In fact if you see something being done positively, better yet, praise it.
We had a 9:50 tee time. It was cloudy, overcast and spitting a bit of rain. With ten minutes before our tee time no one from the group I was playing with that day had showed. Hey I am at a golf course I've played as a single before so I slip on a windbreaker and off we went.
As I came to the 5th tee I thought "oh no." In front of me was a foursome. A foursome of girls. It was a college match going on in front of me. In fact I can now see four groups in front of me. I had zipped around the first four holes and now I am thinking "this will take forever." Over the years I have worked various golf events. In recent years especially high school and college play. The pace of play for too many high school and college play is slow. No not slow, terribly slow. I have seen women give birth quicker, faster than some high school and college players play. I am not a very patient person (wife will confirm) and despise slow play on a golf course. I waited a minute for the four in front of me to hit their approach shots to the green and then I hit.
Well I was in for a surprise. For the next thirteen holes I followed these young ladies. They were in a golf match representing their schools. Two college teams. I was amazed at these young ladies. Each of them knew the etiquette of the game, they knew and were ready when it was their time to play. On the green they would mark their ball, read their putt and it did not take them an eternity to do such. I found myself enjoying my play behind them. When I finished play and took my clubs to my car I noticed I had played 18 holes in right at three hours. I said three hours. Unheard of and I had done it following a college golf match.
I was so impressed that before leaving the course that day I went and found the college coach and expressed my amazement and congratulations upon the play of the young ladies from the two schools. Later that night as I thought about the play earlier that day I sat down wrote the two coaches and the athletic directors at the respective schools a note thanking them and congratulating them on their girls play. I ask that they "please pass along my note to your team members of how impressed I was with their knowledge and pace of play."
As I age I have come to the conclusion that when you see something positive occurring regardless of what it might be, praise it. We all know there certainly is enough of the other occurring far too often today in our society. Thank you ladies you were a treat to follow and watch.
"It is usually best to be generous with praise,
but cautions with criticism."
April 3, 2015
Keep on,
Larry Adamon