.Yesterday I was all fired up, full of piss and vinegar and almost did something I’m sure I would have regretted.

Think of a superhero using their powers for the wrong reasons or food critic unfairly chastising a restaurant for some reason other than the food. Not that I’m anywhere near those types of societal figures but let me tell you this, sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes it’s worth it to sit back on some of your thoughts and let them work their way through your brain instead of hastily using those words to inflict what would have been an injustice.

I had a very bad experience this past weekend at a local golf course here in town that I’ve played quite a few times. In a rush to judgment, I was quick to blame the course and their management for the failures that had taken place and I even typed out well over a thousand words with the intent of posting the article on my site venting my frustrations. To be honest, I wanted to post it. I wanted everyone to read it and I wanted everyone to be as hostile towards the course as I was and join me in a revolution that would change the way our game is played forever. Then, in a glaring moment of clarity, I remembered that I’m no vigilante. I’m just a guy who loves to play and write about golf and who wants nothing more than to be a better player.

That’s all it took, and I thank you, Adam, for the insight. I was so hell-bent on voicing my displeasure with what had taken place, I completely forgot why I’m doing this, the blog that is. I saw an opportunity to use my website along with Twitter and Facebook to “get back” at them for causing me to, in a span of 6 hours, erase all my memories of the things I enjoy so much about our game.

When I was asked the question above, it brought with it some clarity that had I never considered my motivation, you right now would be deep into a rant that just wasn’t necessary.

Slow play sucks. Everyone has experienced it and it’s not going to be very long before I’m in the exact same situation again.  That’s something as a weekend player I’m just going to have to learn to deal with, especially in the spring and fall seasons when the weather is just gorgeous and everyone wants to be out playing.

My journey to becoming a better player and documenting the progress along the way is why I started this blog.

Having lost sight of that for a brief time I almost ventured down a very slippery slope. One that could have caused a lot more harm than good. It was an ultimate mental training exercise that I failed miserably. Slow play happens and we all have to deal with it. Up until this past Sunday, I’ve always thought that I’ve dealt with it pretty well. This was an extreme case though and I should have been able to adapt. I’m almost certain that because I wasn’t able to play. And because when I did, I played some really bad golf. I used the slow play as an excuse to justify my inability to overcome an obstacle.

To make matters worse, one of my best friends was playing with me. Dan is getting better every time we go out and Sunday he was playing great. He’s still learning the nuances of the game. But, once he gets a few things figured out Dan will be a fantastic player. What sucks is Dan’s success was overshadowed by my actions on the course. Instead of being the person someone can look up to, I became the individual that everyone wants to disassociate from. That’s what eating at me the most. I let Dan down and I almost did the same thing to all of my readers.

Thankfully all the bad that could have taken place ended when I left the course.

I can look back at the events of that day and give myself an “F” on handling a situation. One that’s completely out of my control. There is always something to learn when it comes to the game of golf. You never know when the opportunity is going to present itself. It could be a practice session; it could be during the round of your life. Or it could be a long drive home after a dismal performance. One thing’s for certain though. I not going to squander away any more of my time on the course with petty things like slow play. Life is too short for that!

Thanks for reading,