“Golf and Life are not about the last shot. They are about the next one.”
Only two other golfers in the history of the game, Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus, are in the same league as Tiger Woods. He was a highly regarded amateur and we all know the success he has recorded as a professional golfer.
Perhaps one of the greatest insights into this complicated and talented individual came at the 2020 Masters that was held in November.
Tiger was not in contention heading to the Back 9 at Augusta National on Sunday in the final round, but at three-under par he had put together a respectable score for a 45-year-old with a surgically repaired back and achy knees.
The wind picked up noticeably as Tiger’s group completed play on the 11th hole and headed to the treacherous par-3 12th. The green is very narrow, plus with the severe slope, at the front of the green, assures that any shot coming up short will find a watery grave in Rae’s Creek.
Tiger later admitted, he did not fully commit to his tee shot and the swirling winds in ‘Amen Corner’ forced it to drop out of the sky two-feet short of his intended target and roll back into the creek. Taking a penalty shot, he hit three from the drop area, which too was short and rolled back into the water. Now hitting his fifth shot on the par 3 and to avoid yet another water ball, the ensuing chip shot was too strong and found the bunker directly behind the green.
He should have played away from the flag to the wider portion of the green, but the champion inside would not allow it. Catching the bunker shot slightly thin, it ran through the green and it too was lost into Rae’s Creek.
Before the carnage was over, Tiger recorded a 10 on a par-3 hole. Seven-over par on one hole took him from three-under par, to four-over par for the round and near the bottom of the leaderboard in a matter of minutes.
What happened next is a lesson for everyone. Giving a slight smirk, he proceeded to birdie five of the remaining six holes to finish the tournament at one-under par.
This is what great champions do. They don’t throw clubs, blame the conditions, the course, or the caddie. They dig deep and complete the round to the best of their ability.
We have all struggled with personal, or health issues in our lives. Things that have happened, or mistakes we have made, that we thought would ruin our lives forever.
What’s past is past, you can’t change it. Learn from it and make the next shot, or phase in your life better.
The next time you are faced with a situation that wants to make you quit, or fall into despair, take a lesson from Tiger.
Make the next shot your best one.
