"Ever-aspiring golfers - the Lord must love them; He made so many of them."
Tommy Armour, "How To Play Your Best Golf All The Time"
How did we get to where we are today regarding the game of golf and being able to play it at a decent level? I don't know this for a fact but I would wager a goodly sum that there have been more words compiled to help golfers improve than any "super computer" could logically make sense of. How did we get so off track? I'm sure that anyone who has ever put to word, either in book form, magazines, CD's, DVD's and on and on and on, their ideas on how to improve at this fascinating game, has meant well and had our best interest in mind.
Unfortunately, what we now have is a glut of information that no human being could ever totally make sense of.
Ironic as it may seem, it is my intention to add to this veritable "golfing smorgasbord" of information, but in doing so, draw the reins in on this runaway beast and bring all golfers hoping to improve, back to some semblance of sanity. I sincerely think it is time to serve the basic needs of all aspiring golfers and to re-clarify, if you will, exactly what one should know and what one should do in order to improve their games (if, indeed, they have a sincere desire to do so). Not everyone is willing to put in the effort to improve their golf... AND THAT IS FINE. If you truly just love to get outdoors, whack the ball around, enjoy the company of like-minded golfers - and can do this in a reasonable amount of time... well then, my hats' off to you - you may encompass the true spirit of golf more than you realize.
My brother Joe is a perfect example (he is 62). By USGA standards, he would be classified as somewhere between intermediate and expert in his golfing ability. But brother Joe will be the first to tell you, he doesn't have the "stomach" for competing at higher and higher levels. Don't get me wrong, my brother is an intense competitor and trys his absolute best on every shot, but compared to his little brother (me, I'm 58), in an analagous perspective, he has invested pennies and nickles in pursuit of improvement, while I have invested heart, soul and mind (not to mention THOUSANDS of dollars) in the hope of making myself the best golfer I could be... it's just the way I'm built. When I sink my teeth into something I love, it's full steam ahead (probably to a fault). I want to totally and whole-heartedly invest all possible effort into "mastery" of whatever has captured my fancy, be it golf, bowling, pool, poker, flying airplanes, playing guitar and singing, wood-working, etc, etc, etc... Of course, when you choose a path similar to mine, you set yourself up for a lot of heartaches and disappointment. Everyone has their limits and I have always struggled with "limits"... egotistically, in my mind, the only limits one could be constrained by were limits that we as individuals have acquiesced to.
It has taken me 58 years to accept the fact that we do, in fact, have limitations. We are human and therefore limited by factors beyond our control - God-given ability, physical ability(we CAN improve here if desired), genetics, time constraints and myriads of other responsibilities that take precedence in our lives. With all of that having been said, I now realize fully why I have embraced this undertaking. Like most of you, I find myself floundering, without a life vest, in a sea of information... with no land in sight. Well, a rescue mission is headed our way and I believe we are all about to find ourselves, once again, on solid ground and our safe haven, called contentment and understanding is just over a small hill in the distance. I am headed there now and if you seek what I seek (golfing harmony), come along and enjoy the ride. Before beginning though, I would ask all who come to "open your minds"... let go of all misconceptions, misunderstandings, conflicting thoughts & the latest "designer swing" concepts; "If your mind is open, empty of preconceptions, it is always inquisitive, receptive to whatever arises and ready to engage" (from 'ZEN GOLF', by Dr. Joseph Parent). Let's take a little walk....
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My Thoughts
