The Final Post

You are going to miss this. Am I?

I will be quite straight forward with you throughout this post. I was not at all excited to start this project for my English class. However, Mr. Parker, through writing almost a whole school year; I have come to the conclusion that my statement at the beginning of the school year was correct. To be perfectly honest, I have not really enjoyed writing blogs. To also be honest, writing this post does not quite sadden me. Really I am pretty happy.

Despite this fact, I have changed a ton throughout this blog. Though I may have not liked the assignment it does not mean that it did not shape me as a person or as a writer. Don't get me wrong, I love creative writing and that is exactly what this is. However, through this project I came to the realization that writing creatively about a specific subject is extremely hard and yet extremely fun. I have noticed a definite change in my writing and in my tone. It is interesting how not only a person can change and develop, but their writing can as well.

You may be wondering how this post has anything to do with golf. By you I mean me, because frankly I feel like I am my only viewer. So to all of you who want to understand what this has to do with golf, I am here to tell you. I started blogging in September of last year. For those of you that do not understand the golf season, that was about the beginning. Not only has my writing experienced a change but so has my golf game. Last year I averaged around a 50 on nine holes and a 100 on 18. This year, I have been averaging around 45 on nine and 90 on 18. It may not be a huge differences but it is a change. And a change for the better.

Thank you (me) for allowing me the opportunity to blabber on about golf for give or take 7 months. I really appreciate your (my) support and patients. Again, though I did and do not particularly care for the blog that I have been writing on for the past seven months. I do care for the things that it has taught me. It has taught me how to be a better golfer, how to be a perfect procrastinator, and also a really amazing advice giver. Seriously, I have changed a lot. This blog has helped me see that.

Thanks y'all for the ride,

"Turn out the lights. The party's over"

- JT

Is Practicing Bad?

It is interesting to note that Monday I shot 46. It is also notable that I practiced three days after that. However, when the next Monday came, I shot 56. Now, did my practicing degrade my game? Is practicing bad?

Practicing is not bad. Practicing is most essential to your golf game. You cannot do well in the game without practicing. I figured this out. What did I do differently Monday, that I did not do the next Monday? This is the question I asked myself over and over again. I have only came to conclusions. These two conclusions have allowed me to understand how you can add or subtract ten strokes.

Image Courtesy: Harris Internet 
Don't let your first tee shot do this to you.

First: On Monday I warmed up. I took 45 minutes before my round to warm up. I took a wedge, iron, putter, and finally my driver. I spent about ten minutes on each club and then spent the last five minutes on whatever I did the worst. Then I headed out and played decently. In contrast, the next Monday I teed up not having shot any practice shots and cut it far right. This put me in a bad state of mind and the game got to my head. I couldn't believe myself. I let my first shot control the rest of my game. This is something I need to let go of, but often I cannot help it.

Second: On Monday my mind was in the game. What does it mean to have "your mind in the game?" This is simple. You need to have your mind focused on golf. When playing your round you need to let go of all other thoughts and focus on every shot. Make every shot count, and "keep your mind in the game." The following Monday my mind was far from the game. I couldn't think about my shots. And frankly I did not care how I played. I needed to though. It is not that having other thoughts is bad in any way, because they are not. You just need to balance them with golf, or just not plan on shooting well.

In conclusion, if you want to add ten strokes to your game then I have the perfect solution. I recommend you go to the course without practicing for a week. Next get your head out of the game. Don't focus on your shots, and think about all the other things happening in your life. Some of your thoughts
should include friends, school, and work. I guarantee you you will play terrible!

Good luck!

Golf: Athletics vs. Academics, The Balance

Image Courtesy: TaylorMade

Picture a young man in July. Just made his school golf team and has not a clue what he is getting himself into. He thought that he did. The papers and disclosures said that he would be playing tournaments during school, though he had no clue and no worries about it. Golf season kicked off in August and he thought life was treating him pretty well. Then, school hit. September came and tournaments and practice were not the easiest thing for him anymore. Nor was his academics.

I learned quickly that I had to do something about my school work. I missed the first day of
school for a tournament which did not help at all. However, this leads me to my first point. When on a team or sporting activity, you should let your teachers know that you will be missing school at least one to three weeks in advance. You should not be quiet about it and have them find out the day of in an email that will be sent out from your coach. Though this is perfectly acceptable, it will not give you the best reputation. Let your teachers know, even if it has to be done before school starts. This will allow your teachers to understand that though you are on a sports team you still care and value your education. This is a good message to send, even if you aren't too

Image Courtesy: PowerSchool

serious about education. A good reputation can never hurt. 

Despite letting your teachers know, you should come up with a schedule and plan of attack. Golf is and was hard, golf is a hard sport to play with school going on. I understand that playing other sports can be tough with school, though I can assure you golf is hard. In other sports you rarely miss a whole day of school to go to a tournament. In golf tournaments last anywhere from three to five hours with another hour or two of driving. Practices also last at least one to three hours depending on what is being done. Golf is tough and if you have time management issues, or you have never had to manage your time, like I did, then here is something that I hope will help. To start off, you need a plan of action. How will you go about studying and doing homework after practice? It is simple. You need at least an hour of time after practice to do homework. It really is not that hard. An hour of sitting down and finishing all your homework is easy and then you have the rest of the day to do whatever you would like. I was really good at doing this during the first quarter and throughout the golf season. However when golf ended, so did my time management. So in a way, the stress that sports will put on you can help. Use it to your advantage. It is possible and will help. Along with time management, know your priorities. Understand that some assignments may be worth more than others and those are the ones that should be done first. 

Balancing athletics and academics is certainly not as hard as it seems though doing so can cause stress. Honestly, if someone as "smart" (extreme sarcasm) as me can do it, so can you. Remember, that as as important as sports especially golf can be, your education should always be your number one priority. A teacher once told me "Academics before athletics." This has really stuck with me and I find it to be true. Let me know if this helps. What should I blog about next?