This Is An Experiment

Having no expectations for one's goals while having no limits to said aspirations is not an oxymoron. If you decide to dedicate yourself to a craft, then you best figure out a way to shoot for the moon without expecting to land there, at the same time not being surprised if you do. In other words: if you want to get better at something, you best have your sights on the best however without the delusions of a astronomically improbable shot. At the same time, your mind must be open to the reality of such an improbable shot still being perfectly (technically) possible.

I don't intend to become a professional golfer, but that is the bullseye in my scope. What sense is there in aiming away from the center?

Today was my first 18 in quite some time. In my prime (age 16), I was a bogey golfer. But today (age 26), I shot 128. From this moment forward, I will document my journey from just about as bad as you can be to just about as good as you can get. That is: hack to scratch.

I lost 12 balls today and counted each and every extra stroke. There is no point in cheating if you're only playing yourself. And for the record, I found 20 balls while searching for my 12 lost ones, which means I am +8 as far as that goes. Heh.

Other notes:

-I didn't make a single par. My best hole was a one-putt bogey on 16.

-I logged only 34 putts, which was by far the best aspect of my game.

-I did not land a single ball on the fairway on any of the par 4s or par 5s

-I had a great time, and am confident that I will only improve from here.

I bought an unlimited-play month-membership at Golf du Vert Parc in Illies, France. I intend to play two rounds every single day for 30 days straight. After that, I will change memberships to a different course. Due to a fortunate financial situation, I am able to to simply spend my time getting better at golf. My goal is to be a scratch player approximately one year from now, practicing at least 50 hours per week through autumn, winter, and spring.

Technical training alone will not be enough to realize my goal. I will also incorporate meditation, prayer, yoga, a disciplined schedule, and positive projection into my regime. To be a great golfer is not my end dream, but to use golf as a means of training myself to become a better person is what I have my heart set on. A little discipline can do wonders for the soul and psyche. I want to be a positive presence in this world.

I wish the best of luck to all those trying to better themselves through focused, meaninful activity. Please contact me regarding your own pursuits and plans, as I am interested in all whom are in the pursuit of greatness or at the least a better reality than the one we know.