Today.....You're on a team

Any given weekend, it’s all about you. What can I score today? Who can I beat today? How much money can I win(or lose) today? Me, me, me, me , me……well today is a different day. The person or persons that you are constantly heckling and pressing after going 2 down, the ones you shout “NOONAN” when they have that 1 foot putt are now your friends, your teammate or playing partner for the day.

Today you have to work together and feed off of each other which means you have to put “me” aside for the day and do what’s best for your team.

On a normal day, you may grip it and rip it on a par 5 or be aggressive coming out of the woods but not today…you’re on a team. It doesn’t matter how well your partner may look on that hole, you need to play the percentages and give yourself two chances at par instead of one, today…..you’re on a team.

By the 12th hole last weekend, you were coming up with more ways to get in his kitchen, wanting him to press, waiting for the meltdown and enjoying every minute of it. Today you need to pick them up, grind your par and put their mind at ease, today…..you’re on a team.

My point is that no matter how good you may be individually, chemistry is key to a good team. Leave your egos in the clubhouse, pick them up after the round. If you can’t do that, then a team event is not for you. You go into it as a team and play as a team, no matter the outcome…..you did it as a team.

If your that type of player that expects your partner to be perfect for the day, gets mad when they make a mistake, blame them for the bad day you may of have, take a step back and look at yourself and how much pressure you might have put on them for that day. A golfer playing bad needs encouragement, piece of mind and relaxation. When is the last time you made a good shot all tensed up? Criticism and pressure during the round adds fuel to the fire and ultimately gives you one less option for a partner for the next tournament because nobody wants to play under those conditions, you’re not a pro.

The next time you’re on the first tee for a tournament, make the deal with your partner win or lose, it’s nobody’s fault because today…..you’re on a team.