Surrounding Myself With Patience

Two beautiful April weekends in the books, two rounds of golf played.  As for the individual experiences - they couldn't have been more polar opposites.  

But not because of my scores.

In my first round I hit the ball well, though my score didn't reflect it.  Due to the problems I was having with my new driver, I constantly found myself scrambling to get on the green in three (that's if I managed to find my drive).  Although I was hitting my irons very well, and managed to three-putt only once, I ended the day at a 99.  Not good by any means, but taking into consideration that it was my first round of the year, and that my drives only found the fairway one time, I was pleased with the start to 2010.

A lot changed for my second round.  

To begin with, I began hitting my driver 270 yards exactly where I wanted to.  Aside from a missed three-foot up-and-down save for par, my putting was as expected.  I scored an 88, but left feeling more disappointed than encouraged.  And in hindsight, my iron play - which was a mixed bag - wasn't what left me puzzled.

Sure, on the back nine I had a three-hole par-stretch, a par five where I cleanly picked a 5-iron off the fairway from 170 out and got it onto the green in two (I three-putted for par), and a 150-yard par three, uphill with water to the left, which I stuck a 6-iron to within 20 feet. 

But the enthusiasm I had after 99 was missing after 88.  And as most golfers know, it isn't about the score (unless you're competing) that matters.  It's the feel of the game that brings you the best results.  

I can hit water off the tee, drop, then leave my third shot 30 feet from the hole and get lucky on my par putt.  Someone else can hit a beautiful drive dead center of the fairway, knock an iron to within five feet, then lip out on a well struck putt leaving them with the same exact score as me (4).  But I can guarantee you that the latter scenario leaves a golfer with a warmer feeling.  I know, I know, the scores were the same, but extrapolate on this point some: It's about feel, not score.  

So what was the difference between my two rounds?  

My 99 was played with not a single soul around my friend and me.  We literally did not have anyone in front or behind us the entire day.  When I say we didn't see another golfer, I mean we did not see another person the entire 18 holes.  

My 88, on the other hand, was filled with backed up tee boxes, frustrated fairway waits, and one huge lesson for me to learn: I can't control what everyone else is doing or feeling.  I can only control what I'm doing.

My trouble with a crowded and long round is that I'm worrying about what the group behind me is feeling more than I'm worrying about myself.  Are they getting aggravated that my group is taking longer than we should?  This thinking hinders my own game because I suddenly forget about executing the areas I worked on, and instead concern myself with the etiquette of what the three other people I'm playing with are doing, or not doing.

This isn't to say that my round of 88 consisted of poor etiquette.  My group was very considerate and patient.  It's just that I deal with my own issues and in turn it affects my game.  

Golf is about rhythm and setting your mechanics in synch with your mentality.  When I'm thinking about 10 other things that don't impact me, my game has no chance.  

I've always struggled with the distractions that come from concerning myself by other factors besides my own game, but after going from feeling like I was a member of a country club, to being reminded that I'm just another public player in an overcrowded field, it became evident what's necessary.  

I must distinguish my talents from those around me.  Not in a pompous or selfish way, but rather with determination and purpose.  In order to accomplish this, I must become more mentally focused than the rest.  If the group I'm in is taking too long, I'm sorry.  It just isn't my problem any longer.

Those behind me will have to wait and when it's my turn to go, I will run through my routine and execute accordingly.

Of course as with everything else in golf, this will require hard work.  

It's now officially been added to my list of items to master.

Hours of practice: 376