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Normally, for me, a trip to the Bully Pulpit Golf Course in Medora, ND falls under the heading of “One Day a Year”,  except that this time there were three days involved. We made a tee time on a Thursday, but from early in day the forecast was not good, so we rescheduled for the next day. We Made the trip from our ranch near Sidney, MT around mid-afternoon on Friday, and when we got there, the weather looked like it might cooperate. By the fourth hole though, the wind was swirling and the clouds were building, and by the time we finished the fifth, the marshal suggested we might want to head toward the clubhouse, in the sense that the First Officer of the Titanic suggested that passengers might want to make their way toward the lifeboats. The parade of golf carts heading up the path made one think of the Keystone Cops scrambling for cover, and we sat in the warmth and dryness of the clubhouse for a good hour till we decided to take a rain check and come back the next day.

That turned out to be one of the better decisions we made all week, because the next day was as close to perfect golf weather as it comes. Aside from a few slow players ahead of us, we had a very enjoyable round, and I shot my best score yet at this course.  My wife Linda played the course for the first time and thought it suited her game as well.

In the past I have always played this course with my brother Tom, but this year he is recuperating from a broken arm, among other things, so I was accompanied by his son Blair, who provided the images for the video that follows.

I live in an area that is at 45 degrees north latitude, which is half way between the equator and the North Pole. From my perspective, the arctic circle isn’t so much a place, but a time. Let me explain.

Some people suffer from a malady known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. It is generally blamed on winter-time when sunlight is in short supply. I’m not sure I have it to the extent of qualifying as full-blown SAD, but I am acutely aware of the shortening days, and in fact I keep track of certain dates on the calendar when the time between sunrise and sunset total a certain number of whole hours. As the seasons progress toward the equinox, we can gain or lose as many as four minutes a day, and leading up to the solstice, that time slows to a crawl, with less than a minute gained or lost. Around Thanksgiving here we dip below nine hours of daylight and we don’t regain that until mid January. So I have begun to refer to this time of the year as the Arctic Circle, where the sun is low in the sky most of the time and most people drive to and from work in twilight or worse.

Playing golf in these conditions can be challenging, especially during the week. Fortunately I have a job that enables me to get to the golf course by 3 o’clock or so as long as there isn’t snow covering the ground. That is enough time to get nine holes on most courses or a full 18 at the Par 3 course I belong to. In addition to the cool temperatures and ground hard enough to require a hammer to sink a tee, the low sun angle on certain tee boxes and lies can make it difficult to track the ball. I often find myself looking up into the sun as soon as the ball leaves the club and sometimes the only way I find it without another person watching it take off is by feeling the direction it likely started heading and walk that way. There are times the only way I can locate it is the fact of using the Volvik Vivid colored balls. I highly recommend them.

Even in these conditions I can still agree with the expression that a bad day golfing is better than a good day working. Unfortunately, for the time being we are digging out from under a true arctic blast that dumped a foot and a half of snow on the ground accompanied by sub zero temperatures for a few days and it appears that the only golf for the foreseeable future will come in the form of the indoor simulator bays. Hopefully by the time we emerge from the Arctic Circle, outdoor golf won’t be far off.

On Saturday morning of the Utopia Retreat, David Cook took us to a nearby ranch to show us something from a story he had written. His book “Golf’s Sacred Journey 2” continues the story of the young golfer, Luke, and his mentor, Johnny as Luke is preparing for his next big tournament. One of the main themes of the story is the importance of dreams in our lives. Johnny says that he believes that the Good Lord plants dreams in the hearts of everyone, but for most of us, the seed gets trapped inside. One of the biggest stumbling blocks is fear, such as the fear that our dreams are too big, or that we lack the skill or the talent to make them real, or that we might fail or be laughed at, or any number of other irrational thoughts that creep into our minds to make us second-guess ourselves. In the story, Johnny shows Luke and old seed planter that had been abandoned on the edge of the field 70 years ago, half full of seed, never to be planted. He opens the bin of the planter to show him the seed inside, and they encounter a red wasp lurking in the corner of the bin, a perfect representation of the fear that paralyzes us.

I always thought that this was one of the most powerful chapters in the book, because of what it says about unfulfilled potential. So, you can imagine my surprise when the author of the book took us to this very field from the story and sitting there next to the fence, crowded up against an encroaching persimmon bush, was the actual seed planter that had inspired him to include it as a lesson to those who are on this journey of discovery. He had us look inside and pick out a few of the seeds, and we noticed that there was indeed a red wasp guarding the seed, just as it did in the story. Also, as in the story, we were instructed to take a seed and find a quiet place to get in touch with that still, small voice of truth and learn what it would tell us about what we could accomplish with the faith and confidence to bury the lies that have a stranglehold on our abilities and talents. It has now been 10 years since he first saw this seed planter, and in the book, he explains that one oat plant could easily produce 10 or more seed heads, and that if each of the seeds in the seed bin had been planted 10 years ago and produced 10 seeds, and if each of those had produced 10 seeds the next year, after 10 years, billions of seeds could have been produced.

