Golf is Fun!

Tiffany Nelson
Director of Business Development
TPC Scottsdale
Scottsdale, AZ

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Recently I asked a golfer, “How was your round?” The answer I received was the typical, “I didn’t play very well. I was lipping out all of my putts…etc.” Have you ever been asked about your game and answered this way? It always sounds funny to me when people answer this way because it doesn’t sound like they had fun playing. I’ll always remember my favorite saying, “A bad day on the golf course is a better day than a great day in the office”. That’s so true! So, if you’re not having fun out on the course, let’s change that!

First, we have to remember golf is a simple game: knock a ball from here to there with a stick and hole it out. Simple, Yes; but Not Easy. It just looks easy, particularly when we are watching the guys who make a living at the game. After we watch them on T.V., we all head out to the course and think we can play just like them. This is so unrealistic, because the pros have spent thousands of hours on their game and we amateurs spend… maybe a couple hours, if we are lucky.

Let’s put things in perspective: Don’t put all of your expectations on the “score”. Sure, you want to play well, and when you do you’ll enjoy it more. But if you only have fun when you’re playing well, you are going to have fun only 10 percent of the time.

Look for other elements of the game from which you can derive satisfaction other than a low number on the scorecard – a beautiful, sunny day; a walk on green grass; a bird, a flower, a laugh, or a long putt that goes in (even if it’s for a seven!). Don’t let these things disappear because you happen to make a double bogey. We are not our golf games. How we react to our golf performance however may reflect upon what we really are.

It’s an undisputed fact that world-class athletes perform best in a state which may be described as “enjoying the experience” even in the heat of battle. Play with the people you truly enjoy. Try various forms of competitive play – best ball, scramble, alternate shot, match play, etc. Appreciate the beauty of your surroundings and contrast the relaxed atmosphere on the course to your typical day in the office.

If you are playing in a group that you don’t like or teeing off at 7:00 a.m. and that is not enjoyable to you – then change! Next time tee off at 10:30 a.m. and play with friends that you enjoy. You could even play from the forward tees.

Something I’ve started doing to make golf more fun is to bring my IPod and speakers so we can listen to music while playing. Obviously you don’t want it too loud to distract the other foursomes around you, but your foursome will have fun! It doesn’t matter what you do, just do something different so you do enjoy your next round of golf!

Tiffany Nelson is Director Sales & Marketing at TPC Scottsdale/ PGA TOUR located at 17020 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. You can reach her at 480.585.4334, ext. 226. Follow TPC Scottsdale on Facebook (The TPC Scottsdale) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/tpcscottsdale) and keep up with all the action!