#037 - Golf

APRIL 2024

A break from the normal essays with a brief foray into the wide world of golfing. I hate myself sometimes.

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This week has been an adventure-filled blur. I’m doing a gig up here for one of our hands-off clients, so I’m trying to find ways to fill up the day that don’t involve vegging out and laying in bed. However, that can be good for the soul, too. So, instead, my bestie and I are spending the day walking, exercising, exploring, and, most importantly, Top Golfing. It’s hard to admit that after 36 years of not really knowing the sport of golf (and really only making fun of a bunch of wealthy dudes chasing around a little white ball on a golf cart), I have to say, wow. What a game.

There is nothing like making contact with the ball (hopefully) and (hopefully) watching it fly hundreds of yards away. It is a very satisfying feeling, but missing it is equally mind-numbing and frustratingly unsatisfying. This can be debilitating. Especially when those you’re with are having fun and succeeding in the game's main principle. This game which is all about getting a metal stick with a metal head to make contact with a tiny ball. Simple concept - difficult in both execution and consistency. The best golfers pride themselves on both. I'm constantly telling myself to "let the club do its thing" and not to wail on the ball. Power doesn't make the ball travel far; consistency does.

In life, in relationships, and business, consistency in execution is important, too. This is a hard principle for an artist like me to grasp. For me, it is easy to be consistently creative, but for technical things, not so much. Mindless, repetitive, mechanical movements do not come naturally to me. So, how do we compensate without overcompensating or displacing this inadequacy on others? Let's all be honest because it is human nature to do this to displace your inadequacies onto others. When I am naturally not good at something, I easily hate myself or self-deprecate. Others may resent or hate someone for having such natural talent. But I find that when I am not good at something, I gravitate or latch on to talent like a lamprey to a whale. This is to learn or perhaps be taught by a great whale of talent or perhaps to grow in skillset. To summarize, surround yourself with success, and you will become successful as a byproduct. This is nothing new.

Where am I going? I am not great at golf, but I have succeeded in making contact and driving the ball a hundred yards at Top Golf. Is that the same as playing 18 holes? No. Will it help me play better golf? Maybe. My voice teacher always said practice makes permanence, and anything will stick with enough practice and repetition. Also, find someone naturally good at what you want to be good at and try and keep up. My encouragement is to practice until something sticks, and even if you’re not good at it, you may slowly become better from repetition. But most importantly, if you’re not having fun, maybe the thing that you’re trying shouldn’t be your thing anymore. This is okay, too.

Prayers for consistency in your life and mine and, more importantly, for finding fun in mundane, repetitive, boring actions. I know I need to do that. Love you, wherever you are and wherever you’re at. Hope to hear from you or see you soon.

Until next time.