Ken
Guest
Life Lessons Learned at The Local Muni
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
One adage is “art imitates life”. Another, more to my point, is “golf imitates life”. They may both be true, since ‘art’ and ‘golf’ are part of life. Today’s point is that there are some experiences I’ve had on a golf course that can be carried through into other aspects of life. To set the scene, these experiences occurred at a 9-hole municipal golf course in western New York that I golfed at frequently after I relocated from Ohio. Some of these go back almost 40 years, so there is a lot to sift through on our journey.
Lace up your spikes, and please join me as we walk down the fairway..
Give Kids A Chance
Not long after I’d relocated to WNY, my parents visited me on a particular weekend, which coincided with the Member-Guest Tournament at the Muny course. The course was soaked by rain, but the weekend of the tournament was sunny and mild, but no carts were allowed on the course. We arranged to have a member of the club’s junior program serve as Dad’s caddy. At the time, Dad used a staff bag. For those of you not familiar with it, a staff bag is a bit bigger than a regular golf bag, and when fully laden weighs as much as an SUV. It was certainly a load for young Jim, the caddy.
We slogged through both rounds, and Jim was as cheerful at the end as he was at the beginning, and he never hesitated to offer caddy-type advice to Dad on club selection, green reading, etc. The lad was really a treat to have around, because he was trying so hard and was so sincere in this job. At the end of the event, Dad paid Jimmy his caddie fee as well as a sizable tip. The other members of the foursome also decided to give Jimmy a little stipend, because we appreciated his efforts, he did a good job and he was trying his damnedest to be a good caddy. Jimmy was thrilled! Here was a young lad looking to earn some summer spending money in addition to mowing lawns (I guess). His enthusiasm for the job made the weekend a lot better and a lot more enjoyable.
Takeaway
Don’t be afraid to give a younger person, even if you don’t know them that well, a chance. They’ll appreciate the opportunity and so will you.
Lemons Out Of Lemonade
A couple of years later, I was playing in the afternoon with a good friend in late summer. As I mentioned in the introduction, this was a 9-hole course, so it got plenty of play. The town hadn’t installed an irrigation system, so come late July-August, the fairways were well trampled, sparse and hard. On the first hole, after a good tee shot, I clunked my approach shot. Externally I was “Hmmmph” and internally I was “I guess I’d better chase down and replace my divot”. Not wanting to carry my 9-iron all the way to the divot, I casually tossed it over to my golf bag as I walked to the debris. The club-head hit the hard fairway, the handle hit my golf bag, there was a brief “twang” then my 9-iron snapped in two.
As you’d guess, over the next eight holes, there were several shots that required a 9-iron to the green. I spent the next two hours learning how to hood a wedge and fade an 8-iron.
Takeaway
Often in life stuff happens that you can’t control. Shrug it off and stay focused on your purpose; life usually gives you enough tools for a “work-around”. As a side note, you should see how well I can fade an 8-iron.
I’m Pretty Sure I Can Do It My Way
Public/municipal courses are noted for having “characters”. When I first started playing at this muni course, of of the first characters that I met was an older gentleman named Eddie. He was a retiree, and if I remember correctly he was a former toolmaker/machinist. He was a tinkerer. Eddie also enjoyed being on a golf course “with the guys” almost as much as anything. He truly loved the game. He expressed his character in his golf clubs; of his 14 clubs, he had only 4 irons (8, 9, PW, SW). Everything else had a wooden club head, including the putter. His putter was a (former) 2-wood that he’d de-lofted by trimming the face with a band saw, then re-shafted and re-gripped to putter length.
When he putted, it was one-handed, his right hand. He would hook is left thumb behind his back in his belt loop to “get it out of the way”. Eddie claimed that he putted better one-handed. When he had a pressure chip shot with his 9-iron, he’d swing the same way; right handed. He claimed he chipped better in pressure situations using one hand.
He had a very short, compact swing; the club barely got higher than his shoulders on both the back=swing and the down-swing. To extend his short swing arc, Eddie re-shafted his driver to 47″, well beyond the average (at that time) 43″-44″ length driver. He also had applied a 1″ x 2″ piece of masking tape to the top of his driver and putter. Scrawled on the tape was “SLO-CON”. When I asked Eddie what the hell “SLO-CON” meant, he replied in his raspy voice; “It reminds me to take the club back slow and to concentrate.” He never did specify what he was supposed to ‘concentrate’ on, but I guess it all worked out for him.
Takeaway
First, don’t be afraid to be a bit quirky, it may turn out to be an endearing trait. After 40 years, I can still see Eddie trudging down the fairways at the muny course. It brings a smile to me. When I think of Eddie, I think of his quirkiness. his creativity and his joy. And, yes, there are processes, procedures and guidelines; all, mostly, for a good reason. However, never be afraid to have an open mind and try out different “things”. You’ll be glad that you did. Perhaps we will, too.
