The Analogy of Weight Loss to Golf Improvement
In comparing weight loss and improving in golf, simply put, both are very difficult. Each takes patience and dedication. Each endeavor is very tricky and elusive. More importantly, both occur in very small, almost imperceptible amounts.
At the beginning of a new diet regimen, the weight loss, in many cases, happens quickly. The ease and excitement of the loss is very satisfying. But what happens after the initial weight loss? The pounds don’t drop off as quickly; they become harder to lose. At this point, many become frustrated and give up.
In a similar way, people who look to improve their golf game experience much of the same process. If a beginning golfer, shooting on average 110, falls in love with the game, he or she will find that
10-12 shots, like pounds, can be “lost” quickly, and the exhilaration of breaking the first goal of 100 appears easy and satisfying. Much like the weightloss scenario, dropping those next shots to break 90 can be a frustrating experience. The temptation to abandon your plan is almost irresistible. Even for a seasoned professional, getting better at a particularly fine motor skill requires more
focus, time, practice, and dedication.
Both of these processes involve very small increments of improvement. If one focuses on the failure, one will fail to see the success. One has to be focused at all times on the positive. Whether it is only a few ounces or one shot, you must see this as success. So, what’s the answer? There is no easy answer, and there are no shortcuts.
No matter how small or big the improvement, one must stay focused on the process, and the results will follow. As Tom Hanks said in the baseball movie A League of Their Own, “Sure it’s hard, but it’s the hard that makes it great.” And in our case, it makes the success so satisfying.
