Greetings Golfers,

How are you coming with your New Year’s Resolutions?

Don’t get defensive … I’m not trying to run your life. But, most of us do need to work on a few things.

Actually, I have a pretty long list … but I’ve learned not to take on too much (I’m pretty good at rationalizing). So, here’s one that’s staying on my final list: “Just think positive thoughts while playing golf.”

I can hear you laughing. Sounds pretty trite and ridiculous. Though I love to play golf, I can get really frustrated, and get pretty negative. Does that negative attitude help my game? Not so much. How about my enjoyment of the game – does the negative attitude help that? Again – not so much. Then what’s the point? Why be negative?

Well … it is hard to justify. In fact talking about it is kind of embarrassing. What happens, is that it feels like God or the gods of golf have turned on me – that they want me to suffer. Then I get mad and want to fight back. Who? Fight whom? Maybe if I squeeze the club really hard and swing really fast … yeah – that’s real helpful.

Every year we watch “Christmas Vacation” … not “White Christmas” or “It’s a Wonderful Life”, but “Christmas Vacation”. Do you remember the scene where Chevy Chase is unsuccessfully plugging in his Christmas lights and goes crazy? He starts to kick and punch the yard ornament reindeer and Santa – he snaps – the gods have turned against him. Sometimes golf makes me feel like that … ok – a lot of the time.

That was last year. Oh, I might get that tinge of frustration … but I’m going to shift gears into being Mr. Positive.

Can’t wait.

Happy New Year,

Tom

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com