The Golf Guru Show

There are so many similarities between running and golf. This morning I  ran the Thunder Road half marathon  in Charlotte. Just like a round of golf, every race or long run is always different. Some days your swing feels so smooth and you can’t miss a shot or your body feels great and your legs seem to glide with ease. Other days you can’t find the club face and your legs feel like two ton weights that don’t want to move. Today was a pretty good day in the fact that I ran my fastest time in the half although I hadn’t trained to the fullest due to an injury that I had.  I had very low expectations, which is why I probably ran so well. How many times have you had a terrible range session or warmup before the round, expecting to play poorly, only to go out and shoot a career low.  We have all done it. The opposite tends to happen more often. You are striping it on the range only to get out on the course and can’t find your swing. Which leads me to what I think is the missing link, “The Brain.” In both running and in golf our minds get in the way of what our body already knows how to do.  When I was running this morning, I was constantly assessing how my legs and my body felt as my brain was trying to sabotage it all by telling me to  slow down or walk…..which I am happy to say that I did not give in to this easy way out. Just like in a golf round, many of us want to give up when we are playing poorly instead of gutting it out and getting the most of a bad round. Pam Reed is an elite ultramarathoner. In her book “The Extra Mile”, she states that you can always run twice as far as you think you can, you just have to believe it in your mind. Don’t let your mind keep you from achieving your golfing goals by getting in the way of a good round or better yet a good golf swing. Trust your training as you would a marathoner training for a race. I am the last person that you would ever thought would be become an avid runner much less a long distance athlete. Although I was a better than average athlete, I was never a fast runner and I am definitely not built like your typical runner (tall and thin). The true measure of a man or player is not just talent (because talent alone will make you lazy), but the size of your Heart, Passion, Faith, Drive and Persistence. These things show up when the going gets tough, in the middle of a big match when its easy to give up or running a long race when your brain is telling your body that you can’t run a step farther, but somehow you do.  There is one more similarity in Golf and Running (then I will stop I promise) and that is the way of instruction or training. Everyone thinks that ther training program is the best or the only way.Here is my advice to you. Are you ready, pay attention.  Every one is different……….So when you find the program or teacher that works for you, STICK TO IT AND TRUST IT.  The drill or tip that works for your buddy, may not work for you.  I hope this makes some sense and would love to hear about you overcoming odds or great triumphs in whatever realm that you choose. I look forward to hearing from you and please……..Never Give up, no matter what your brain says.

See you on the lesson tee,

God Bless……..GURU