Ode to Red Snowballs in Moscow

I know! Writing about "nasty" golf weather in California seems a bit silly-serious, since the greatest weather challenge we have is the fact that we can play all year long and often, in gorgeous climate. After all, unlike Napoleon, we hardly have to endure the extremes of the Russian Winter. Understandably, we get spoiled and habitually less eager to play in the “nasty stuff.”

Here is a tip for California golfers: learn to love playing in lousy weather conditions. If and when you do, you'll enjoy your rounds more, focus better in competitions and you'll shave several strokes off your score against competitors that spend most of their time grumbling and whining. While you quietly prepare for the next shot, they'll be rushing every aspect of their game in order to just get through it.

I once had a student, a young and talented golfer, who quite unabashedly announced that he "hated" to play in the wind! And, he meant what he said. Every round he played in the wind was accompanied by complaints and grumbling. Needless to say, his scoring average was very inconsistent and his competitive career didn't last very long. And, his home course was usually very windy!

I suspect that this student wasn’t really exceptional in his dislike of being uncomfortable in uncontrollable conditions. Most of us would rather not play in lousy conditions. If it seems that the more irritating the conditions, the worse we play, then learn to minimize the distractions and you’ll improve your game.

There are several easy ways for this to be accomplished. The basic value of a pre-shot routine is to eliminate the distractions of your own thinking, other players or environmental conditions, like weather. Purposeful practice sessions during foul weather can build confidence, making your next on-course choices easier to trust, allowing you to more easily focus on your targets.

It seems rational to most players that since you can't change the weather, the best you can do is to complain about it or at the very least, put up with it. Although complaining will certainly amplify your excuse about playing poorly, it won't make you a better player. "Putting up with it” will only make you a prisoner of the weather by demanding too much mental and emotional energy. So, what are your options?

When there is a condition on the golf course that you are powerless to change, you have two basic choices; fight it or accept it! The harder you fight it (complain), the worse it gets and the higher your scores. Learn to accept the conditions just the way they are and you'll make clearer decisions and more competent shots, improving your score.

Here is the learning practicum: Next time it is raining, go to the driving range and put in a good hour of practice. Focus on your shots, not the rain. When it is blowing bitter cold, purchase foul weather gloves, use hand warmers, change to cold-weather balls and practice your wind shots. Then, go out and enjoy a round in the rain or cold. I have friends who play softball in the snowparks of Moscow, Russia in the dead of winter. They just paint the balls red. They have a blast! So, could you!

On Golf and Giving Thanks

It is that time of year again! For the next week, we will be treated to relentless philosophizing, sometimes, sermonizing, constant gormandizing and certain commercializing, all celebrating the true essence of our national holiday for the Fall, Thanksgiving. So, why not here? But, before you read any further, get your Scotch or Pinot. Make sure you have enough mixed nuts or pretzels. Get comfy and let's get started!

For all the golf that will be played this week, some with old friends, some obligingly with visiting family members, I invite you to give thanks. Whether on a quick, solitary round in dim light off the back-nine or a raucous mid-day round with all the kids and cousins in tow, give thanks. In rain, wind, brilliant sun or freezing cold, give thanks. If you drill the tee shot straight down the fairway or hook it into the trees, give thanks. No matter whether playing out of the sand, short grass or wet hazards, give thanks. If you shoot a 90+ or break par, give thanks.

And, especially, give thanks to all the grounds' crew, shop pros and cart and bag attendants that have taken their holiday to work the course.

Now, here's the trick...learn to incorporate "thankfulness" into your everyday, non-holiday, regular rounds of golf. The genuine experience of gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation, etc., produces an emotional mood of enthusiasm and calm. At the same time, our minds retain an ability to perceive new situations with more objectivity, imagination and clarity. In a typical round of golf, there are hours of moments that could provoke reactions, both mentally and emotionally. Adopt an attitude that will allow you to make the most of every situation.

This is where the Thanksgiving metaphor is most helpful. Be thankful for everything. Yes, I mean everything! An attitude of "thankfulness" will sometimes require us to really soften our reactions and stretch our patience. But, every effort we make to find something to appreciate, even in the seemingly worst situations, the better off we will be as human beings and as golfers. Things for which to be thankful on your next golf outing;

less stress/more enthusiasm

less tightness/more calm

less stubbornness/more imagination

less fatigue/more vitality.

A Thanksgiving Reminder: Attitude is a club in your bag, whether you are aware of it or not. Be careful, thoughtful and purposeful about the "attitude" you carry with you. This is one club you are always using, for better or for worse.

One inescapable blessing for me is that I have a choice, in how I think, how I feel and how I live. The great thing about golf is that we always have another chance, as long as we play. And, for that chance, I am grateful. Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's to the Mud on Your Ball!

