I Have Mad Skills

Tom Velarde
Golf Professional
Black Mesa Golf Club
La Mesilla, AZ
tvelarde@blackmesagolfclub.com

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I am sure that at some point I may bore some with my fascination I have with our new granddaughter.  So, I will just apologize beforehand and ask for indulgence for me the old pro and a newer grandfather. 

My bride and I took our little bundle of energy to see a movie, the latest animated one was “Epic” we just made it our date night and had a nice dinner out and the movie.  My first pleasant surprise was my smallest girl was free.  The usual movie snacks were next and popcorn is the usual fare but now water has replaced soft drinks.  I have always wondered why they are called soft drinks…when you first drink the carbonated stuff it is anything but soft. 

As we watched this animated feature, my bride and I both checked many times to see if our granddaughter had nodded off but to our surprise she took the entire movie in.  I will not try to make any statements as to the content of the movie and leave it at that. 

How does this interact with golf?  Well, on the way home we quite naturally asked how she liked the movie.  She giggles and replays all the best parts of the movie as best as under 2 years old can.   With great hand gestures and major inflections of her voice in a matter of minutes we had the entire movie synapses given.  I gave her the usual positive reply that all grandparents give and she simply said, “I have mad skills.”

Through the eyes of a child we all are able to once again experience the joy and love of something new and exciting. 

When we have either anger or frustration infect our outlook on our golf games we need to step back and become children again.  Can anyone ever forget when first starting, any score under double digits was good?  Has everyone fallen into the trap that only by playing your very best can you enjoy yourself? 

Take your joy from playing a shot to the best of your ability and take joy from watching others who can do more, and more joy from those who can do less.  You see, no matter what the state of your game, others are either above you or below you on the skill meter. When they take on the carry of the water hazard, admire the challenge not the result.  Golf balls in the grand scheme of things are cheap.  Maybe…just maybe we need to go to improving our mad skills instead of skillfully getting mad.

Have a very pleasant day out in the surroundings Arizona has to offer, enjoy that beauty and sharpen up those “mad skills” you all possess. 

Tom Velarde is the Director of Golf at Black Mesa Golf Club in Espanola, New Mexico, just northwest of Santa Fe. For more information or to reach Tom, email  tvelarde@blackmesagolfclub.com.