Mastering Life's Energies.  Here's what she had to say in a sub-chapter called, "The Elements of a Game Worth Playing:"  

     "Psychologists and sociologists have studied games for years, and most agree that they share the following fundamental qualities:

     - Structure:  a playing field with one or more players
     - Goals, and the object is to attain these goals
     - Obstacles to attaining these goals
     - Skills that must be developed to play the game competently and overcome obstacles
     - The possibility of losing or failing to attain the goal due to the obstacles
     - Rules of engagement
     - Feedback, which lets the player know how well he or she is playing
    
     We are shaped by the games we choose to play because playing requires clarity.  We ask:  How is this game structured, and what are the goals ?   How do I get around obstacles ?  What are the rules ?  By being clear about these things, we focus our attention and actions.  Clarity is about where to apply focus...and obstacles are at the heart of every interesting and worthwhile game." 

     Maria goes on to write about how meaningless any accomplishment would be had there been no obstacle to overcome.  When I've hit a ball to a less than desirable spot out on the golf course, I always think as I approach it, "another great opportunity to make an amazing shot."  We want extraordinary golf experiences, and obstacles are what provide us those opportunities.  It doesn't mean that we aren't happy when we have a great lie and make a good shot from that position, but isn't it the awesome shot from a crappy lie that stays with us after the round ?  

     Lastly, Maria writes about playing with ease, which seems to be in direct conflict with her position that a game worth playing must present obstacles.  But, having the ability to approach an obstacle with ease doesn't mean that it's easy to get through; it simply means that you have developed the skills to approach it with confidence.  You are clear about what you intend to do, and you have the ability to focus your energy for optimum results.   Then, when you are resilient and centered as you move from one obstacle to the next, you have found grace out on the golf course, and that's a great way to play golf...

     Happy Spring - We're so close to our first round of the season :)

February Golf Getaway

Marriot Resort, Palm Desert, CA - February, 2017

     March 3, 2017    It's always good to get away from the Northeast in the winter, and Palm Desert delivered 5 days in the 80s.  Can't complain about that.  I could complain about the unexpected snowstorm that hit the morning we left causing us to miss our connection in Denver (we spent 8 hours there).  Or, how we just barely made our connecting flight home after running through SFO (not a fan of that travel experience).   But...we'll just keep the focus on the 5 days of 80 degrees   :) 

 

      Our patio was right on the 3rd green, with no view of the fairway, leaving us to only see golfers finish out the hole.  It was interesting to me to observe - in general - how poorly they performed around the green, and I wondered if they were just out of practice (probably visiting from cold climates like myself) or not warmed up yet (it was only the 3rd hole).  Many of them seemed rushed and/or stressed (the course was busy), and that's never good for any part of your game.  I did see one young teenager chip the ball in from the fringe - that was cool.   I guess the other side of this equation is that usually when I watch others play golf it's the pros on TV, and watching recreational golfers perform the most precise part of the game was a completely different experience.  I struggled to not be too judgmental - not too harsh - and as I write this I am just now realizing that they weren't pro golfers.  They were just your average Joes out for what was probably the only round of golf they'd played in months.  We'll cut them some slack...

ps.   For those of in the Northeast, golf season is just around the corner -> It's time to start warming up !  ( in more ways than one... )