Feature Article
All In Time
by Michael Riggs, M.Ed.
Patience is a virtue. Because of the pace of golf, the stopping and starting in a round, and the general slooooowwww motion of the game, it is imperative that players learn the merit of this virtue. Of course, learning patience will require some patience.
Let’s face it, we live in a “here and now” culture. Our computers cannot compute quickly enough, our microwave ovens are too slow in their microwaving, in the winter our cars don’t heat up fast enough, and so on, and so on… Use yourself as a guinea pig and test how often you become frustrated because of the lack of speed of something. If my suspicions are correct, you will notice a lack of patience in yourself around every corner.
How do you handle your lack of patience within the construct of your game? Do you need to correct that banana slice yesterday, and when you don’t you blame it on the driver, and get a new one? Do you mishit approach shots, and then succeed in rationalizing the error as the result of having to wait so long for the group in front of you to clear the green? Do you take a lesson and expect your accuracy to improve dramatically by the end of the thirty-minute session? You are not alone.
Being able to recognize a lack of patience is a key step toward improving your nature. When you find yourself becoming impatient on, at, near, or away from the course, use that recognition as an opportunity to learn to allow the stimulus to exist, but adjust your attitude so that it does not “bother” you. Find little things that you can do during your day that require that you slow down and wait. Try not to let a traffic jam in the hallway get you down. Allow yourself to not completely understand that difficult math problem the first time, knowing that you will keep trying and will eventually get it. Don’t switch lines at the bank or grocery store trying to shave two minutes. If you are working on your bunker or wedge play, take pride in your consistent, steady improvement.
Above all, show patience with yourself, and your game. After all, if you perfected your golf game today, would you still want to play tomorrow?
S² Tip
Become more patient with your improvement… it will come with time.
Success Story
Hats off to the Mark Haddad, Director of the PGA Tour Academies, on his progressive thinking and including ONE Way Golf mental fitness training in the Jr. Golf Camps at the Cantigny Golf Academy. The feedback form the campers and Cantigny Director of Instruction, Connie DeMattia, was all positive and the future of mental fitness training at the PGA Tour Academy Camps looks excellent!
“I have seen vast changes in Swetha’s mental approach to the game and she keeps complimenting the mental fitness training she received at the PGA Camp for the change.” – Sri Seshadri, golf dad
In Another’s Words…
“It’s takes a lot of work and patience to develop a natural swing.” — Gary Player