Last weekend I was reminded yet again why I love this game and why I love my son's involvement in it. He did well, which never hurts the overall take away but the real reward was watching my son and his competitors compete in the absolute worst golfing conditions I've ever seen. This might be normal for Scotland, but for round 2 on Sunday morning, they were sent out into a steady rain, temperatures around 40 and sustained winds of 20-30 with gusts to 40 and 50. It was brutal. Eventually the rain subsided to a light drizzle but the winds continued, and the cold held steady, and scoring conditions were seemingly impossible. And yet, not only did they all manage to post acceptable scores, they enjoyed the experience, and basked in the individual and group accomplishment of seeing the tournament through to the end with full focus and purpose.
As the morning began, out of about a hundred players, there were only four Withdrawals, all apparently by players who must have figured, if I have no chance to win, why subject myself to the pain and hardship. But I think they missed an experience and their parents, who let them withdraw, missed the opportunity to show them how important it is to perservere. Quitting is easy, and it can become habit-forming, unless we drill the opposite message into their heads. Some kids get it naturally, some through background of family, friends, and peers, others need some additional nudging. Not quitting, commitment to an idea, a cause, a purpose: it can't be bad.
And from the looks on the faces of my son and his fellow competitors, not quitting is good, real good.
Monday, April 7, 2008
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