It's been raining hard lately. But, the course you are playing at has posted the Winter Rules sign, so when you finally find your ball on the edge of the rough, you know that you can pick it up , clean off the mud, replace it and you will be free to hit. No question! Right? Wouldn't you rather play with a clean ball?

The answer to this is obvious for all of us who play. It is so important for some players that they risk health and life by washing the ball in their mouth or licking it clean with their tongue. Yikes! But, it is just common sense that a clean ball will perform best as it is designed, clean from any accumulated stuff. So, why would you choose to hit the dirty ball? You wouldn't, would you?

Our reaction to mud on the ball is immediate and unquestioned. We see it, we clean it. Clean balls work better. Now, take the ball as a useful metaphor for our lives. But, with this metaphor, what is the "mud" equivalent for our lives? Our lives are designed to work well, extremely well, just like the ball. Have I lost my mind? Maybe, but let's play with the metaphor anyway.

Let's coin the phrase, "mental mud." How can we mentally muddy the ball? What is the nature of this kind of mud? Where does it come from? How does it affect the ball? To find answers to these questions, we could be drawn into the dark realms of Freud and Jung. But, instead, let's focus simply on the dynamics of striking a clean ball and the various ways we can "dirty up" our chances of success. Here are some of the most common ways to describe "mental mud;"

Mental Chatter: Perhaps most obvious is all the thinking and analysing that fills our consciousness before we begin our swings. In the moment of action, "thinking" only muddies the process, lessening our effectiveness with the ball. Typical is the temptation of trying to remember the details of swing mechanics. There is no mental room for the ball.

Memory Warnings: How often do you look at a particular golf situation through the lenses of the past? You might notice some of the physical symptoms, like tightness, nervousness or a bitter taste in your mouth as you approach certain lies that remind you of difficulties or even disasters of past rounds. The ball becomes an evil reminder.

Attitude Dictator: Attitudes form frames of reference from which we live our lives. Over time (repetitions), they tend to dictate our moods, physical reactions and patterns of thinking. Especially noticeable on a golf course are attitudes of resignation ("I'll never get this!"), fear ("Oh, my gosh, so much water!"), invincibility ("I think I'll hit from the Tournament Tees"), pride (I can drive the ball farther than he can!"). In these cases, the ball is irrelevant, your attitude is doing the most important work.

Demons of Doubt: Golf is such a difficult sport to master that doubt and uncertainty become our frequent playing partners. Our distrust will interfere with all aspects of playing this game well. Remember trying to hole a six foot putt while continuing to change your mind on the speed and line. It won't matter how clean the ball is, it ain't going where you want it to go.

Great Expectations: Whether driven by ego or by innocent hopefulness, we often view our playing moments (the ball) through a prism of expectations. Golf is a grand game, sometimes tempting illusions of greatness. We all want to putt like Tiger, flop like Phil and drive like Sergio. These images stand in between us and a clean ball, putting far too much pressure on our skill levels. Your ball is built for pressure, but not this kind.

Emotional Baggage: Missing a short putt, slicing a three wood into the lake, "chunking" a "gimme" approach shot, so many different ways during a round of golf that can get us crazy; ie., frustrated, angry, hopeless, etc. Standing over a new shot while carrying this kind of baggage can only interfere with your swing, mentally and physically. You might as well play with a black ball. (Nike got this right with their promotional Black Ball, only it wouldn't be a big seller. I wonder why?)

Create a Mental Mud Free Zone. If cleaning your ball makes common sense, then cleaning your mind should become an even more important practice. As you know, there is an essential connection between the ball and your mind. Why not develop ways to insure, to best of your ability, that you are bringing the clearest and cleanest mind to the game? Make these practices as simple and practical as washing your ball at each tee box. Every shot offers you the chance to succeed in a "mud free" zone. Why not take advantage of it and give yourself a chance to play your best? And,just think about all the money, time and intelligence that went into producing that $4.00 ball. Why waste all that perfection by covering it with your own unnecessary mud?

Think? Feel? Or Not? Playing Our Best.

The break in the rain only intensified the golfing opportunity that showed up on the course today. Golfers were excited, keyed-up. The rain had stopped. It is time to play, get on the course before the next wave of storm clouds would drive everyone back into the 19th hole lounge.

Dressed in full compliments of rain gear, umbrellas and drying towels in hand, the driving range was full, tee-boxes, fairways and greens were busy with eager players. What was particularly noticeable though, was the general air of hurried excitement and a strange mixture of impatience and aggravation. People weren't playing well and they were not recording typical scores. You could see and hear a surprisingly foul mood around the course. What had happened to all the enthusiasm, all the hopefulness?

Lower scores are predictable with the unusually wet rough, slow greens and the fresh cement-like condition of the bunkers. Indeed, it is understandable that with these conditions, play would be sub-normal and frustrations high. But, why was it affecting peoples' moods so pervasively? What is really the reason for the lower scores - was it the wet conditions or the way players reacted to the wet conditions? Where do emotions fall on to the continuum of cause/effect? Are scores more reflective of playing skills or mental skills?