Don’t Be That Guy
Another character that I golfed with quite a bit was Dave. He fancied himself as a good golfer who was a hard-hitting, no holds barred competitor. Trust me, he wasn’t and he wasn’t. He was a golfer who was not actively sought out by other men’s club members. I didn’t mind golfing with him, because it was satisfying to drub him for 18 holes. He had a “quirk” of being quick to needle his fellow competitors, but was pretty thin skinned when the barbs were returned. (Pro tip: if you are going to dish it out, you’d better be prepared to take it).
Here’s an example of his “needle”. It’s customary etiquette prior to teeing off, that the golfers shake hands and express good wished to their fellow competitors. Not Dave; his default version was “Good luck and I hope you play bad.” Really, Dave? That pretty much explains why playing partners were hard to come by for him.
Takeaway
Don’t ever mistake the ‘will to compete’ and the ‘desire to win’ as being a true sportsman. The desire to win is noble, but if not combined with fair play, proper etiquette and compassion, you come off as an asshole. When I think of Eddie (above), it’s with a smile a fond remembrances. when I think of Dave, it’s with disdain.
Be This Guy
Another character that I golfed with quite a bit was Jack. He was a solid, accomplished player who took the game in stride (which may help explain why he was good). You make the swings and you hit the shots; some days they work put, some days they don’t. He was always supportive and encouraging of his playing companions, because he understood the true spirit of the game. He was one of the few players that I sought out for a match; “Hey, Jack, do you have a game?”
As a post-script to this recollection, I ran into Jack at a golf event this past Thursday at my brother-in-law’s golf club. We were partners, but didn’t do that well, mainly because of my putting… Jack’s response was a laugh and a “Don’t worry about it, maybe we’ll get them next time”. We reminisced that, back in the muni days, when we both had single digit handicaps, we’d have been quite a pairing. Forty years later, we were both glad to be on the course and to have seen each other after so many years. The next time my BIL has me as a guest, you can be sure that I’ll look up Jack.
Takeaway
You can still be a “winner” while being a nice person. Jack realized that club golf is just that, club golf. No matter how many events you play in, there are only so many umbrellas and golf shirts (typical club prizes) that you can use. He never let a game get in the way of his humanity. Your legacy is how you are remembered by your friends. This should be your goal.
The post Life Lessons Learned at The Local Muni appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
One adage is “art imitates life”. Another, more to my point, is “golf imitates life”. They may both be true, since ‘art’ and ‘golf’ are part of life. Today’s point is that there are some experiences I’ve had on a golf course that can be carried through into other aspects of life. To set the scene, these experiences occurred at a 9-hole municipal golf course in western New York that I golfed at frequently after I relocated from Ohio. Some of these go back almost 40 years, so there is a lot to sift through on our journey.
Lace up your spikes, and please join me as we walk down the fairway..
Give Kids A Chance
Not long after I’d relocated to WNY, my parents visited me on a particular weekend, which coincided with the Member-Guest Tournament at the Muny course. The course was soaked by rain, but the weekend of the tournament was sunny and mild, but no carts were allowed on the course. We arranged to have a member of the club’s junior program serve as Dad’s caddy. At the time, Dad used a staff bag. For those of you not familiar with it, a staff bag is a bit bigger than a regular golf bag, and when fully laden weighs as much as an SUV. It was certainly a load for young Jim, the caddy.
We slogged through both rounds, and Jim was as cheerful at the end as he was at the beginning, and he never hesitated to offer caddy-type advice to Dad on club selection, green reading, etc. The lad was really a treat to have around, because he was trying so hard and was so sincere in this job. At the end of the event, Dad paid Jimmy his caddie fee as well as a sizable tip. The other members of the foursome also decided to give Jimmy a little stipend, because we appreciated his efforts, he did a good job and he was trying his damnedest to be a good caddy. Jimmy was thrilled! Here was a young lad looking to earn some summer spending money in addition to mowing lawns (I guess). His enthusiasm for the job made the weekend a lot better and a lot more enjoyable.
Takeaway
Don’t be afraid to give a younger person, even if you don’t know them that well, a chance. They’ll appreciate the opportunity and so will you.
Lemons Out Of Lemonade
A couple of years later, I was playing in the afternoon with a good friend in late summer. As I mentioned in the introduction, this was a 9-hole course, so it got plenty of play. The town hadn’t installed an irrigation system, so come late July-August, the fairways were well trampled, sparse and hard. On the first hole, after a good tee shot, I clunked my approach shot. Externally I was “Hmmmph” and internally I was “I guess I’d better chase down and replace my divot”. Not wanting to carry my 9-iron all the way to the divot, I casually tossed it over to my golf bag as I walked to the debris. The club-head hit the hard fairway, the handle hit my golf bag, there was a brief “twang” then my 9-iron snapped in two.
