Well, it is March first and golf season is about six weeks away. I wish I could tell you that I am stoked for the upcoming season. Unfortunately, this year the fire is a bit slow to be lit. I know that I will start the season with gusto, but for now I am having challenges finding golf stuff to write about and even sitting down to research some topics. This lethargic approach to my golf season happens every year, but this year it seems to be lingering a little longer than expected. So, my challenge today is to determine what to write about in order to fan the flames of passion. So, here it goes!
Continue readingexperiences of gratitude
Feeling Gratitude Than Needs To Be Shared
Yesterday, I had a routine medical procedure to ensure that my health is on a positive path. As it turned out, the procedure went very well and I feel great. It was maintenance thing that needs to be performed every 5 years. Now that I briefly outlined the situation, I need to share why I am feeling gratitude!
Continue readingFinding Your Inner Golfer
There are golfers that play golf, play golf, and play golf. You can not hear the inflection in my voice as you read the first line, but if you think about it……there are three different state of golfer. Every athlete has an inner athlete trying to work its way to the surface. Sometimes the journey is a challenging and other times it is a natural progression. Well, golfers are exactly the same. The challenge I have found during my journey was determining the type of player that best suit my mental and physical capabilities. Finding my inner golfer was a journey, but I think I have a handle on it now.
Continue readingWhat is the Most Enjoyable Part of Golf?
This is not another article about the joys of social gathering, camaraderie, or the health benefits of playing golf. Most players understand these and I am sure on this beautiful Wednesday, you are looking for something more to get you through the middle of the week. Well, today I want to discuss the joys of hitting a golf ball. This might seem an unlikely topic, but just read Linely’s Golf Blog on his woes of putting and was inspired to write this article thanks Linley!
Continue readingWhat is a Grateful Golfer?
Recently, an old friend dropped me a line to say hello. He told me about his great season, low scores, and awesome shots. It sounded like one of his best seasons ever and yet, he was frustrated. He talked about how he was not satisfied with his performance as he never seemed satisfied as he continued to strive for a better game. Finally, he asked me a question that caught me be surprise, he said, “how do I become a grateful golfer?”
At this blog, we talk about all things golf. We talk about scores, tips, and methods on how to lower your golf score. We talk about tournaments, the ups and downs of professional golf, and we acknowledge milestones of all players. I even have talked about being a grateful golfer on several occasions. I just assumed that through all this interaction, my message would be loud and clear….well I guess not!
Being a grateful golfer is completely different to every player or fan. I searched the term “how to be grateful” and it came up with 7,520,000 results. Yup, I guess there are many ways to be grateful and there appears to be no end to number of people who think they have the answer for you, but I am not so sure. Can anyone really tell you how to be grateful?
If you read the top twenty results, they all describe various steps of change that will help you seek what you are looking for. After further research, I noticed a trend and concluded that it is the experiences of gratitude on your journey to being a grateful golfer that is important. I believe being a grateful golfer is a state of mind that independent of your score.
Gratitude is found in many forms. Everyone is different and their reasons for being grateful are their own. Everyday, I try to be thankful for my awesome life and that naturally transitions into my golf game. My perspective towards playing golf is not always rosy because of my competitive nature, but no matter the result on the course, I can always be grateful for something.
In my case, there are a few tenants that help me be a grateful golfer. They work for me and might of value to you:
- Mindfulness – Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.
- Being Thankful – Aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful. Expressive of gratitude: a thankful smile.
- Manage Expectations – I am not a professional golfer, but I believe that there is an opportunity to learn and improve every time I play. My expectations are not always tied to my score (although I always try to shoot low), but the experiences during each round make it easy to be grateful.
- Gratefulness is Catching – The more I actively and outwardly show gratitude, the more grateful I become about golf and my life. This may sound a bit utopian, but being grateful is a choice.
Being a grateful golfer is only one part of golf. I believe that gratitude allows me to fully appreciate my time on the links. I play golf for many reasons and one of the cornerstones of my game is being grateful.
I am not sure if any of this makes sense, so please help me out here! Let me know what you think!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 