“There is nothing glamorous about what I’ve been doing for the past five years when it comes to golf. I had to do the work. The gains that I have experienced have been directly commensurate with the amount of work I’ve put in.”-Benj
On April 17, 2019, the golf journey officially began. On April 19, 2019, I became a member at Shell Landing Golf Club in Gautier, Mississippi, and promptly shot a 101 for my first round. The next day I shot an even 100.
Look at that…already improving.
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Two Sundays ago, almost five years later, I rolled out of the golf shop at 4pm and drove straight to the first tee to give a playing lesson. The young man that I have been teaching for a couple of years had gotten very good, and on the top of his wish list is to beat me, which he tries to do once per month.
He may eventually do it, but it was not going to be this day, as I started birdie birdie birdie from the big boy tees, barely having to putt over the first three holes. We played nine holes, I made one bogey, four birdies, and four tap in pars, barely breaking a sweat to shoot three under par.
That evening, I felt very satisfied with my progress. It had taken nearly 1500 days of daily work.
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Last Tuesday, my parents were in town visiting their grandkids, and both my mom and dad were able to join me for eighteen holes out at Shell Landing. Unlike the previous Sunday, on this day I started bogey bogey, uncertain as to what the day might bring. I quickly rectified the situation with a near birdie on three, birdie on four, and birdie on seven. On the very windy day, I thought if I could shoot around 75, I would be satisfied and my parents might be impressed. I made two sloppy bogeys on twelve and thirteen, but entered the home stretch needing just one more birdie to accomplish my goal. On sixteen, to a tough back pin, I stuffed it to about five feet, then turned to my mother and told her that shot was for her. Then, with me ready to raise the roof, I promptly missed the putt.
I tapped in for 77 on eighteen, a fair score for the day, and certainly one of the best I had ever shot with my parents in tow.
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This past Monday, I played our PGA Section’s annual spring four ball tournament with my boss in Hattiesburg, MS. Exhausted from a busy week and staying up late to watch the Pelicans game Sunday night in its entirety, I rolled up ready to rock on about five hours of sleep. I did this on purpose, knowing that if I could just keep my mind quiet, I had developed the tools over the past five years to be successful.
I almost made a hole in one on my fourth hole, and tapped it in for birdie. I made a great birdie on hole ten, and then I made my first eagle ever in a tournament on the thirteenth hole, a long par five that I played essentially perfectly.
My boss and I tied for eighth in the twenty one team field of PGA Professionals, one spot outside the money. That was the third time now I have been one outside the money, so it’s coming. Outside of one hole, I couldn’t have been more pleased.
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This is a journey about doing the work to get better. It’s not about making money playing golf. It’s not about bragging about shooting scores thirty, yes thirty, strokes lower. It’s about patience, diligence, sacrifice, and doing the work.
Nearly 1500 days. The game cannot be fooled.
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Have a great week.-Benj
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