Dealing with the Other Monkeys on the Golf Course

Most golfers intend to be pleasant playing partners. However, we occasionally run into annoying golfers.  If we are not careful, these mischievous golfers acting like ignorant monkeys can be our biggest distraction.

To keep a focused mind on the course, cultivate an attitude of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the miserable, joy for the virtuous, and indifference for the non-virtuous.

• Friendliness and delight for the happy and virtuous. Expressing joy at the virtues of other golfers gives us an authentic sense of camaraderie. When others make birdies, we can share in their delight, giving us more opportunities to be happy.  When we celebrate others’ successes as well, we have many more occasions to be happy.
• Compassion for those who are suffering:  At some point, we will all suffer in golf.  Whiffs, shanks, lip-outs, and three-putts happen. When others experience this, we are compassionate with their struggles. We have all been there!   
• Indifference for the non-virtuous.  Angry, swearing, and club-throwing golfers acting like spoiled monkeys can negatively affect our performance.  To maintain our own mental equanimity, we cultivate an attitude of neutrality towards the non-virtuous.  Neutrality does not necessarily mean non-action.  We skillfully engage in a situation when wrongdoings occur without losing our own peace of mind.  This is a tough one.

Being paired with many different personalities on the course, certain temperaments can trigger ill will and bitterness. It’s our job to make sure the monkeys bouncing around the links don’t interfere with our enjoyment and performance.

Dodie Mazzuca is the author of “Seamless Golf,” “Golf Sūtras,” “Daily Golf Tap-Ins,” and is the founder of Golf PROformance LLC. She teaches golf lessons, golf schools, and performance coaching in Santa Cruz, CA and Reno, NV.