In this incredible setting, it is easy to gain a perspective on how freedom is a powerful force, but that we need to be on guard against the fear and the lies that can deceive us into believing that we can never be all that we were put here to be. It was in this setting that I was able to identify many of the lies that  have held me back, and to find the will to let go of them and to bury them once and for all.That is a story for another day. Please leave your comments below.

 

At this week’s meeting of the “Seven Days in Utopia” study group we wrapped up our discussion of the golfer’s story by following his adventure at the Texas Open. He got to put the things he learned, both about golf and life, to work in ways that could only be seen by someone who has learned to recognize opportunity when it knocks. He was able to have a profound influence on the life of a fellow competitor and in the process, he saw a new life of significance and purpose open for him. He also learned that there are times when it is necessary to leave tradition behind and approach challenging situations with the courage that comes from recognizing the voice of truth.

In the end, the question of whether or not he made that final putt could be discussed at some length. One of two things would end up happening. Either he comes in second to the best player in golf, which is the expectation, or he achieves a stunning upset that will be talked about for years. I suppose you can look at it from two perspectives. One is that ‘it isn’t whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game’. Another is that ‘second place is the first loser’. I can imagine that the first statement is something you might hear from your mother while the second is more than likely what your father would say. How would either outcome have a different effect on the impact this person could make in the lives of others? We aren’t told at this point.

Throughout this study, David Cook has illustrated the similarities between golf and life in general. He tells us that golf is like fly-fishing, it takes rhythm, balance, and patience. Or golf is like piloting an airplane, you need to be ready to solve unexpected problems. Or golf is like being the President of the United States, you should speak softly and carry a Big Bertha Callaway driver. Ok, I made that last one up, he never said that. The fact is that you can draw comparisons between things you deal with in your every-day life and a variety of activities and pursuits. When you learn to engage your passion, and unite it with your true calling and purpose, that is what it truly means to ‘find your game’.

There is an answer to the question “did he make the putt?” and it can be found in the second book in this series, “Golf’s Sacred Journey 2”. My hope is that we can continue this adventure and explore in more detail the themes that were introduced in the opening story. I will keep you posted on the prospects for continuing this soon, so check back often.

if you are one of those who participated in the group, please leave your comments below. it will be a big help in seeing how we can use this story to inspire others down the road. Thank you to all who were a part of this endeavor.

Our meeting of the book group this week focused on the chapter where Johnny and his pupil play golf at the Links of Utopia. Johnny’s purpose for this lesson is for the golfer to focus on the process rather than the outcome. He is more concerned with having him commit to the checklist than post a score. He wants to show the golfer how to move his thinking outside the box of his comfort zone and by doing so obtain the freedom to find his sweet spot. Johnny makes the statement that his passion in life is to free people from their boxes, the self-imposed prisons that they make for themselves, often without realizing it.

I recently had a similar experience with changing my thinking to look beyond the box. I left a job that I had done for over 10 years. I was growing increasingly stressed out and discontented with the situation. I felt like the powers that be in the organization were making the job feel like being in prison, only with less autonomy and empowerment. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, and it remains to be seen where it will ultimately lead.

Have you found your sweet spot? How do you define it? David Cook, the author of “Golf’s Sacred Journey” believes that the sweet spot is not a place you create by your own doing, it is a place that can only be sensed, a place that has been designed for you by God, and the adventure comes by discovering it. This is reminiscent of the discussion we had earlier in the study about identity, when we learned that life is about discovering our identity rather that creating it by our own efforts.

How do you know when you are in the sweet spot? In a golf swing, it is the sensation of making solid contact and getting maximum results with the feeling of effortlessness. It takes knowledge and practice, certainly, but there is also the application of utilizing your natural gifts and talents in the process. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing that others might consider hard work? What kind of tasks to you always make time for? These are clues to finding the thing or things that will lead you to where you want to go. The key ingredient is the wisdom to know that you are walking in your purpose.

In the story, the golfer poses the question “Where have all the Johnnies gone?” What he is getting at is, where are those who make themselves available to teach wisdom, and to care enough to pass along what they know. Do you know someone who has affected your life in a profound way? Someone who gives encouragement and challenges you to be the best version of yourself? Just as important, is there anyone who would say that you fulfill that role in their life?

Please add your comments below.

We are just over half way through our study of the book “Golf’s Sacred Journey” that we started back in January. So far we have looked at themes such as

• Identity
• Risk
• Conviction
• Creativity
• Truth vs. Tradition

I was struck by the contrast between conviction and tradition, in the sense that people often latch on to traditions as a way of going through the motions and in the process, they can cover up truth in their lives. It could be argued that tradition is in opposition to conviction, since tradition requires no real thought process or ability to articulate why we do the things we do. Conviction demands that we stand behind our beliefs in such a way that even if others don’t necessarily agree with us, at least they can respect the sincerity of what we believe. I have heard it said that what is conviction to one generation becomes tradition to the following generation, and to subsequent generations becomes legalism. Perhaps what is needed is for those with conviction to be able to pass on the ideals that they are striving for and by doing so help other to apply those principles to their situations.

