DISAPPEARING

Posted on May 28, 2020

Except for a few, cross-cut individuals, Americans have evolved to be a political party sorted country; and daily, we are becoming more sorted. It reminds of a Broncos-Raiders football game: a must win at all cost. Wilber et al contend, “…partisan politics is a dangerous duel of limited and partial truths… glaring inadequacies of both parties, due largely to their lack of view big enough to address the complex issues facing us today.” (Integral Life Practice, 2008, Integral Books, 114) Lilliana Mason, Uncivil Agreement, offers, Read More

ETIQUETTE!

Posted on May 24, 2020

Reflecting on etiquette reminds of the green on hole number one at Orchard Hills Country Club, Bryan, Ohio. As an eight-year-old, it was the beginning of a great day playing golf with Dad. Dad was putting for a birdie and the author was behind the hole astride Dad’s putting line. Dad bellowed, “G#* John, get out of my putting line!” Yes, Dad was a stickler about course etiquette; and his passion for courtesy on the course is alive in the author today.
Practicing course etiquette respects the legendary core values and guiding principles of the game. Nothing is more frustrating than playing with a golfer who has not taken the time and opportunity to become familiar with course etiquette, the spirit of the game, safety, putting green courtesies and mindful control of disturbance and distraction. Golf coaches, including my dad, always counseled as follows:

• Live the spirit of the game with integrity: be courteous and considerate of others, count all strokes and play by the Rules. Unless stated in local rules or agreed to before teeing off on the first tee, players are not allowed to improve the lie of the ball on fairways or in roughs. You are on your honor to include penalties for grounding your club in sand traps and out-of-bounds, accidently moving the ball and hitting another player’s ball on the putting green.
• Prior to teeing off on the first tee: 1) discuss and agree on any special rules for this particular game—mulligans, strokes given or received and changing to a clean ball on the putting green; and 2) flip a coin or tee for honors on the first tee. Honors on subsequent tees go to the player with the lowest score on the hole just finished. In the event of a tie, honors revert to the winner of the preceding hole.
• Avoid standing close to or directly behind the ball when a player is about to play; and do not disturb play by fidgeting, moving, talking or making unnecessary noise. Noisy electronic devices need to be shut off before arriving at the golf course.
• When a player drives a tee shot out-of-bounds, a nice gesture is to invite the player to take a short break, get composed and not play another ball until other players have played. Play safe: warn greens keeping staff who may be in danger and shout “fore” when there is danger of hitting someone. When other golfers are ahead of you wait until they are one full shot ahead before you shoot.
• Repair divots on tees and in the fairway: a good practice is to use sand-seed mixture to repair divots on tees and fairways.
• Observe golf car movement signs.
• Always enter and leave sand traps on the low side. Rake footprints and sand divots in bunkers. Replace the rake in the bunker on the side away from the pin with the handle to tee.
• The player closest to the pin tends the flagstick for other players as they desire. The player whose ball is furthest from the hole putts or shoots first.
• On the green, when you are closer than other golfers, properly mark your ball with a golf ball marker. Players are on their honor to replace marked balls as precisely as possible. Loose impediments can be removed from your putting line; and fixing ball marks and green damage on the line-of-putt are permissible.
• Do not stand on another player’s line-of-putt or directly behind the hole when he-she is making a stroke. When someone else is putting, other players should stand well out of his-her line-of-putt and field of vision; and these golfers should be aware of where their shadows are falling: shadows should not be allowed to cross the putter’s line-of-sight and, if possible, should be kept out of his-her peripheral view.
• Prevent unnecessary green damage. Do not: drag, twist or scuff your golf shoes; place golf bags on the green; pull golf carts on the green; drive golf cars on the green; stand too close to the hole; use club heads to remove the ball from the hole; or lean on clubs on the green or when removing the ball from the cup. Repair green damage caused by golf shoes or ball marks with either a tee or divot tool. When removing the flag stick, carefully lay the pin on the fringe of the green.
• Wait on the green or green fringe until all players hole out; and move away from the green as a group.
• Record scores on the way to the next hole.

Hit ‘em high and straight, don’t miss three-foot putts and count all of your strokes. As Sir P. G. Wodehouse offers, “To find a man’s character, play golf with him.”

MIND"FULL"NESS

Posted on May 17, 2020

The golf course has been a wonderful place to learn about and practice the art and science of mastering the self; health, wellness and well-being; and mind”full”ness, awareness and self-restraint. The game’s gifts reminds of General Douglas MacArthur’s words, uttered in the context of West Point, Black Knights of the Hudson football: “Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that at other times and in other places, bear he fruits of victory.” Read More

YES!!

