Nothing Spectacular: The Quiet Practice of Patience

Today was my eighth straight day of playing golf.

That’s a first for me.

My legs were tired. My body was sore. My rotation wasn’t as free as it normally is, and I hit more than a few shots I would have liked back.

But something different happened.

I was patient.

Just Get Back in Position

I played with two low single-digit handicappers and another golfer I hadn’t met before.

I didn’t play spectacular golf.

No birdies.

Some poor tee shots.

A few of my familiar spinny hooks showed up.

But after a bad shot, I didn’t try to immediately make up for it.

I took my time.

I got the ball back in position.

And I played the next shot.

By the end of the round, I had shot 81.

But the number that interested me most wasn’t 81.

It was this:

Nothing worse than a bogey.

Patient Golf

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking that better golf would come from hitting better shots.

Of course, better shots help.

But today reminded me that scoring is also about what happens after the poor ones.

Can I accept where the ball ended up?

Can I resist trying to manufacture a heroic recovery?

Can I simply get back in position and continue playing?

There was nothing spectacular about today.

And maybe that’s what made it so satisfying.

Rest Is Part of the Dojo

By the end of the round, I could feel eight straight days of golf in my body.

My legs were tired. My right knee and left glute were sore. I could feel how that affected my

ability to rotate through the ball.

That’s information too.

The answer isn’t always more practice.

Sometimes the practice is recovery.

Sometimes progress looks like hitting balls.

Sometimes it looks like putting the clubs away.

Rest is part of the dojo too.

Today wasn’t about proving anything.

It was a day of patient golf.

Take what the course gives me.

Get back in position.

Play the next shot.

And when the body says it’s time to rest, listen.

Reflection

Where might patience — not more effort — be the next step in your own practice?