As you’d guess, over the next eight holes, there were several shots that required a 9-iron to the green. I spent the next two hours learning how to hood a wedge and fade an 8-iron.
Takeaway
Often in life stuff happens that you can’t control. Shrug it off and stay focused on your purpose; life usually gives you enough tools for a “work-around”. As a side note, you should see how well I can fade an 8-iron.
I’m Pretty Sure I Can Do It My Way
Public/municipal courses are noted for having “characters”. When I first started playing at this muni course, of of the first characters that I met was an older gentleman named Eddie. He was a retiree, and if I remember correctly he was a former toolmaker/machinist. He was a tinkerer. Eddie also enjoyed being on a golf course “with the guys” almost as much as anything. He truly loved the game. He expressed his character in his golf clubs; of his 14 clubs, he had only 4 irons (8, 9, PW, SW). Everything else had a wooden club head, including the putter. His putter was a (former) 2-wood that he’d de-lofted by trimming the face with a band saw, then re-shafted and re-gripped to putter length.
When he putted, it was one-handed, his right hand. He would hook is left thumb behind his back in his belt loop to “get it out of the way”. Eddie claimed that he putted better one-handed. When he had a pressure chip shot with his 9-iron, he’d swing the same way; right handed. He claimed he chipped better in pressure situations using one hand.
He had a very short, compact swing; the club barely got higher than his shoulders on both the back=swing and the down-swing. To extend his short swing arc, Eddie re-shafted his driver to 47″, well beyond the average (at that time) 43″-44″ length driver. He also had applied a 1″ x 2″ piece of masking tape to the top of his driver and putter. Scrawled on the tape was “SLO-CON”. When I asked Eddie what the hell “SLO-CON” meant, he replied in his raspy voice; “It reminds me to take the club back slow and to concentrate.” He never did specify what he was supposed to ‘concentrate’ on, but I guess it all worked out for him.
Takeaway
First, don’t be afraid to be a bit quirky, it may turn out to be an endearing trait. After 40 years, I can still see Eddie trudging down the fairways at the muny course. It brings a smile to me. When I think of Eddie, I think of his quirkiness. his creativity and his joy. And, yes, there are processes, procedures and guidelines; all, mostly, for a good reason. However, never be afraid to have an open mind and try out different “things”. You’ll be glad that you did. Perhaps we will, too.
Don’t Be That Guy
Another character that I golfed with quite a bit was Dave. He fancied himself as a good golfer who was a hard-hitting, no holds barred competitor. Trust me, he wasn’t and he wasn’t. He was a golfer who was not actively sought out by other men’s club members. I didn’t mind golfing with him, because it was satisfying to drub him for 18 holes. He had a “quirk” of being quick to needle his fellow competitors, but was pretty thin skinned when the barbs were returned. (Pro tip: if you are going to dish it out, you’d better be prepared to take it).
Here’s an example of his “needle”. It’s customary etiquette prior to teeing off, that the golfers shake hands and express good wished to their fellow competitors. Not Dave; his default version was “Good luck and I hope you play bad.” Really, Dave? That pretty much explains why playing partners were hard to come by for him.
Takeaway
Don’t ever mistake the ‘will to compete’ and the ‘desire to win’ as being a true sportsman. The desire to win is noble, but if not combined with fair play, proper etiquette and compassion, you come off as an asshole. When I think of Eddie (above), it’s with a smile a fond remembrances. when I think of Dave, it’s with disdain.
Be This Guy
Another character that I golfed with quite a bit was Jack. He was a solid, accomplished player who took the game in stride (which may help explain why he was good). You make the swings and you hit the shots; some days they work put, some days they don’t. He was always supportive and encouraging of his playing companions, because he understood the true spirit of the game. He was one of the few players that I sought out for a match; “Hey, Jack, do you have a game?”
As a post-script to this recollection, I ran into Jack at a golf event this past Thursday at my brother-in-law’s golf club. We were partners, but didn’t do that well, mainly because of my putting… Jack’s response was a laugh and a “Don’t worry about it, maybe we’ll get them next time”. We reminisced that, back in the muni days, when we both had single digit handicaps, we’d have been quite a pairing. Forty years later, we were both glad to be on the course and to have seen each other after so many years. The next time my BIL has me as a guest, you can be sure that I’ll look up Jack.
Takeaway
You can still be a “winner” while being a nice person. Jack realized that club golf is just that, club golf. No matter how many events you play in, there are only so many umbrellas and golf shirts (typical club prizes) that you can use. He never let a game get in the way of his humanity. Your legacy is how you are remembered by your friends. This should be your goal.
The post Life Lessons Learned at The Local Muni appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...