Intention. Non-judgemental awareness. Write down the bad habit or thing you want to change. Put a check mark next to it every time you think about it or do it on the golf course……..
We listened to some Zen Golf by Dr. Jospeph Parent on the 1.5 hour drive in the car. I like this idea and feel we could benefit from it.
Today is Day 1 of Rob’s first 18 hole tournament. It is hot and humid already and I have a cooler packed with water, Gatorade, frozen ‘Peter Rabbit’ juices which Rob particularly likes, as well as an assortment of snacks. We are here early as Bear’s tee time is 2 hours before Rob’s. As I write we are in the clubhouse having practiced some already, and will go out again an hour before tee. We have spent the past 3 days almost solidly on the golf course and should be very prepared. The good news is Rob’s swing has been “tweaked” and he looks good – when he remembers to keep his hands UP and not fall back into the flat baseball motion. In fact “keep hands up” is the only thing I am allowed to say out there apparently.
Today I will practice quiet detachment. With an emphasis on ‘quiet’.
I sing the 80s hit : “Hands up, Baby hands up” to him out on the practice range. Not amused …….
Bad club selection on Hole 2 starts the attitude. Uphill 130 yard Par 3 into the wind. The other more experienced and no doubt older boys in our group take out hybrids. Rob chooses a 5 iron despite my strong suggestion to use his 3 wood, chunks it and frets about his worst 5 iron ever !
Water hole. I suggest hybrid, he thinks 5 iron but takes the hybrid. He sends it over the water and green into a bunker and swears the 5 iron would have been perfect. Detach. Detach. Detach.
On Hole 6 Rob shows you can get a par without hitting the fairway at all !
On the positive side, he doesn’t cry (and a lot of crying does take place out there on the golf course) and bounces back from bad shots basically as well as he bounces balls across green from bunker to rough on the other side and back again.
Another positive – his drives are looking very good.
On Hole 8 we have to drive straight over water from the tee box. Playing partner 1 puts it over. Playing partner 2 puts two in a row in the water shooting directly for the flag over the greatest span of water. Rob takes the line of the narrowest watery width and sails it clear over. You can learn a lot by watching what your playing partners do, I say. Amazingly enough he agrees. Like when they both hit hybrids up a 130 yard hill into the wind and you take a 5 iron ……. but I don’t say this out loud.
Max takes over after Bear’s round, much to Rob’s delight, on Hole 11. Holes 11 and 12 he misses the fairway and has to make punchy little shots out of the mud and pine straw, but drains two 20 foot putts in a row to keep the damage to bogey on each. All of a sudden the child can Putt !!! But his driving ability seems to have disappeared completely …….
Max is instructing up a storm with hand and swing motions and explanations a mile a minute. Stuff Rob would never tolerate from me. Yet for all intents and purposes, from my viewpoint in the shade out of the fray, he is remaining calm and focused.
Now Max is giving him a swing lesson between holes which is not being met by an angry “I know how to hit the ball“. I guess if it comes from a ‘real’ golfer, advice is tolerated. He has not hit the fairway once since Hole 10 but on Hole 14 he finally finds it. Not pretty but on. Beautiful 3 wood sets it close to the green and a hurried bladed chip sends it into crazy deep rough never to be seen again. It’s a beautiful game !!
Hole 15 he sinks a downhill putt out of rough around the green for first tournament birdie. Max really can read a green well and Rob really can follow directions ….. as long as they are not mine.
Birdie. Par. Par. All the inter-hole arm swinging instruction is paying off and bringing rewards. 10 shot improvement off the first 9 hole score is definitely a testament to what an amazing caddy Max is and I hope that the confidence Rob has picked up here with Max will say with him when mom is back on the bag tomorrow.