One of the cornerstones of a foundation of mental skills is this question of causality. Who's in charge? Who's in control? How much do your thoughts, attitudes and emotional reactions effect the quality of your golf swing? How does your attitude determine your playing mood? We're back to the same question - does your play determine your mood or does your mood dictate the quality of your play?

Thankfully, you and I don't have to be neurochemical scientists to understand how this issue plays out throughout a round of golf. But, take a journey back through the last several rounds of golf you have played and ask yourself some simple questions. You'll likely shed some revealing light on the relationship between what you think and feel and how you play;

What expectations do you have for your performance and what is a typical or common reaction to any shortcoming?

How often are you disappointed after starting your round with noticeable optimism?

How do you react when you miss a third short putt in a row?

How often do you try to analyse what went "wrong" with a miss hit before the next shot?

How often do you demean your abilities or skills?

How do you feel after hitting "good" shots?

How do you feel after hitting "bad" shots?

How many holes does it take you to "get over" a shanked shot?

How often when a round starts to spiral out of control, do you play just to "keep things from getting worse?"

What percentage of your swing strategies are focused on "correcting" previous shots?

Have you blamed the grass or the sand or the wind, for your miss hits?

On a scale of 0-10, how much fun do you have when you play a round?

Do you pay attention to your score while you play? And, if so, why? Identify typical thought and feeling reactions to what you see on your scorecard.


You might notice a theme threading through these questions. As you read this blog posting, your utilizing the same mental faculties that you can use to discipline your mind during any sporting event. But, remember, golf is as difficult as it is because you have a lot of time to fall into the trap of thinking while you play. Now, is a perfect time to think, not while standing over the ball out on the course. However, managing your thoughts and using your ability to focus while you play are basic disciplines that require practice.

So, practice your thinking. Feel whatever you feel. It really doesn't matter what you feel, just feel and then, make sure you practice balancing and letting-go of anything that would interfere with your calm, relaxed and refreshed approach to playing your best. And, when you begin to play well, feel excited and proud and hopeful, but remember to let-go of those feelings as well. We perform best when our minds are quiet , our guts are calm and our intent is clearly in focus. Practice that! Every shot!

Of Golf and Excellence in North Carolina

Even as the plane lifted-off the tarmac, through the scratches in the window, I could identify the pine-lined course that had been my little piece of golfing paradise for the previous day. Delighted to have the chance to see it again from the air, my mind immediately began recalling the one almost perfect shot, the wasted chances while I adjusted to the different grass conditions, the unexplainable hook on the 11th hole, the breaks that didn't break...you know, the usual, engaging after-round reflections.

Within a few minutes, the sky view of my course faded past the tail wing. But, before turning to my morning paper, I spied what looked like another course. Being easily fascinated by flyovers of golf courses, I spent the next half hour fascinated by the particulars of the many courses still visible from my seat. For all the pine forests covering the landscape, every few minutes offered yet another course to view; sculpted fairways cutting through the pine, lakes and swamps highlighting layouts and sand - white sand bunkers everywhere, in every shape. Golf must be very popular in North Carolina.

How many people are there in North Carolina? And, do they all play these beautiful courses? My trip to this area was for business, but I did manage to schedule a day to play at one of the many courses in the "Research Triangle", the Finley Course of UNC. Not surprisingly, it was a tough choice, mostly because of the strong inter-school rivalries and passions of the Duke/UNC crowd boosting the greater appeal of their school's course.

I will play the Duke course on the next trip, just to maintain the health of my local friendships. And, I know when I do, I'll need to consider all the other options that are the "not to miss" favorites of anyone else (seemingly everyone!) who has played golf in this area. I have even spoken to some folks here in the Bay Area who have their own lists of their favorite places to play in North Carolina. What is with this passion for golf in North Carolina?

Granted, I spent only one week and only played one round, but here is why I'll go back. The abundance of good-to-great public or semi-private courses is amazing. The price to play ranges from cheap($25) to expensive($300) but, mostly affordable ($30-$60.) And, there aren't that many people that actually live here! Get out of the city or corporate park sprawl and you are in the woods! Except for the high-end tourist resorts, the courses are easy to book tee times.

The natural appeal of this area plays well beyond the endless forests of pine trees. Whether on the coast or in the mountains of the west, North Carolina offers a variety of tracts that tempts any mood for landscapes or difficulty. But, one element of the course you play will most certainly be sand. Sand is a natural and integral aspect of course design out here, as are the swamps and sand grasses. The pine trees grow straight and tall, with branches only on the upper heights of the tree so any off-line shots often have chances to be rescued, albeit on piles of soft pine needles.