When Jesus went into the wilderness to fast and pray following his baptism, I’m sure he felt a strong conviction that he needed to do that to prepare himself for what was ahead of him in his ministry. Some religious traditions commemorate this during the season of Lent by observing a fast from certain types of food or indulgence in other diversions. I suppose that the extent to which it holds meaning is dependent on each person’s level of commitment.

The golfer in the story is still on his way to finding what it is that he is searching for. In many ways, at this point he isn’t even fully aware of what it is that he needs. Like many of us, he is looking to find that thing that will turn things around and get him on the path to success. He is about to find out that true success in life comes from identifying what it is that he was put here to do, and being willing to devote himself to that purpose.

Can you think of traditions that you have observed for a significant portion of your life that have become so familiar that they can actually interfere with your understanding of the meaning behind them? Do these traditions become a hindrance to understanding or appreciation of what they signify? To what extent are you open to question your traditions in an effort to find truth? What is the foundation of your convictions? Please add your comments below.

Well I was able to get back out on the course for the first time in 2017. It happened on February 17^th. It had been 10 weeks since the last time I had played, and the rust soon became apparent as I hit my opening tee shot on to the parking lot. The good news is that it can only get better from there. I live in Montana, so there is still some snow on the ground and apparently it has more magnetic attraction to golf balls than water or sand, which is to say that it there was a place where snow could be found, I found it. But at least it was good to get back out playing again.

The walking is doing me good, but I still have some work to do to get back in shape. Winter is when it usually happens for me, because I always schedule my annual physical for late spring. I figure that I have lost 100 pounds in the last five years. The problem is that it is the same 20 pounds every year. I get motivated ahead of my check-up so that my doctor won’t have to bring up the O-word, but then I succumb to my love of picnics and ballpark cuisine during the summer and by fall I just think, well, I can get serious about getting in shape after the holidays. It is really not a stretch for me to say that I don’t need a scale to know how much I weigh, I just need a calendar. My doctor isn’t a bad person; he just wants me to give up everything I enjoy in life so I can live longer. I figure if I do it his way, then when I’m 90 I can look forward to an extra year and a half in a nursing home at around ten grand a month.

I have been getting my fitness motivation from the book ‘Play Fat, Lose Close, and Eat Whatever You Want – The Slacker’s Guide to a Successful Life”. No, not really, because that book doesn’t exist as near as I can tell, which is probably a good thing. Surprising though, since a great way to sell books is by telling people what they want to hear. The truth is that maintaining good health and fitness takes determination and discipline, and even though it isn’t always fun, the results are worth it. I have heard storied about old-school golf pros who would spend hour after hour hitting sand shots, practicing until their fingers bled, then they would bandage their hands and keep hitting until the blood would ooze through the bandages. Considering that, the thought of play fat, lose close and eat whatever you want sounds pretty good. But what if you could try just a little bit harder to improve your game, or eliminate bad habits?

How long does it take you to get your swing working properly after being off the course or driving range for a few months? I have definitely noticed a decrease in my flexibility and stamina since last fall, so I’m hoping I can get loosened up soon. Feel free to drop a comment below and join the conversation.

That’s all the time I have for now, I have a book to go write.

You don’t choose the game, it chooses you. And when it does, life and golf become forever connected. That is the opening narration from the movie “Seven Days in Utopia”, which is based on the book “Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia” by Dr. David L. Cook. This story has been an inspiration to me ever since I first saw the movie and later read the book.

The idea that the game acts like an invisible hand manipulating events behind the scenes is unsettling to many of us, since we like to think that we call our own shots, that we control our own destinies. The main thesis of the story is that we are put here by a benevolent Creator who has a plan and a purpose for us and that it is our task to discover that purpose and live our lives accordingly.

Sometimes it takes devastating loss or a season of adversity to start us down that road of discovery. We need to come to terms with our doubts about our abilities or the validity of our beliefs and the choices that we make based on those beliefs. We also worry that surrendering to a higher power will force us to do things that we have no interest in or that it will require us to give up our own hopes and ambitions. But the author’s belief is that the key is to “find what you do well and perfect it”. Seemingly by definition that requires it to be something that interests us and that we have a desire to develop. Just as the main character in the story continues to pursue the career that was the focus of his life, the significant element is that his perspective changed to the extent that what is now important is fulfilling his calling and that the results he achieves as a golfer become secondary.

Recently I began leading a study of this book with a group of men at my church. Many of them were familiar with the story but there are those who are experiencing it for the first time. It is my hope that we can continue to offer this study periodically to encourage others to engage this journey of discovery. I will be posting updates as we go along so check back and see how it is going. My goal with this site is to offer a forum to discuss ways that golf has enriched our lives, whether it is the motivation to improve our game, the comradery we develop on the course, or simply the freedom of a few pleasant hours away from the cares of everyday life.