If you’ve never swung a golf club in anger you might find it hard to appreciate the pain, the highs and lows involved in walking eighteen holes whilst smashing a little white ball from tee to green and beyond. You might think that as it’s a stationary ball and you are static, it really shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Ha! Think again. At a physical level, the average player swings a driver at somewhere around 100 miles per hour. The top guys get it up to 120 mph or more. The ball leaves that clubhead at 180 plus and will fly over 300 yards. It only takes a very small change in the club path for the ball to veer off into the trees or out of bounds rather than straight down the fairway. Golfers strive for a repetitive swing so they increase their chances of playing their next shot from the cut grass.
That’s all physical, but probably an even bigger part of the game is mental. From set-up to finish, each shot might take a minute. (the swing itself is over in seconds). Assuming a round takes four hours and you take eighty shots, that leaves an awful long time to walk and think. Plenty of time to allow the brain to get in the way. With water left and out of bounds right it takes a strong mind to think positively and not “don’t go left, don’t go right”. The brain is such a powerful influence that such thoughts often induce the very thing you are trying to avoid.
The ability to remain patient, control your emotions and stay calm is a huge asset if you have professional aspirations. Years ago, a South African pro, The Beast of Boksberg was playing at the appropriately named Wild Coast. Things had gone from bad to worse and as he left the course the contents of his bag were deposited in a nearby bin, unsuitable for further use. Pro golfers are supplied with free clubs by the manufacturers. Such profligacy would be expensive for amateurs. Such behaviour is certainly frowned upon by the Pro Tours and he would undoubtedly have received a heavy fine for his impetuosity.
The great South African golfer, Ernie Els, has always maintained that if you really want to get to know someone, play a round of golf with him or her. (or them) The best business interviews are often conducted on the golf course. Such are the mental demands of the game it takes a considerable effort to hide your natural tendencies.
The wonderful thing about golf though is that it’s a rare round when you don’t hit a few good shots and it’s those that keep you coming back; that magical feeling when everything works in the correct sequence and the ball flies out of the middle of the club, straight and true down the fairway. It’s amazing how often it happens that, however badly you’ve played, you crunch a perfect drive down the middle of the 18th fairway. If you’ve yet to experience the frustrations of this wonderful game and are contemplating starting, be prepared for it to grab you by the short and curlies and change your life forever!
ADayInTheStrifeOf 