The QATSPY Sports Page 4 Golfers
By: Charles W. Boatright Author of The ESPY Golf Swing Coach, Delta Technique Geared for Distance and Control
July 4th, 1776 the signing of the Declaration of Independence that contained the signature of 56 delegates to the Continental Congress.
July 4th, 1776 an American Experience, a Turning Point in World’s History The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence pinned by Thomas Jefferson during the summer of 1776 and signed approved on July 4th, 1776.
The American experience on July 4th, 1776 still is a beacon that guides us toward those sacred words that Thomas Jefferson pinned in the summer of 1776. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The noblest of these words is Liberty that contains an obscure attribute called self-determination, or what I refer to as True Grit. True grit, which is an excellent movie staring John Wayne, is what allows men and women to dream and reach beyond their physical grasp. Self-determination or true grit, contained in the word Liberty, allows us to set and chart our own course and reach the stars that are sown into the canton of the American flag.
Self-determination (True Grit) requires purpose, perseverance, patience, and above all the ability of overcoming restraints, or lack of natural talent, conditions, and doubt. To appreciate the power of self-determination, one has to delve into history and read about men and women that achieved what others would consider the impossible dream.
These men and women didn’t let the lack of natural talent, conditions, or people’s opinions to sway them from their dreams and aspirations. The Hall-of-Fame of American experience can’t be contained in just one book or story. But I would like to touch on three people who proved that the lack of talent, education, pedigree, or other’s apprehension should not limit your self-determination (True Grit). Two of these cases I have included in my book in Section 6.0 Sportsmanship: Applied Mental Horsepower:
The Greatest Generation that Preserved Our Freedom and Liberty
6.3 The Greatest Generation’s character and sacrifice were shown by the accomplishments of the Red Tails, the 332nd Fighter Group, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen. The Red Tails were the first African-American military pilots to fly escort and combat missions during World War II. The Red Tails flew 311 missions during World War II, and sixty-six pilots were killed in action. The Red Tails lost twenty-seven bombers to the enemy between June 9, 1944, and March 24, 1945. The Red Tails predominantly flew the classic P-51 Mustang, illustrated below. The 332nd Fighter Group became well-known among bomber squadrons. Due to the success of the 332nd’s proficiency, bomber squadrons specifically requested the 332nd Fighter Group as escorts into Germany.
P-51 Mustang
Story behind the story: Conditions or your situation, or your pedigree should not determine your future, they should be used to make you more determined than ever.
6.4 Another great story from the pages of World War II highlights the characteristics of mental horsepower and true grit over natural ability. This is described in the story of America’s top ace, Colonel Francis (Gabby) Gabreski.[i] While attending Notre Dame University, Gabby took flying lessons at the Taylor Club; Gabby’s instructor told him that he did not possess the skills to become a pilot. Gabby demonstrated that true grit, perseverance, commitment, and discipline always trump natural ability. Gabby used his true grit and perseverance to help win the Battle of Britain. Gabby earned the title of Top American Ace, scoring twenty-eight aerial victories during combat. Gabby proved, with commitment and perseverance, that we can offset what we lack in ability.
Story behind the story: Just because you or others don’t believe that you possess natural talents, doesn’t preclude you from achieving your aspirations. President Calvin Coolidge had a great quote about talent and perseverance:
President Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States born on July 4th, 1872.
Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and Determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.
Failure is a Starting Point, Not a Designation. Is Not How you Start that matters, but How you Finish
A third example is one that I didn’t include in my first book, The ESPY Golf Swing Coach, but underlines the significances of self-determination and true grit. If you’ve ever picked up a golf club, you will soon learn the amount of true grit that it takes to develop a consistent golf swing. Lorena Ochoa, from Mexico, proved her True Grit during the 2006 LPGA season, and here’s what I observed about Lorena Ochoa character:
Lorena Ochoa the LPGA No. 1 Golfer for 2007-2008
Lorena Ochoa has paid her dues for her success. She’s a grinder on the golf course, and has a beautiful golf swing with great rhythm and tempo that can be examined closely to see what great golf swing mechanics she has. Her swing tempo allows a spectator to watch for the her golf mechanics almost in slow motion. She has worked through difficulties and close losses to obtain the success that she enjoyed in 2007. If you have the opportunity to watch her during her takeaway swing in YouTube videos, you will notice that her forearms and hands remain in front of her during her preset element. She processes one of the smoothest and easy takeaway swings that makes it easy to follow each element of her swing.
She has another quality that contributes to her success and that is her self- determination and unassuming nature that she exhibited during her visit to the World Golf Hall of Fame in November of 2007 in Florida. She arrived unannounced and toured the facilities, and went unnoticed until a volunteer recognized her and the staff organized an informal welcome for her. This speaks volumes for Lorena Ochoa and her ability to deal with the pressures of being on the LPGA and achieving the success of being the number one player in her sport for 2007 and 2008.
Lorena Ochoa’s perseverance and character were revealed during her heart- wrenching loss of the 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship to Kerrie Webb, but this only propelled her to work harder and grind it out doing the dirt-work, or practice time, in the off-season to win eight LPGA events in 2007, including the Women’s British Open at Saint Andrews, the Old Course.
She became the first LPGA member to surpass $3 million earnings in a single season, only to be followed up with surpassing annual earnings to $4 million week later. I personally respect her character and her work ethic that she exhibited during the defeats and wins that she had. Sports, athletics, and especially golf should be used as showcases to exemplify the importance of physical and mental fitness, while demonstrating the best of character under challenging conditions.
Lorena Ochoa demonstrated how to deal with both failure and success in one’s life. Just because you fail at some point in time, especially when starting off, doesn’t mean that you’re a failure. Failure and success are what we do and not who we are. Humility, perseverance, and patience, or what I call the quiet strength of true grit, have served Lorena Ochoa well in her pursuit of becoming a great person and the number one LPGA player for 2007.