The Golf E.D.G.E

By Doug. Swanson, M. Sc.

Competition does not build character; it exposes character. Successful athletes are able to bring their character to the game, each and every game. The athlete knows that he/she must prepare for the competition and that much of the competition will be with him/herself. He/she knows that commitment to the game is a commitment to the challenges that the game brings to the athlete. He/she is fully aware that the challenges of competition require a person to be a character that accepts adversity as a way if life. The athlete is aware that the game will be taxing at the deepest level, yet the player is undeterred by the challenge. He/she relishes the chance to make the most of the opportunity. Great characters are in fact resilient; they do whatever it takes. They will do what it takes to protect themselves from the hurt of losing. It doesn't mean that characters do not lose. It does mean, however, that characters leave nothing to chance or luck...it is preparation meeting game.

This is an introduction to ten rules for competition. The rules focus on values that constitute a champion. If you have read previous information I have authored, you will know that I believe that champions are different. We will focus on what the player will do to be prepared to play the game at its highest level and to provide focus, healthy perspective, and effective game preparation. The elements are ten competition principles that will give you the E.D.G.E. as they reinforce the single most valuable principle you will ever need to know…

Excellence Demands Great Execution - in and away from the game. Each element you will discover is observed many times during a game. Because the elements are so prominent in our game, they are like magnets to which we can attach our thoughts and preparations. The values:

1. The "T" Box: The Janus Face
2. The Heart: Passion
3. The Objective: The Goal
4. The Opponent: Adversity
5. The "Community Team": Selflessness
6. The Stroke: Tenacity
7. The Rough: Perspective
8. The Chip Shot: Persistence
9. The Putt: Leadership
10. The Fans: Respect

The "T" Box: The Janus Face
Every event is a new beginning. Every competition is a beginning. All competitions begin with the end of the some other competition. Old competitions have died … let them rest. All beginnings begin with an end; the end is where we start from. This is the Janus Face. It is a two-headed Goddess. There are always two doors - a door that closes on the past and a door that opens on the future. The "T" Box is where all games start. It is the symbol of a new beginning. We can use the "T" Box as an opportunity to remind ourselves of the new beginning. It is also the symbol that tells us to discard old garbage, old ways of doing things, and to begin anew. One of the most common mistakes we face as humans, not just athletes, is bringing "failure" forward.

We struggle with the task of closing the door on the past (the last hole) and opening the new door on the future (the new hole). If we cannot close the door on the past, it will find a place in the present, and make it messy! By not closing the door on the past we are inadvertently rehearsing failure, because we are repeatedly reviewing and rewinding our mistakes in our heads. By rehearsing failure we are sensitizing ourselves to repeat the failure. The mind does not know "not"! The mind cannot focus on something to do, when you have given it something to focus on what not to do. By reminding ourselves of what we did wrong we can only focus on repeating the mistake.

The "T" Box is an opportunity to rehearse our new challenges, our new beginning. It is the time to remind ourselves to NOT bring the "failures" forward. We are asking you to give past experience a rightful burial. Don't resurrect the dead. The past is dead. A second mistake can also be found in bringing the "successful" past forward. In bringing success forward we may rest on our laurels. We may have played well yesterday or in the recent past and as a consequence we may not approach the new beginning with respect, even reverence. There is great risk in bringing the successful past to the present. We may be over-confident or complacent. As a result we don't get "ready" for the new challenge. The "T" Box is where it starts. Use the "T" Box to begin at the beginning!

Contact Doug at doug.swanson@rdc.ab.ca

The Brent Morrison Golf Academy is located at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort, 1025 Qualicum Road, Qualicum Beach, B.C. V9K 1M5. (250) 752-8786. For more information on instruction programs for adults and juniors, contact the Academy office.

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