Golfing for humility! Yep! If you want to stay humble, just golf. I’ve haven’t seen too many golfers that puff their chest out proclaiming how great they are. Well, that’s if they are pretty good. Except for professionals like Tiger Woods, they should keep their mouth shut! One thing about golf is there is always someone better, if not just for one day.
I went golfing with my son yesterday, who is way beyond novice and he was about ready to quit keeping score. A few years ago when he golfed regularly he often called and let me know when he set a new personal record and he was doing quite well. He was golfing every week and often twice or three times a week. He had joined the golf team in high school and got proper instruction and knows the basics. Golfs all about basics anyway. Well he hadn’t played much lately and I’ve played less. Yes he beat me even though he was embarrassed by his game. We were just out to have fun though and he almost fell out of the cart laughing at several of my shots. Can we say wood seeking missiles. So I guess we had fun but the day cost me several lost balls. What? OK a Few lost balls. Alright, quite a few lost balls might be a better description.
Why would I talk about golf on a Shotokan Karate web page? Because If you think you’re good and you haven’t practiced in a while, you might be in for a surprise. The is always a large piece of humble waiting around the corner with your name on it.
In Shotokan Karate as in golf the most important lessons are contained in the training of your basics. Golf is nothing but basics. Advanced golf, putting the basics together with practice and experience to become good. Advanced Shotokan Katas (practice routines) are mainly basics put into different stances and combination’s. No such thing as advanced basics only someone who understands basics very well and can apply them in a variety of situations and has arrived at this station in there life through practice and experience.
My point here is, if you don’t practice don’t expect your best game. A great opera singer, said something like this, if I don’t practice for a day, I can tell. If I don’t practice for a week my coach can tell. If I don’t practice for a month, everyone can tell!
No matter what your sport or course of study is, practice is vital. Don’t think you can fool the experts, you’ll just humiliate yourself.
Written by:
Sensei Perry Culver 6th degree Shotokan Karate, 1st degree Syu Sin Do (pressure points & joint locks)
Chief Instructor of Culver Karate Club in Connellsville, PA 724-626-KICK (5425)
