Where it lies.
If you are a golf fan, you probably saw the drama that unfolded at The Open this past week with Bryson DeChambeau. I love a good Friday afternoon golf drama! In summary, Bryson improved his shot and swing path by stepping on the tall grass behind his ball and was subsequently assessed a 2-shot penalty. Ultimately, it took him out of the running, and it has turned into quite the debate amongst professionals and spectators alike.
Did he do it on purpose? That isn’t for me to judge. Only Bryson knows the answer to that, but it brings up an interesting topic and one that I find to be quite metaphorical in the game of life. In my experience, the two are most assuredly paralleled in more ways than one. It certainly is intriguing to see the conversation around the ruling, and I thought it might be worthwhile to explore the topic a little further.
As you can see here [embed attached graphic] in Rule 8.1, not only can you not improve the lie of the ball, but you cannot improve the area of the intended swing and the line of play. There you have it. The rule is simple and very clearly stated. So, what is the big fuss and discussion? I think it may have deeper roots than what’s on the surface. Here it is…
Golf is hard. It breaks you down mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. In these times of stress, our ego has a hard time coping with loss or failure. Our brains are hard-wired to resist pain and to let our ego focus only on results. Bobby Jones had a very interesting perspective on golf, viewing it as a dramatic experience that can range from comedy to tragedy. I certainly agree and have been in that movie more times than I can count. The plot can change from one minute to the next and can sometimes feel like a 4-hour-long emotional rollercoaster. It can be brutal and beautiful all in one outing.
How we respond to those moments of stress and failure is what matters most, as it will carry with us into future rounds. No matter what the circumstance, we have to play the ball as it lies. If we break a rule, we must own it, make amends, and learn from our mistakes. Isn’t that just the best metaphor for life, though? When we stop resisting failure and see it as a learning opportunity, things start to shift. Good things are on the other side of accountability and a growth mindset. As the great Bobby Jones once said, “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball where it lies.”
Amy played golf in high school locally at Putnam City North. She is the 1999 6A State and WOGA Amateur Champion and was recently inducted into the Putnam City School District Hall of Fame. She played 4 years of Division I Golf at Wichita State where she was the 2002 Notre Dame Invitational Medalist. She is a proud resident of Edmond and is a Board Certified Orthopedic Physical Therapist. She is also the co-owner of Evolution Imaging, which is a luxury medical imaging facility right here in North Edmond. She can frequently be found at the Kickingbird driving range and is readily available to join your scramble team should the temperature be over 60 degrees and the wind is less than 20 mph coming out of the south. She can be reached at amy@evolution-imaging.com