Golf- is an ego trip
July 2nd, 2007 by Olaf Bound.sIt surprises me to know that many golfers out there have an attitude that I will presume to call “ego trip attitude.” Is that why there are so many people out there presumably with the same mentality? Is “golf” a trip to your superior self? Perhaps it is the reason why so many golfers take it out on their clubs.
Just imagine the scenario, it’s a Par 3 149 yards slightly uphill. You take out what you think in your bag as the perfect club. For many it is an 8 iron or maybe a 9 iron. Now, you practise in the range and you would most likely hit a 9-iron about 145 yards (probably 7/10 times). That is what we term as carry and distance. “Carry” meaning how far the ball will drop and land, whilst “distance” is the where the ball will eventually end up. If it is slightly uphill, ask any pro and they will ultimately suggest an 8 iron or even a 9-iron but do we ever listen? No, we will attempt with the 9-iron. Where the ball will eventually end up short or probably in some sort of hazard. What will be our first reaction? I don’t know about you guys out there but I have seen many a golfer smash their clubs on the ground. After the shot, his most likely comment will be “ahh, the wind came up just as went for my shot” or maybe “can you guys keep quiet at the back”. But I would like to share with you all a beautiful story about humility!
As I started golfing about 5 years ago, I not only had this “ego” mentality! I was a real hothead! I thought of myself as the next “Tiger” or “Ernie”. As I approach a par 5 480 metre, I pulled out my driver and hit the most beautiful shot that I believe I could have hit ever. I smacked the big dog about 270 metres keeping a “Tiger” line and was left with about just 170 metres to the green. I was as smug as a pro wrestler (and that’s a lot of “smug”). As I was approaching my next shot, I was already surveying where to land my next shot. Well, I decided it’s a 6 iron shot when at normal times, it was more of a 5 iron or even a 4 iron. I set up and swung like I was “Tiger” and should have heard the applause from the crowd but what I heard was a “thud”. I fat the shot so badly, I had advanced my ball only 15 metres. My reaction? I shouted more obscenities than those in the “Pulp Fiction” movie. I took out my club and started to whack the turf again and again and again. That’s when my playing partner came over and said this words “good swing”. I was like “Huhhh?” Azni, my golfing partner had this to say “Olaf, have you ever considered the fact that IF the club had feelings; how would it feel?” I answered “rather hurt”. And DO YOU think the club had anything to do with the shot? And with that he looked away and went about his business playing third shot.
The moral of this story is the reality that most of us golfers out there have an ego the size of the moon. Admit it! It’s never ever your fault! But I did learn two very valuable lessons there on that day.
1. The club is never at fault, YOU ARE!
And 2 and most importantly: when you lose your temper, REMEMBER you are losing the well known respect that your friends have in you.
Needless to say, the temper never really goes away for most but I will always remember this lesson and have learned “the easy way” to understand that you must control your emotions at all times. I like to share with the newbies a tip on how to control it. The trick is simple, “Don’t take your ego with you on the golf course.” And remember, it’s just a game! Good Golfing!