I Love Golf, I Love it Not, I Love Golf, I Love it Not…

Does your game of golf ever make you want to cry? I’ll bet it has. I can tell you for sure, that coaching girl’s golf, I have seen many a tear shed. Why do we love a game that can drive us to boo-hoo about our golf boo-boo’s?

After a lesson with a student of mine last week, he confessed that he had a game this weekend with three fellow clients that were worth several thousand dollars in dealings with his company. Because he was playing so badly, he dreaded the day he had to tee it up. Explaining to me how simple it was to close million dollar contracts with fellow businessmen as opposed to holding it together on the golf course, he admitted that it was more agonizing to get up to hit the first tee shot in front of these people. How to love golf all of the time, now that is the question!
Loving the game of golf (most of the time) may be a fantasy. Learning to deal with these emotions of fear, embarrassment, anxiety, anger, and frustration is all part of learning the “game”.

Let’s start with the first tee shot. Typically, between the sweaty palms, the heartbeat racing like a jackhammer and the knees knocking so loud it sounds like maracas, what we saying to ourselves may be something like this
: “please, just don’t hit that house on the right”, or “don’t miss it”, or “I hope no one is paying attention in case I shank”, while mumbling” it’s a good thing this is good thing for business”. Doesn’t sound like we are “lovin it”, does it?

Can we fall back into love with golf even if we are not playing as well as we want?

The “potion” for falling back in “love” with your game is as easy as closing that million dollar deal on the course. Why not treat golf the same way that we work that deal with our clients? When we entertain a client, we have a specific purpose, or goal. Why not treat our “game day” the same way, with the same purpose-to enjoy the round, to have all one or two putts, to play it safe and have no penalties for the day, or whatever the “job” we want to accomplish on the links. As with a contract, a relationship, a golf game, sometimes that goal may take a few times to be consummated. The minute we try to force “the deal”, in business or in golf, we stand the risk of pushing it away. When we get angry or impatient with our “game”, it can act like a fickle lover, and run from us. Best we let the “game” come to us, through practice, good coaching, and patience. Not much different than that “deal” we may be working on while we are out there playing.

So the next time you get up on the tee box, and the “big bosses” are behind you watching, put all that “heartache” away, and say to yourself “HELLO LOVER!” and let it happen! Golf, like business, and love, has to come like fine wine-“in its own time”.

Meanwhile, enjoy the journey on the links, in business, or in life. After all, what’s the worst that can happen? A bad day of golf, is better than a good day at the office, right?

“I’m loving’ it”-happy golfing!

Janie C. Farina
LPGA Teaching & Club Pro
LPGA -USGA Girls Golf Club of Pinehurst