Life Lessons Learned on the Golf Course
Appreciate the Beauty – Golf courses are typically beautiful places. Manicured grass, stately trees, pristine lakes – on the course I always take a moment to appreciate just how beautiful it is. I need to do this in my everyday life as well. We are surrounded by wonders everyday – I need to take a moment to appreciate the beauty in my life.
Be In the Now – I’ve always played “athletic” sports – football, baseball, basketball. Sometimes I could “get in a zone” and couldn’t miss a shot, or could hit anything that came near the plate. But in golf – with that little ball just sitting there, and no stimulation from direct competition – I have a hard time finding that zone. Everyday life can get that way, too. I need to find ways to be in the now – to slip into “the zone”.
Play the Ball As it Lies – In golf, the rules state that you must play the ball as it lies. Life is like that. I need to accept my situation whatever circumstances may bring – and take my best shot to be successful.
Be Honest – In golf, everybody keeps their own score. I read somewhere that Bobby Jones once penalized himself a stroke because his ball “shuttered” as he was taking a practice swing. Both the tournament official, and his opponent, said that they did not see the ball move and that he need not take the stroke. But Bobby said that it had moved, and took the penalty – and lost the tournament by one stroke. What an inspired life I would lead if I could hold myself to the same level of integrity!
Plan ahead – Good golfers don’t just grab a club and hit the ball as hard as they can! They “work the hole backwards” – they decide where they need to put the ball on the green to have a makeable putt, what approach shot will put it there, and where their tee shot needs to land to give them that approach. I need to look at my life like that and ask, “Are the actions I’m taking now putting me in the best position to take my next shot?”
Narrow Your Focus – To make a great shot you have to narrow your focus to the point that you can see the exact point of impact where the clubhead meets the ball. I need to apply that same level of attention and narrowness of focus to my everyday activities.
Let Go – No matter how great or how lousy your last shot was, let it go! A guaranteed recipe for a bad shot is to be dwelling on the last one. I need to let go in everyday life as well. Let go of my insecurities, past grievances, past successes and failures. I need to give myself a clean slate every day so that I have the opportunity to make something spectacular!
Be Aware of Your Emotions (so they don’t get the best of you) – Part of letting go is to approach each shot objectively and with purpose. I need to approach both my failures and successes with same level of objectivity. This isn’t to say that I should become an unemotional machine. It means to be aware of my emotions – the ups and the downs – and to make sure that I take action with intention rather than reacting based on emotion.
Keep Your Eye On the Ball – To make a great golf shot, you have to keep your eye on the ball all the way through the point of impact. It’s the same in life. If I find that I’m not making the progress I want toward my goals, it is usually because I’ve let myself get “busy”, but with activities that don’t really help me achieve my goals.