The first real heat of the season, a rough looking warm up, and then a four hole wait while team mates played with the more experienced 13 year old in the group before Rob’s turn to play a tough looking 2 hole practice scramble.
Clubs in the area play the PGA Junior League which is a scramble format – about 4 matches over the summer. The kids are age 14 and under and a team consists of about 12 players. They go out in three-somes (ABC) and play two man scramble against another club’s team : AB first 3 holes for a flag (aka 3 hole matchplay), AC next three holes, BC last three holes. Flags are counted at the end. No caddying is allowed and this is a great format for kids to start experiencing tournament golf in a supportive and fun environment. Rob is on the developmental team this year, the second youngest with his friend E.
Today was a practice scrimmage with both club teams – developmental and competitive, but the kids mixed in order for the more experienced competitive players to show the developmental group the ropes, so to speak. Rob and E and another inexperienced junior paired up with the experienced, competition team player H who did a great job explaining the strategies and format.
So Rob didn’t play very well. I sometimes think (and more often say) to him something along the lines of: you are not good enough to get so upset over a bad shot. This is usually followed by : you’ve got to be out there practicing way more than you are. And even as I say it I am knowing I should just shut up.
When things go wrong on the golf course and a game starts careering out of control – he gets angry with himself and is rude and demanding to me. This of course translates to all bystanders as : spoilt brat.
I really can’t say anything to him out there which is not met by something along the lines of – you don’t play golf ( I can I just don’t); don’t tell me what club to hit ( seriously dude I don’t do it often but if you had hit the 9 iron that I was so insistent on it would have been on the green); and you are talking way too much ( he might have a point).
He gets angry, I get angry …… It can never end well. As in life in general, we are on this path with others, but ultimately alone – and we need to find the calm and peace alone within ourselves.
When we can do that in high pressure areas like a golf course – that’s when the magic will happen.