January is almost gone, and, if previous years are anything to go by, the rest of the year will only accelerate from here. So it's about time I finished this "looking back, looking forward post"!
Looking back
When I did this exercise last year, I said that 2023 had been a year of personal revelations where I finally appreciated that golf was about more than just the score. That theme has continued through 2024, although it has not always been easy to "walk the talk". This issue is as old as man and has been described as "Solomon's Paradox". The paradox describes the ability to look at other people's problems in a balanced, objective and rational way, but your own issues in an emotional, irrational and volatile way. It's also one of the frailties of the human condition. Despite the best intention of living with gratitude, awareness and Zen-like calm, it's not always easy!
But it's the journey and not the destination that is important, and I am more committed to that journey than ever before. I keep returning to a quote from Viktor Frankl from his book "Man's Search for Meaning" where he said:
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response"
It's a powerful message. I try to remember it whenever I face challenges on or off the golf course. The more I write this blog, the more I find myself exploring the emotional, mental, and spiritual side of the game (and myself) rather than the technical aspects of my game. I'm increasingly convinced it's the key to unlocking everything else. It's been a common theme in several posts.
Like King Solomon, I'm still guilty of not following my own advice and occasionally getting bogged down in results, focusing on the score, looking for quick swing fixes or the next great bit of kit. But I can stop myself quicker now and realise it's just part of the conditional happiness cycle. "I'll be happy when I score X" or "If I buy this club, then my performance will improve and I'll be happy" etc. Ultimately, that's just looking for love in all the wrong places and while it's taken me much longer than it should have, I've finally got that into my thick skull.
The L.A.B. DF3 putter (link) is a great example. After that debacle, my enthusiasm for golf fell so low that I contemplated buying a bike and selling my golf kit! My family pointed out that (at 55) I really suit chinos more than lycra. Amusingly, that post is now the second most read on my blog and about to overtake my Tangent review (link). It's one of the only negative reviews of L.A.B putters online that doesn't just focus on how they look! I'll still be testing and writing about equipment for the blog, but it's because I enjoy it as part of my hobby, rather than because I'm still looking for golden bullets.
Golfing highlights
Without trying to focus on score, I finished the year with effectively the same handicap (3.8) that I started (4.2). However, I think that's a very blunt indicator of progress, and I believe that my game (and attitude towards the game) finished in a healthier place than it started. Much of my focus has been on becoming a better golfer/person rather than simply getting better at golf (lower scores). My mantra before a round now is "Be Aware, Be Present, Be Grateful and Have Fun". Two books in particular caused me to pause and reflect on my relationship with the game: Golf in the Kingdom (link) and Golf For Enlightenment (link). I think the second book is a must-read for all golfers. I read it shortly after writing the post about Transcendental Golf (linked above), and it touches everything I was trying to describe there.
As the year progressed, I started enjoying my golf more and more, as I felt my relationship with the game change and improve. I was finally walking my talk and the less I focussed on the score, the better I played. I played well enough to get to the Semi-finals of the scratch matchplay at The Duke's and the Quarter-finals of the same competition at the St Andrews Thistle. I kept my expectations in check. I focused on what I could control (back to Viktor Frankl and the Stoics). I let golf happen.
It was great to spend time with my friend Eben when he was over from Colorado. I was also able to play with Jon Sherman again, with two great rounds on the Jubilee and The Old Course. Through Eben and Jon, I made a new friend in Oggy Robertson, who is a Scottish professional golfer based out of The Dutch golf club in the Netherlands. We finished off the year with another game together on The Old Course. Long live the divot sniffers (if you know, you know!)
Golf also took me to new places. Along with friends Brian and Stevie, I played in the King's Trophy competition at Nairn (what a course) and finished the weekend with an excellent round at Inverness Kings. Having given myself a taste for "away" golf, I played in the Speyside 54 Hole Open over Boat of Garten, Grantown-on-Spey and Spey Valley. Speyside is one of my favourite parts of Scotland and a great golfing destination. Just like at home in St Andrews, I feel a real connection and peace there. Other than the round at Inverness Kings, my golf was decidedly average and I was well out of the prize spots, but I had two excellent weekends away. There will be more of that in 2025. There was also another boy's trip to Turkey, where we played a combination of some different courses and a couple of favourites from the previous year.
Looking into 2025
I've got several golfing "firsts" planned for this year. I've started booking more golf experiences, including some "senior" open events. Thank goodness I've got an understanding and patient family!
April: Trip to North Wales to play Royal St Davids, Conwy and either Nefyn or Aberdovey
May: Craws Nest Tassie at Carnoustie (a week long tournament)
Forfar Senior Open
June: A "boys trip" to Spain for a long weekend (hopefully)
Pitlochry Seniors Open (Pairs competition, with my friend Tony)
Leven Golfing Society Senior Open
July: Hope to play some golf with my American friends when they are over again
August: Hope to get into the Eden Trophy, St Andrews. Entry opens in Feb.
September: 5 day trip to Ireland, courses still to be confirmed
Potentially going back to Speyside for another go at the 54-hole competition
With disciplined exercises and new graphite shafted irons in the bag, hopefully, I will not have a recurrence of the tendonitis that impacted me in the latter half of 2024. It's really quite unpleasant and rather hard to rehab.
The Tangent app (link) has been very helpful and has shown me exactly where I need to work on my game for the season ahead. I have almost 140 rounds recorded in the app now, providing insight into my technical strengths and weaknesses. That information has allowed me to build a more structured practice plan and focus on those areas where I am losing the most shots. The app also has practice routines and games that allow you to track improvement and add purpose to practice sessions. I am also doing more dedicated work on course management and strategy.
By focusing on my mantra of "Be Aware, Be Present, Be Grateful and Have Fun", I hope to build on the progress made in 2024. I've not forgotten my post about trying to qualify for the Senior Open (link), but growing as a golfer comes first. My hope is the latter will ultimately help the former and the results will follow.
Analysis of the blog performance indicates that the club reviews and technical pieces have more readers than the more personal posts. Is that evidence of the conditional happiness cycle in my readers? The good thing is that I enjoy writing both, so the site will continue to have that combination.
I'm looking forward to the year ahead and I wish you all of the very best, both on and off the course.
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