 Many recent items in the media have caught my
attention. These items, in the sports pages
and other sections of newspapers, in
magazines and television, seem to me to have
a common thread. One article referred to the
increased use of technology to enhance
bowlers’ abilities to make strikes. This was
in response to the fact that people have
grown frustrated with how difficult it is to
make a strike. Several spoke about the
tremendous effect that golf club and golf
ball designs have had in helping the amateur
golfer hit the ball farther and straighter.
Aside from the steroid scandal in
professional baseball, the supplement
industry has exploded with a pill, powder,
beverage or gel for nearly every real or
imagined physical flaw or inadequacy. In
addition, plastic surgery procedures have
apparently nipped, tucked, suctioned,
enhanced or augmented the bodies of a
significant portion of this country’s
population.
How are these things
related? In my opinion it seems that we as a
society feel entitled to look as young, be as
physically attractive, and perform in sports
as well as the “best” in the world. Not
enough time or motivation to work on your
game? Buy the latest and greatest “get-
better-quicker” gizmo. Not interested in
that healthy eating and exercise thing? How
about a few pills and going under anesthesia
instead? Honestly, all of this is more
observation than judgment, but I can’t help
but wonder what ever happened to working hard
toward achieving something? I certainly
don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong
with technological breakthroughs that help
people enhance their life or their sport
performance- lest we be back to the days of
persimmon woods and golf balls stuffed with
feathers.
What I do take issue with
is the fact that so many people are
discouraged away from golf and other healthy
activities unless they can excel, and excel
sooner rather than later. Many are so used
to being able to buy the “microwave” solution
to so many things that I believe that we as a
society have lost our tolerance for the
natural frustration that comes through the
learning process. I see it in our schools, I
see it in our athletic endeavors, and I see
it in our society at large. We, the People,
have developed some sense of entitlement
through which we believe that things should
come easy to us. If things don’t work out
that way, then I will either cheat, short
cut, or quit.
If there is anything
that is undermining the essence of
sportsmanship, pride, and integrity in our
society, it is our unwillingness to persevere
in endeavors that are difficult and/or take a
long time. Get back to the joy of making
progress one step at a time. Measure success
by the journey rather than the destination.
Feel the sense of accomplishment that is
enhanced by the knowledge that you’ve
overcome obstacles and made sacrifices to
achieve them. This is what builds the inner
strength of a champion and a happy, fulfilled
person. This is the foundation upon which
the best golfers in the world stand.
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