One of the activities that the busy executive or coach will be seeking during this holiday season is the opportunity to get on the golf course. Some will have to travel to do it, given the weather.

Living here on the œleft coast, as my New York friends would say, weather has never really been that much of a factor. Making the time has been. Given it is the holiday season (see œThe Holidays blog on this site), I wonder how much enjoyment the golfer experiences?

Golf has always been referred to as a mental game. If this is true, then what prevents us from working on that “mental” part of the game? The solution is hit more balls and get a couple of lessons. Nothing wrong with that but what happened to the mental preparation? What happens to the mental preparation for anything we do?

I have written a small book called œBeyond Golf. It can be found on-line at YouPublish.com. The design is to provide a context for performance that creates a pro-active course of action on the course instead of just reacting to everything. This applies to home and work as well.

Golf can be a very creative game, that is, if we are willing to do so here and now. Being aware of the self-imposed limitations we place on ourselves and that we made it all up is key.

With the aid of œBeyond Golf you can begin to free yourself from the constraints of your past experience and your concerns for the future. Would it be useful to actually have full attention on the shot you have right now and be able to deliver 100% of the best that you have at that moment?

I dont say you will hit the best shot you hit every time. I am saying you will be freed up to do the best you are capable of in that moment and move smartly on to whats next.

No one knows what the outcome will be. We do know the outcome is the next shot. The old Scots say the game is œHit it, go get it and hit it again. Maybe sounds a little simplistic, but not much.

The art is giving yourself a platform from which to create your shot. Make your best pass at it and fully enjoy doing the same thing with the next shot. Would this practice serve you well in other parts of your life?

The way you react on the golf course is exactly what you do everywhere else in your life. The only difference is that on the course you will have difficulty finding anyone else to blame for your performance. Taking full responsibility for everything in your life is an adult activity. It is very difficult sometimes to be that adult.

The last thing I want to say is have FUN. Take a look around you and actually see the beautiful setting you have chosen for yourself. Appreciate your playing partners even if they make it tough to do so. How tough have you made it for them?

Think about this:

œThe average EXPERT player, if hes lucky,
hits 6, 8 or 10 good shots in a round.

The rest are real good misses.

Tommy Armour