2019: Lessons from a Year in the Bunker

I've always enjoyed watching golf on TV and have gone to the driving range with my dad since I was a little kid. Despite that, I had never stepped foot on a full-sized golf course to measure where I was. That all changed this past year. I'm not quite sure why, to be honest. Maybe it's because I finally accomplished one of my most sought-after feats in Bridge and wanted to start to move on to another hobby. Maybe it's because I moved in with a golf-addicted roommate and I'm bad at saying no to things. Or maybe curiosity finally killed the proverbial cat. Whatever it was, taking up golf was a blast, despite it being one of the must frustrating and humbling experiences to date. I took a lot away from the course this year (don't worry, I gave it all back and then some with a multitude of golf balls lying in the woods and waters of the Tampa Bay area). Here are some of those takeaways:

1. Practice makes perfect: Even Tiger Woods didn't step onto a golf course right away and start dominating the game like it was nothing (actually, he probably did; disregard that example). Practicing in an attempt to perfect your golf swing, or at least get it into a playable state, takes years of work. Nonetheless, you can't let that discourage you. You always have to focus on the eventual end goal when it comes to golf, or anything in life for that matter. You can't expect immediate results or else you'll never be satisfied. This is definitely hard to remember on the golf course, where it always seems like a combination of the Florida heat, competitiveness of playing with friends and/or family, and the fact that you spend more time waiting than actually doing something, lead to fiery emotions (my first few rounds involved quite a few words I'm not proud of having said and plenty of tossed golf clubs that traveled further than my ball). However, clearing your head and not letting anything phase you goes quite a long way in golf, and that same mindset can be applied to a lot of day-to-day situations as well.

2. Always accept advice: Especially when you're first starting out, everyone's going to want to comment on your golf swing and say what exactly is going wrong, where you can improve, etc. Sometimes, it's difficult to internalize that information (I mean, you just chunked a golf shot in front of someone; are you really thinking in a positive mindset?), but the first step in getting better is realizing that their advice is with the best intentions in mind and that you'd do yourself a lot of good of taking it in and letting it take you forward. The same applies to work. Upper management, coworkers, clients, and more always have their own ideas of how certain processes should look and perform. While you'll have your own opinions, differences in thought lead to meaningful discussions which usually in turn lead to best results. Accept that advice and let your conversations (and mindset) be open.

3. Embrace challenge: You're relatively new to golf and your friend asks if you want to join his group at one of the tougher courses in the area. Your immediate gut reaction will be that you're going to embarrass yourself out there and that you should figure out an excuse to get out of the round. However, you absolutely should take that opportunity head on and go out there and give it a shot, regardless of what happens. How good do you expect to be at golf (or anything) if you shy away from challenges and take the easy road? The same thing applies at work. Boss asks you to take the lead for a project with technologies that you're not super familiar with? Take it. Working with the uncertain is the only way to grow as an individual. But, that also leads to my next point...

4. Know your limits: The green is 150 yards away with water on the left. Are you going straight at the hole or playing a more conservative approach to keep yourself out of potential trouble? That answer, of course, is dependent on the golfer (right now, I would lay up every single time with the hopes of playing an approach shot onto the green rather than risk the likely water hazard if I went for it). While some people are natural risk takers, it is also important to have a reality check occasionally and know what the most likely outcome is if you go for something. Don't be afraid to ask for help (or take the clearer path that might not be as direct) when it comes to these situations, which typically present themselves in the form of projects with tight deadlines.

5. Enjoy the little things: Golf, while supposedly a therapeutic and relaxing exercise, can definitely pick at you like a scab if you allow it to. Often, we get way too caught up in work and life to enjoy the little things that are going on around us. Yeah, maybe your tee shot on 13 drew left and is headed for the woods...again. But did you stop to think that for 3-4 hours, you're able to unplug from the real world, spend time with friends, and enjoy some pretty impressive views and nature? Probably not. We all struggle from time to time at focusing on the much bigger picture that is life (I'd be lying if I didn't throw myself in here with everyone else), but approaching everything with that perspective will make the journey a much smoother one.

Everyone focuses on goals when it comes to a new year. Now that I've finally caught the bug and become a junkie, here are my golf-related goals for 2020:

1. Break triple digits on a real course (probably a reach but you never know)

2. Develop crisper woods and driver shots

3. Gain more distance on my irons shots

4. Average at most 45 putts per round

How will I accomplish those goals? Following my pointers from the list above, hopefully. I'll continue to refine my game at the driving range and with the help of others. I'll take on just about every offer to play so long as it doesn't interfere with work or bleed my bank account. I'll better recognize what my limitations are and improve those in an attempt to make my game more complete. But most importantly, I'll remember to enjoy it, no matter what happens. That's the only way to win at life, after all.

Hope that everyone finds his or her par on the "course" in 2020. Happy New Year and a piece of advice for those that live in the Tampa area: fore!