What a Whiff Says About You
What keeps a new golfer up at night? It’s that moment on the first tee box and having no idea if you’re going to hit the ball right down the middle or totally miss. I.E. the dreaded whiff. Factor in trying to impress the boss at the company golf outing and you’ve got a sleepless night ahead.
There is a simple solution to a good nights rest. Simply tell your foursome you’re going to avoid the first tee completely and start your round on the green. There are 17 more tee boxes ahead to give your driver a try.
Inevitably there will be some whiffs along the way. How you react may be the difference between being invited to the 19th hole or even passed over at work for a promotion. Do you recognize yourself?
The Apologizer
Golf means never having to say you’re sorry, but the apologizer just can’t help herself. Yes, a scramble is a team effort, but realize you are not letting everyone down. Hopefully you did not overinflate your skills and set the expectation you would carry the team. Your partners will understand you’re trying your best. Take your shot, pick up your ball and turn the tee box over to the next player.
The Humorist
A little humor goes a long way to gracefully react to an embarrassing situation. A quip as the golfer picks up her ball can be charming and release the tension. But beware if her sense of humor gets out of hand. How many ‘practice’ swings is she going to take?! Accept the whiff and move out of the way for others to take their turn.
The Perfectionist
A whiff and being a perfectionist is a potentially frustrating combination. The typical scenario goes like this: The Perfectionist misses her shot and starts an internal dialog to push for results. She continues to swing at the ball and becomes more driven to succeed after each successive whiff. When you pair The Perfectionist with The Enabler, a little encouragement to “take another swing” makes for a long round of golf.
The Blamer
The blamer is easy to spot. She has an excuse for everything, but the whiffs seem to bring out her best. ‘There was a fly on the ball.” “The shadow from that tree just moved” “I can’t hit the ball unless the tee is white.” Enough said.
The Good Sport
What whiff? The good sport is about spending a lovely day on the golf course, keeping up a good pace of play and enjoying the company of her group. You’ll barely notice she completely missed the ball a few times, because she didn’t draw undo attention to herself with sarcastic comments, anger, apologies or blame. The good sport is invited back and eventually the whiffs get less and less with practice.
No matter which personality type is yours, it’s easy to adapt the good sport attitude. Fewer whiffs will come with time and practice, but know when to step aside and just enjoy the game.
Experience the casual and supportive setting at Events19 to learn and play the game. Check our calendar of events for a golf clinic or 9 & Wine near you.