A Christmas Wish?

Okay, it is December 22 and I'm looking out on very white landscape from my window at the MGA office. Despite our receiving snow only six short weeks ago, it seems the golf season has been over for so long! Aside from a Tiger sighting on the leaderboard of the Chevron Challenge and some end-of-year, Top 125 intrigue at the TOUR's closing event at Mickey Mouse's Florida home, there hasn't been much golf to talk about. However, after the drama that Tiger lead us through last year, I would consider this a blessing!

This time of year - the vast golf-less wasteland between Thanksgiving and Christmas (anybody notice that there wasn't a Skins Game this year?) - can be the most challenging for me. It's not like I don't have anything to do but finding the initiative to do it can be the problem. Even this year as we are developing a volunteer area to our website and adopting a new, online entry procedure (both items of keen interest), keeping my focus has required some creative efforts.

For example, I find myself far more likely to read one (or more) of the golf magazines that get passed around the office monthly. Typically, I simply initial the sign-off sheet pasted to the front of each one to signify that I have had the opportunity to see it. Now, I may read virtually every article on every page, seaching for that something that keeps me going.

Today, I spied a book that piqued my interest, Beyond the Score: Relationship Keys for Golf and Life by Jim Sheard, PhD. The book focuses on what could best be summarized by two cliches, "Don't miss the forest for the trees" and "Don't forget to stop and smell the roses". Golf gives us many opportunities "beyond the score" to measure our golf games, and a round in particular, for success. And, Beyond the Score reminds us of keys that we should always remember in relationships, whether they be with golf partners, life partners, or new friends.

Expectedly, I found the sections entitled "Act with Integrity" and "Demonstrate Respect" particularly relevant. There are some quotes that attracted my attention, and they are just as applicable in my job as well as life.

"Following the rules is an indicator of a person's integrity."

"Knowing and following rules enhances trust in relationships, sports and life."

"Exceed Expectations; When you exceed expectations, you stand out from others and establish integrity and trust."

"Byron (Nelson) gave me his most enduring advice: It's not how (well) you play, it's how you conduct yourself and how you treat people." (From Tom Watson)

My Christmas Wish for 2010? To be ever mindful of the (potential) impact I have on the lives of others and to give more to them than I receive in return.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! See you in 2011-

Doug

The End of the Tournament Season -- Two months late

Well, nothing like writing my season-ending commentary two and a half months AFTER it actually ended! One would believe that, once the tournaments are finished, I would have plenty of time to compile, compose and publish some thoughts about the season just completed. But, I guess not. I could bore you with the details and litany of reasons why I haven't posted, yet that would require my trying to recall them. And, since I likely would not be able to do that, I would end up making them up (which might make for better reading).

Nevertheless, some of the (brief) late-season highlights include:

*An exciting finish to the Senior Four-Ball and overall season when Jon Empanger holed a 116-yard wedge shot for an eagle 2 on the 36th hole as the sun was going down (picture above) giving he and partner Gary Johnson a two-stroke victory. It would have been more dramatic had they been in the last group and he had been the last to play to the green, but.............

*The MGA Mid-Amateur had a great three days at Minneapolis GC and Burl Oaks GC. Troy Johnson took home the title with superb play that resulted in a 4-under par 212 total that was seven stroke in front of the next contenders, Larry Barnacle and Sammy Schmitz.

Despite Johnson's play, the talk of the tournament was a hole location on Burl Oaks' third hole. Cut too close to a quick slope, many players found their ball rolling tantalizingly close to the hole, only to have it come back to their feet some 25 feet away. Unfortunately, this occurred multiple times for a few players. It was one of those times that, as staff, you simply chalk up to experience.

From an administrative point, once players start going through the hole, there are limited things we can do. While Decision 33-2b/1.5 gives us five possible options, there was only one that offered any possibility without significant ramifications. Option (a) suggests: "Have play continue with the hole location unchanged on the basis that the conditions are the same for all players in the field." Thus, this is how we proceeded.

The fall golf season offered us some great weather .......... right up until November 10. The 6" of snow that fell that weekend, followed by temperatures in the 30s, signaled the official end to the 2010 season. At least I had Rosemount HS football to follow -- all the way to the Championship game!

Until next time (but hopefully not in another 2 1/2 months) --

Doug