Posted on May 11, 2020

Words have always been a fascination! Perhaps it’s in the genes. Grandmother was a schoolteacher at Mark Center, Ohio High School; and she loved words; and Dad studied the dictionary and was reading the Saturday Evening Post before he was off to the first grade. Grandma worked the Toledo Blade  crosswords: had a stack beside her Morris chair; and she read the Reader’s Digest and was religious about keeping every copy of the Digest and completing “It Pays to Increase Your Word Power” pages in the Digest. Before taking the SAT and ACT college entrance tests, Grandma and I studied words at her oak dining room table using her collection of Reader’s Digest “Word Power” articles. Read More

WEST POINT CADETS

Posted on May 7, 2020

As a West Point graduate—class of 1962, proud member of the Long Gray Line, and decorated two-year combat veteran, an opinion is that President Trump, Commander-in-Chief, chooses not to champion those in uniform and does not respect the core values of West Point and the military.
*Does not set a good example: during the global pandemic he has chosen not to wear a mask to protect others. “Leadership is the art of influencing and directing people to an assigned goal in such a manner as to command their obedience, confidence, respect, and loyal cooperation.” (Notes for the Course in the History of the Military Art, Department of Military Art and Engineering, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, 1957, page 3) Read More

SUBCONSCIOUS PROGRAMMING

Posted on May 3, 2020

Trusting the subconscious mind to swing the golf club has evolved an inspiration to be more positive; and guess what! The game is the “funest” and “bestest” ever!! Placing rampant swing thoughts on a bus to South America, providing clear “desired results” to the subconscious and passionately connecting the conscious mind with the subconscious mind—mind”full”ness—is a new, exciting experience.
Christian D. Larson offers, Read More

LEADERSHIP

Posted on April 27, 2020

During Corporate America years at Coors a lasting experience was the opportunity to work with Hyler Bracey, President, the Atlanta Consulting Group. The Coors family had hired Hyler and his associates to facilitate transition of Adolph Coors Company from several dependent, vertically organized companies into two independent companies, Coors Brewing Company and Graphic Packaging Company.
At the age of 28, Hyler was in a stock car racing accident and burned over 60% of his body. His face was severely disfigured, and his fingers were like burned twigs in a bonfire. However, his character, personality and mentality, manifested through his blue eyes and subconscious mind, were magnetizing and drew you to his heart. Hyler modeled that scars offer a story of the past and do not dictate where one intends to go. He walked the talk of one of the key concepts he and his associates shared with the Coors leadership team: life happens because of me and not to me, or the concept of 100% responsibility. Read More

TRANSITION BLUES

Posted on April 19, 2020

TRANSITION BLUES
“The certainties of one age are the problems of the next.” (R.H. Tawney)
These are changing and turbulent times that challenge men’s, women’s and children’s hearts and souls. Fear and uncertainty are abundant; and loss of normalcy and identity traumatize. Death, individual and collective health uncertainty, financial insecurity, competitiveness decline, education regression, depressed economy, loss of jobs and freedom, and other pandemic inspired chaos demand proactive and positive responses to its challenges and opportunities. Read More

IN-THE-CUP!

Posted on April 11, 2020

World Handicap System, distance technology impact on golf courses, golf legends snapshots and golf alternatives, these are four fascinating topics in the Spring issue of the re-launched United States Golf Association Journal. An inspiring interview with Don Cheadle is inspiring. Reflection offers that the question and answer format used by his interviewer, Mike Trostel, manifests unique stories for every golfer.
How and why do you mark your golf balls?
This golfer’s preferred ball marking system can be found in Dave Pelz’s Putting Bible, Section 11.7: Learn to Aim, pages 267-68.
How. 1) A “Balance-line”: two red eyes on one end of a blue line around ½ half of the circumference of the ball. 2) A blue “Dot Spot”: the largest area of non-dimpled surface at the end of the Balance-line—offers advantage of striking the spherical surface of the ball rather than the edges of a dimple. 3) A blue putter “Face-line” perpendicular to the Balance-line.
Why: the margin of error in putting is so small that precise alignment is crucial; and blue is a color that is soft and pleases this golfer. The two red eyes** glare at the cup!! Read More

GOLF JOURNAL

Posted on April 2, 2020

World Handicap System, distance technology impact, golf legends and golf alternatives, these are four interesting topics in the Spring issue of the re-launched United States Golf Association Journal. An inspiring interview with Don Cheadle is also grabbing. Awareness revealed that the question and answer format used by his interviewer, Mike Trostel, manifests unique stories for every golfer.
How did you get started in the game?
 This writer grew up in Sherwood a small town in Northwest Ohio, fifteen miles from the Indiana state line and 27 miles from the Michigan state line. The town was all of 500 folks where Dad owned a family operated hardware store. Customers were hard-working corn, wheat, oats and soybean farmers. Read More