Classic Ram Dass DVD Makes Solid Contact with the Spirit of Golf

Another benefit of spending time with the Shivas Irons Society (SIS) last week was being reminded that I had bought but (true confession) not watched a DVD that The Society sells of a Ram Dass talk on “Golf and the Spirit.” Other SIS members raved about the DVD so I screened it last night and was delighted. This is true classic stuff from an SIS event in 1995 when Ram Dass was quite obviously deep into the process of expanding his already expanded consciousness through our beloved game of golf.

If you like Ram Dass and you like golf, then this is a “must see.” He’s speaking to a sophisticated audience that includes Michael Murphy and Fred Shoemaker, and in true Ram Dass style telling it like it is. Worthy of repeat viewing. Among many other things, Ram Dass talks about how golf let’s us “delight in our foibles rather than being trapped by them.” Here’s my favorite quote:

“The game of golf is an exquisite practice for cultivating the qualities of mind that, in the long run, relieve suffering for you and other people… You have an attraction to and the skills in, and the involvement with something that is basically a vehicle for Libertation.”

And you thought that we were just playing a game!

Click here to order from the SIS website >>

I think you’ll be glad you did.

Constant and Undying Hope

This about sums up the current state of my golfing affairs…

“It is the constant and undying hope for improvement
that makes golf so exquisitely worth the playing.”
— Bernard Darwin

The Joy of Practice

I have to admit, I had real fun yesterday just hitting balls and getting a feel for my swing (again). It’s funny how elusive that feel can be sometimes. It’s as if my swing has the ability to go into hibernation. This quote helped inspire me:

“I couldn’t wait to get up in the morning so I could hit balls. I’d be at the practice tee at the crack of dawn, hit balls for a few hours, then take a break and get right back to it. And I still thoroughly enjoy it. When I’m hitting the ball where I want, hard and crisply, it’s a joy that very few people experience.”
— Ben Hogan, 1987

Ah, the allure of the groove! When I was getting my feel back yesterday (after a rocky start to the practice session), I spontaneously shouted at myself at one point, “Now groove it!” May we all be blessed with a groove of ease.

Golf: A School for the Soul

In Thomas Moore’s Afterword to the delightful new book, Golf’s Three Noble Truths: The Fine Art of Playing Awake, the renowned author offers this uplifting reminder:

“The next time you play golf, remember that a round of golf is a practice run around life’s opportunities and hazards. Enjoy the game, but not unconsciously. Know that it is a school for the soul, a way to recall and learn how to deal with life’s hazards and traps, bunkers and roughs. You can learn, in the face of life’s unpredictability, how to stand, grip, and swing.”

And, one additional, ironically related, and very surprising golfer’s blog note (thanks to a reader’s posted comment), I learned that as a result of my post on this blog of The Golfer’s Prayer, this golf quote was used in a funeral for a fellow golfer who has left us for the “great track” in the sky. You just never know what will happen… on the course, in life, or as a result of posting something on the Internet…

It’s Always More Fun When You Win

This little motto (the headline) has been with me for some time and never has it been more true than when my partner, Charles Williams and I discovered that we had ham-and-egged our way to victory in the two-man, best ball “Team Championship” at Stonetree Golf Club. We scored a net 65 and won by two.

For those of you who may not know, “ham and egg” refers to that special skill (some call it “luck”) that enables playing partners to do better on holes where your partner does not. This I’m-on-when-he’s-off (and visa versa) strategy (well, it was at least our stated intention) helps greatly in creating a better best ball score. Of course, this was no big deal tournament, but it was my first “official” tournament where they actually double checked my GHIN handicap index and required us to start and finish with the same kind of golf ball, etc.

I can’t even say that I played great, but I did somehow play well on holes where I was able to contribute to our team effort. Charles played well and it was definitely a kick to win. Surprisingly I have to say that it puts a bit wind in my sails that maybe just maybe the golf gods are smiling on me… at least for the moment.

Actually, it was that kind of day. The day started with the receipt of an email from a gentleman who sends out an informal “Golf Quote of the Day.” And he totally surprised me, by quoting little ole me (from by book proposal that I had shared with him a little while back). I was delighted and honored. He sent this out:

“Golf provides remarkable metaphors for business and for life.
In golf, you have to deliver the ball to the target. You can measure your success at every hole. But, most importantly, golf shows you how to find the appropriate balance between effort and letting go. If you relax too much, you don’t have enough focus and you can totally miss the ball. If you tense up too much, your muscles don’t function properly and you lose power and accuracy.”

You gotta love it when life gives you lovely little unexpected blessings. I am grateful for every one.