They are heroes at the golf clubs. They walk with their broad shoulders hawkishly, brag about their achievements and goals, stand tall like a winner, and are known as pros. Many people wait for their turns to take lessons from them at the range. When they come to tee off they start from the black tees way behind my white ones. Their tee shots would carry three hundred plus in routine. Bunkers and rough shots are no issue to them. Their second shots usually land on the greens. And they would play under and scratch in routine.
I am a casual golfer, who started playing late in life. Ever since I have begun playing I only paused due to injury, weather, or epidemic. My consistency in golf is the talk of the town. Not being an athlete, I haven’t improved much but I am a survivor on the course. I would take nine strokes from these golf lords whenever I played with them. They would scare me with the velocity of their swing. Especially with the thwack of their one woods. I used to dream that one day I will take them head-on. That day never came. I played friendly matches with them and I lost one after another. Each time I played with them I learned something. As my nephew Sairam often loves to quote Mr. Nelson Mandela, “I never lose. I either win or learn.’ I have not stopped learning and I never will.
In the great game of golf, there are certain hours that favor or disfavor you. You just got to be on the course to avail of them. Or you should be off the course to avoid them. Last week, that hour came and the whole week belonged to me. I beat three of these lords one after another. The fourth barely escaped defeat and came square with me at the last green. One by one their game got scattered on the fairways and greens. From Royal Palm to Golf & Country Club to PAF Skyview, grass and greens assisted me. Bunker sands, trees, bushes, water hazards, and Out of Bounds, everything stood by me and against them. They came to join my flight one by one and kept falling into the web of my winning spell.
Golf belongs to none but effort works for all. Those who walk holding victory in their wallets, usually lose it to humble pickpocketers; whether in golf or in life. They lose to people who have composure and play with their heads and hands, not with pride. Overconfidence and underestimation are the two major ingredients in the tales of most defeats. Professionals carry certain pride, the armor of skills, the unbreachable fort of self-confidence, a saddle of experience on the back of the thoroughbred of training. They have all the right to be proud and act as premiers on the course and in the clubhouse. But they should be watchful about the humble players. Like me, these people ride on the bare horse of faith and carry the sword of struggle. They may lack in all abilities and facilities but they are loaded with patience and persistence. Regularity and continuity can breach castles of all kinds and Pharos of all trades.
Credits
By
Ahsan Jamil
Golfer, Blogger, Entrepreneur, Author, Poet, Wanderer, photographer
Email: Golfaij@gmail.com
Website: Golfaij.com
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