managing expectations

Managing Expectations On The Golf Course

/ The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Tiger Woods will tee it up for his last round today at the Hero World Challenge. I doubt anyone is going to catch Hideki Matsuyama, but in the big scheme of things it really does not matter because the focus of this weekend’s event is all Tiger all the time.

Sitting in the middle of the pack, Woods has demonstrated some sparks of greatness and of course his competitive spirit is back in full force. He has high expectations of his play and the real question is whether he can meet or exceed them. Continue reading →

Playing Golf With One Club

/ The Grateful Golfer / 13 Comments

This morning I was fortunate to wake up early and see that the forecast for rain did not materialize. After hopping out of bed, in the dark, I decided to hit the links for a quick round. I did not play all week, so I took this opportunity to get out and play some golf.

Arriving at the course, I quickly unpacked my clubs and anticipated being the only player on the course for quite a while. As I set up my push cart, my friend Geary pulled up and we quickly agreed to play together. As we walked towards the first tee, I noticed that Geary only had one club in his hand; his 9-iron! And then our conversation started! Continue reading →

Growth in Your Golf Game

/ The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

Well my move is done. Due to other priorities, I have not touched a club in 11 days. This was expected and given the countless tasks involved in moving, golf was not really at the top of my to-do list.

Is the ball half in or half out?

But now it is time to get back to hitting the links. I wonder what this early break will do to my momentum. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, ot will be important to keep focused and to understand that there is a potential for growth in my game.
As I prepare to return to golf, it is important to keep three things in mind. These mental and physical actions are proven my processes to ensure that my golf game has not fallen toonfar off the rails. 

First, manage my expectations. I have not practiced, physically trained or mental thoight of golf in 11 days. Therefore, I cannot expect to play as well as I was before the break. Of course I will play to play well, but I will not allow my ego to elevate my expectations of how well I will play.

Second, follow my preshot routine on every shot. My routine will force my mind and body to remember quicker that I am golfing. It will help with my course management and iron out the kinks in my game.

Lastly, have fun! This is probably the most important of the three. I am golfing again and enjoying the moment while on the links is always important to maintaining a positive attitude on thw links.

As I venture on to a new course with old friends, I will look for opportunities to grow my game. Because this is a new course, I must approach my game differently. I am hoping it is for the better in the long run. Changing course has not detered my intention to be a scratch golfer, in fact, it has increased it. 

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

Golf Season Is Officially Here!

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments
I am

Guess which club The Grateful Golfer hit first in the 2016 golf season!

Golf season is officially here! Yesterday I hit the range and it was awesome. My wife joined me to make the start of the 2016 golf season more special. The sun was shining, the wind was down and my expectations were very low!

Yes, my expectations were very low. Each year, I try to start fast because of the short playing season in Canada. However this year, using my plan I stated yesterday, I have decided to start my golf season with the proper expectations! There is a difference between starting quick and starting right. This year, I am going the take the right path because I think it will pay off more dividends in the long run. 

Continue reading →

“I am Quitting Golf”

/ The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

That is it, I have had enough! I am quitting golf!

How many times have you heard someone walking exasperated off the course, only to mutter those terrible words. They weave a tail of the course being too difficult, they have an injury or that their clubs are not suited for their game. I think that over 35+ years, I have heard almost every reason why someone is quitting golf. And not to my surprise, I see most of them on the links a couple of days later!

Proclaiming that it is time to quit golf is something I have never even considered. I have taken sometime off because of life, but to quit…..never! I guess I have been blessed with the desire to continue playing no matter how frustrated I feel when my game does not meet my expectations!

Having been around golf for so long, I believe that your ego and not managing your expectations about your golf game is what evokes the greatest stress and frustration while playing.

I have talked to players who play 5 to 10 times a year and expect they can keep up with players who actively improve their game. It is possible that someone can compete for a hole or two, but over the long haul, the player who does not play often usually fails to meet their expectations. As a result they walk away from their round feel frustrated and disappointed in their play.

I have also talked to players who play 50 rounds a year and have the same problem as described above. Yet, they refuse to change the way they play. Overall, it is an ego or expectations issue which prevents players from enjoying their round and uttering that they should quit golf.

I have talked about ego and expectations before and won’t repeat myself. However, there is a point to my diatribe. I am playing golf with my friend in just over a week on his home course. When we play, I will not have swung a club in about one month. Normally, I offer him strokes to even things out. I am not so sure I am willing to give him strokes this time (actually I might ask for stokes ) but that will be negotiated when I get to his house.

More importantly, I have to check my ego and expectations at the door. I am not suggesting that I will not try and score low, but I must keep in mind that I will be rusty and when things do not go the way I expect, to remain calm and remember that I am golfing in November! I must keep in mind that I am playing golf with my friend instead of working. I must keep in mind that no matter how I score, I must remain grateful for the opportunity to play golf on a new course.

I am looking forward to playing golf soon! And am very confident that I will be playing golf for a long, long time!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!