4 Oct
|
4 min
For years I’d thought about taking up golf, but life always got in the way. There was always something more important or urgent or, to my mind, more exciting than ‘a good walk spoiled’.
Then eighteen months ago I took the plunge, signed up for an academy programme for beginners to test the water and ended up joining a local club.
A friend who plays off 1 (and now I appreciate just how brilliant that actually is…beforehand, it meant very little!) – told me that what he loves about the game is what it teaches you about yourself. I had a think about this and here are my reflections on what I’ve learned so far:
This feels so obvious now, but eighteen months ago I really thought I’d have no problem learning a new sport. I’d been pretty sporty in my earlier years and expected golf to come naturally. It definitely didn’t! But expecting yourself to be instantly good at something you’ve never done before is setting yourself up for disappointment and frustration.
You can’t expect to master something completely new overnight – new skills take time to hone; commitment to practice; willingness to make mistakes; openness to learning and dedication to longer term growth.
The number of times I’ve been out to play and made a complete hash of things is frankly more than I care to remember! But beating yourself up about making mistakes is a waste of time and emotionally draining. What’s important is to reflect on your game, learn from mistakes and move forward. As in life – you’d reassure a friend going through a tough time that things will get better - so it is in golf. Be a bit kinder to yourself. It’s a new set of skills you’re developing and things will get better.
It’s too easy to focus on what went wrong, but much more useful and productive to focus on what went right. When did you hit a decent shot? Or get out of the bunker first time? Or rescue yourself from the rough successfully? What went right?
Catching yourself doing something right is crucial to build confidence – and although it’s easier said than done, it’s important to put a bad hole behind you and tackle the next one as a fresh start.
Remember the positives of your game when you’re running through the holes in your head later that evening and hold on to those triumphs.
In my professional job as an executive coach and management trainer I’m constantly encouraging others to step out of their comfort zone and into the growth zone. It’s a healthy place to be – learning something new, testing your abilities, embracing the challenge of new skills. Getting out of our comfort zone keeps us mentally stimulated, helps us feel alive and introduces new people into our lives. Yes, there are times we’ll wobble, but time spent growing and developing is time well spent.
I know there will be golfers out there who’ll shake their heads at this…but I think that playing golf is actually therapeutic! What I’ve found is that out of necessity I’ve had to leave the outside world behind when I’m on the course. It’s just too distracting to think about work, meetings, clients, workshops, coaching, training when I’m busy trying to get a tiny white ball into a hole with a flag in it!
Bizarrely, this has forced me to be more present in the moment when I’m playing – some might call it mindfulness – than I ever have been when trying to ‘relax’ at home. Golf helps me to switch off more fully.
As an analytical person, I’m constantly fighting against my instinct to overthink things. My tendency, as I’m sure many other beginners will appreciate – is to find myself looking at the ball I’m about to hit, then over-focusing on the angle of the club head, my feet, my stance, my grip…it’ so overwhelming that it completely messes up my shot. Too much thinking and not enough doing; over emphasis on the minutiae; paralysis by analysis.
There’s a lot to be said for trusting yourself, trusting your instincts and trusting the club.
Now this bit has been great from the start! What I really didn’t appreciate beforehand was the social side of golf and the camaraderie after playing a few holes with others. Even though you’re often playing as an individual, the team spirit and sense of ‘we’re all in it together’ that comes after a round of golf has been an eyeopener and thoroughly enjoyable. Fellow golfers are so supportive - reassuring you after a poor round, celebrating with you after a successful one - making new friends has been great fun.
The parallels between learning to play golf and thriving in the business world are not lost on me. So many of the lessons golf has taught me apply equally in the workplace: growth mindset; empathy; reflecting on how, what and why you’re working the way you are; personal growth and stepping into something new; change being as good as a rest; gut instinct and teamwork. Who’d have thought golf had so much to give!