In these parts, course maintenance is an art and highly respected. You can see the signs of that professional attentiveness with the quality of the surfaces and the care taken with the landscaping. Course superintendents often come from long held family traditions, breeding a network of professionals and staff that see their work as part art, part science, but always a source of pride. For example, after chatting with the course superintendent, I was not surprised to find a detailed grass description in my mail upon arriving back home. He sent the above picture as well, with an explanation and a schedule for when the colors turn. That is dedication!

What does this all have to do with the mental game of golf? Everything! The environment of golf in North Carolina clearly reflects some of the fundamentals of a sound mental game of golf. Here are two essential points of mastery that were demonstrated at the UNC course; 1)a clear and genuine sense of purpose and 2)a rigorous dedication to upholding standards of excellence.

Apply a purposefulness to your practice, to your every shot, even to the cleaning of your equipment and you will start to see that attitude emerge into new results out on the golf course. Attitude is everything. Of course, talent, skills and practice are necessary, but, you must practice standards of excellence with a discipline and rigor in order to earn the pride of a champion. To "be" masterful at anything, you must "act" masterful. "Being" and "acting" are are essential co-dependents.

Beautiful courses like they have in North Carolina don't happen by accident. Nor, do champions excel by DNA or luck alone. They are made. They are nurtured. And, they are coached. Inspired by a passionate caring for creating something truly remarkable, it is easy to see why courses and champions are made to be shared with the many of us and to be cherished by all of us.

Put an Obama in Your Golf Game

Try putting a little Obama in your golf game and I'd bet, you'll end up lowering your scores. Whether or not Barack Obama is elected to the Presidency of the United States of America, we will all have benefited from his example during his campaign. He may be especially instructional for those of us who play golf.

I don't mean "watch his swing mechanics." I don't know whether he even plays the game. but, rather, watch how he plays the game of campaigning. What could you learn about playing under pressure? Imagine your game enhanced by some of the qualities of temperament and character you have seen him display in the last several months of intense scrutiny. Put yourself on the putting green with millions watching you stand over a 15 ft putt to win. What would you be feeling? What would you be thinking? What would your body look like on the outside and what would it be experiencing inside?

These questions refer to states of emotion, the clarity of mental focus and the fitness of the physical body to perform in stressful situations. You may not like him. You may not vote for him, but you've got to acknowledge his extraordinary confidence and calm under pressure. He is emotionally balanced, intellectually disciplined, physically alert, calm and relaxed. Now, imagine a description of your golfing demeanor with those words.

The Jesus Shot - Tiger at His Best!

What more can we say about Tiger? He's got it all! Great talent, great story, great smile, great wife, baby, foundation...the list goes on. Now, he even walks on water to produce miracle shots. What will be next, President?

The above YouTube clip is a funny and very clever use of pop culture to capitalize on Tiger's celebrity and market his brand. It seems that everyone wants a piece of his greatness and marketability. Myself included! I am personally very grateful to Tiger, all his marketing genius aside, for he offers the world such a clear picture of greatness, as an athlete and as a man.

With the simple caveat that I don't personally know him or anyone that does know him, I am still unabashed in my admiration of what I see and read of him. I realize that many are weary of the constant adulation given his person, but I cannot dismiss the extraordinary talent and dedication that he has shown us in the way he plays this game, not to mention, lives his life.

Let me point to just a couple of the traits that I see that stand out for example. Most notably is his passion and dedication for what he does. Tiger's commitment for excellence is revealed not just in how hard and long he works, but in the intensity of his passion. His enthusiasm for what he does is real. When he is amped-up for sinking a putt, he is electrifying. In his disappointment for pull-hooking a drive, you watch and feel the pain in which he takes it out on his golf bag. I hear that even at the ping-pong table, his drive to win is remarkable.

Yet, the second point I will offer stands in dramatic contrast to this fierce determination, his humor. Tiger is well know for his 90 million dollar smile. But, his contagious smile only hints at a depth of joy in which his life must dwell. As I have said, I am not privy to his personal life, so I can only assume based on how he acts and behaves in public. He loves to laugh. He laughs at himself or he'll laugh at some stroke of outrageous fortune or turn of luck. He laughs with his caddy and often with his fans. But, the people who really see the sparkle of his joy are the numbers of youngsters who get to spend mornings with him at a special clinic or at one of the innumerable charity functions in which he gives his time. He loves kids, that is obvious. But, what is special is the way he cherishes the smiles of kids who are beginning to see the world in a new and exciting way. As they become more confident and hopeful, his smile gets bigger.

In another blog entry, I spoke of balance. It might appear that Tiger's life is a whirlwind of dedications and that he lives for golf, at the expense of all else. But, nothing could be farther from the truth. He is a master at living in balance with the elements of his life that are so true for him. He is extraordinary not just for what he does, but for "who he is." And as a result , we are all better-off to have him as our teacher.