Become a Pro Golfer
The PGA Championship just took place at Whistling Straits in Kohler Wisconsin. I watched it off and on while playing a round of golf myself (attempting to play at the professional level) with a client in Pinehurst, North Carolina, in airports flying back, and at home on the weekend between catching up on work and doing all the other tasks a traveling person finds piled up when they return.
Whistling Straits is a very difficult course made worse the first two days of this tournament by horrible weather including extremely high winds. It was so bad that as lightning appeared late Friday afternoon the second round was suspended with a number of players still on the course. Play resumed the following morning and after the conclusion of the second round, the third round began. It was a long Saturday for those who had to finish their second round. The weather on the final two days was much nicer, so golf conditions improved significantly.
The differing weather conditions and thus golf course conditions faced by players is an added test of their skill. When the weather is erratic, a player can face a different course from minute to minute. There is no adjustment to your score if you’re caught in 50 mile per hour winds, the rain starts falling, or the temperature hits 105 degrees.
It’s the luck of the draw whether you play in the worst weather of the day, or the best. In either case your job is the same – get the ball in the cup in par or better. Most importantly, finish the four rounds in fewer strokes than everyone else.
And yet each player is expected to accept this without complaint. With only their caddy in tow for advice and support, they must always play their best and work to overcome obstacles the weather and changing conditions place in front of them.
Without complaint they must deal with the conditions as they find them even when they’re playing in hail and their competitors in a cool gentle breeze. As they play they must keep in mind that a shot or two can make the difference between winning or losing, between hundreds of thousands of dollars or nothing at all.
What’s the lesson here? No complaints. Work hard and persevere in spite of what is thrown at you. Work against and ignore any advantages your competitors might have. Stretch yourself to overcome obstacles and rise to the situation. Do the best you can do…always. Stay focused on your goal.
Be nice if you could have a whole team of professional golfers working for you, wouldn’t it?