13 Lessons Golf Teaches Us About Life
Have you ever heard the word, triskaidekaphobia? It means fear of the number 13. I am not afraid of the number 13, but I did love to say this word as a young kid – it sort of rolled off my egotistical tongue as a big word - if I only knew how to use it in a sentence. And you may recall around the Super Bowl how all the analysts broke down the number 13, Taylor Swift’s favorite number, to make the number add up to — whatever in the world you want it to!
Today, I’m going to take my own stab at it….
The Significance of the Number 13
Thirteen, 13, a number that is a sign of faith, understanding and wisdom. Perhaps, look at the number 1, which can mean confidence, power, action and unity; while the number 3 can signify joy, abundance, understanding, and good fortune. Or maybe like the ‘swifties’, you want to add the one and three together and check the meaning of 4: which can illustrate balance, stability and often shows up when dealing with difficult times.
Okay, okay – I have digressed, follow me for one more thought…… how might 13 apply to golf and what in the world does any of this have to do with living your best life?
First and foremost, I love the number 4 and if given the chance, I want my golf ball to be the number 4 (Callaway Supersoft 4) to be exact. If not, I play 1 or 2 or 3. Ha Ha! All kidding aside, most people often play nine holes of golf or eighteen. It is not lost on me in the slightest that 13 holes is really my sweet spot! It often takes me a few holes to warm up and to hit somewhat decent shots so nine holes seems too short and let’s be real, eighteen is a chore for me as I fatigue by the fourteenth hole. I always push through, but darn it my score gets worse!
So what if we played a sweet 13? I mean 13 also is a number of empowerment and an indicator to follow your heart, have faith, be more confident in pursuing your goals and it is a lucky number. And I need all the luck in the game of golf I can get!
13 Ways Golf Can Mirror Living Your Best Life
So with thirteen in mind, I crafted thirteen parallels in golf and life!
In all things be humble! Golf, Life, ALL Things!
Sometimes you just need to play. Notice we say ‘play a round of golf’, so why don’t we say ‘play at life?’ Perhaps we should decide that golf and life are just practice. It’s not a test and it's not something to be won outright. We need to play more. (By the way I take life and golf way TOO seriously so this is my reminder to relax, play and enjoy life).
“You can do hard things!” So whether it is golf, your taxes, a brutal meeting or an honest conversation, you can do this. It may or may not turn out the way you hoped, but golly gee you never learn from everything always turning out then do you?
The harder you try, the harder golf becomes. Isn’t this true for life too? I often try to strong arm myself in golf and in life. If I am all arms and try to hit the snot out of the ball, the result is terrible. So a great reminder is to not shoulder all the responsibility and just do. Yoda says, “ do or do not. There is no try.” TRUTH! (and use your core…. in everything).
A lot of the time you will suck. I know, harsh truth. But the sooner we accept that, the happier we will be. Sometimes you will have good shots and good rounds and a lot of the time it just ‘sucks’. SO my advice, embrace it, stay positive, have fun, and play: just like life.
Play your own ball. In golf, play your own ball for sure. In recent weeks I have finally come to terms that I will never hit shots like my twenty two year old stepson or my husband (who are lifetime golfers). I am learning to play my own game each and every time I hit the course. My body and my mind show up differently every time, so it's time to stop comparing myself to the women in the golf association and the pros on tv. I am me, uniquely, authentically, unequivocally ME! (And as Taylor sings, “You belong to me..”
When in doubt, relax, stay calm, and stretch! Great reminders. And if you can master those things then you can settle in for whatever lies ahead and calm your mind!! (By the way I am still learning this one on EVERY FREAKING HOLE!)
It’s just as much mental as it is physical. Golf can be as much mental as a physical ‘game’. In a round you will have a combination of chips, putts, drives, and shots, some will be good, some won’t and some will be out of this world. Just remember no one has it all together. SERIOUSLY!! You might be great at one or two of these skills one round and the next round you are better at a different skill. I have found it is never all perfect and neither is life. So cut yourself a break here.
There’s many ways to achieve the desired result. There are a variety of ways to approach life and golf. There are times for solitude or solo play and there are times for family camaraderie and there are times to meet new people. So whether it's golf or your daily life, change it up! Allow for different options. Variety is afterall the spice of life.
Let go of mistakes. One bad shot in golf can totally tank your round if you let it! We call this a blow up hole. I am still learning this ....”SHAKE IT OFF” – it is one or two bad shots so for pete's sake do not let it impact your mind. Just shake it off and keep going. Remember perfection is not possible!
Celebrate the wins. As I am relatively new to the game of golf I get so excited when I have an amazing shot. I strike the ball well and I know my playing partners are like WOW! Now, with most of those ‘amazing’ shots - I hit the ball really well, just often in the wrong direction. So many of my golf shots take me on a circuitous route to get to the hole. Tell me that doesn’t sound like life!
Detach from the outcome. To get over the hurdles that stand in your way, do not, I repeat do not be attached to the outcome. This by far is the hardest lesson to learn and one that shows up on every one of my freaking holes in a golf round (9, 13 or 18). So keep working on this and like life, embrace it, don’t get attached to the outcome! Don’t play the end game.
Never quit. Arnold Palmer, one of golf’s greatest legends, was an extraordinary man of honesty, integrity and authenticity. And yes, our beloved Cavalier King Charles is named, “King of the Green” after Arnold Palmer. And in the words of Palmer, “I’ve always made a total effort even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying. I never felt that I didn’t have a chance to win.”
So carry a few of these nuggets in your pocket in your day to day life. I hope you will join me in picking up your clubs and getting out on the course, perhaps you’ve never played and it is time to learn something new. Regardless, I look forward to hearing about your future golf success and trials. Remember – have fun and PLAY!
In case we haven’t met, I’m Rebecca. a spunky, Jesus- loving entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and wine enthusiast on a mission to help go-getter women cultivate a happier and more fulfilling life by establishing healthy routines with sustainable, high quality food, beverages, and nutrition supplements. I want to help you live your best life! Here are a few ways to get started:
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