Last weekend was quite an experience that I won’t forget soon. I’ve always loved playing golf because I see it as a unique game. It’s common among the rich, the elite. So, I opted in for it when we had a games night. There were all sorts of games. The men’s ministry in my church had organised a games night for the men, for the fathers and the younger adults. It included table tennis and lots of other games. Amongst all the games, I particularly loved board games. So, I played board games and then I played some golf. I played PlayStation 5, although I was knocked out of that.
I want to talk about the lessons I learned from golf. When I actually say the golf game session, I said to myself, “Oh, you’ve long desired this. Here is an opportunity to play.” Well, I watched how they were hitting the ball and I guess I wasn’t the only learner there. First, I held the club. In fact, I didn’t know it was called a club then. I just held the club and put down the ball, attempted scoring five balls on the floor. My first two or three strokes weren’t right. I was on target, but I was hitting the ball too fast. I was moving beyond the hole. When I tried to be slower, it was too slow. When the ball was about to reach the hole, it stopped. I realised that there must be a special strategy for this. Remember, I’ve Blog before that there’s always a strategy for everything.
One thing I learnt is that I need to pay attention to details, pay attention to the speed, how the ball is rolling, and to focus. So, I came back again, held the ball, and said, “Well, this time I’m not going to hit it too fast. I’m going to find a balance in between.” I did. Boom. The first ball went in. Easy and smooth. Wow, claps, applause. I did it again. The second ball went in. I was like, “Wow, let’s record this for a blog day like this.” These are some of the lessons I took away. Golf requires patience and focus.
I’ve always seen golfers and wondered what they enjoy about this game. Now I understand —the patience, the focus, because you have to carefully line up each shot and maintain your concentration throughout the entire game. This translates to other areas of life where staying patient and focused is key to achieving goals. The game also teaches you to pay attention to details. Small adjustments to your stance, your grip, your swing, and it makes a big difference in the outcome of your shot. Similarly, paying close attention to details can be important in many of our personal endeavours.
There are setbacks. My first play wasn’t good. I could have been discouraged, but the back shots were not bad. I was encouraged because I was on the right track, but I wasn’t getting the ball into the hole. It’s about continuous improvement. I managed a setback, learned to manage and then bounce back, and I got better. There’s room for continuous improvement for golfers. I think I’ll do more of it. It’s quite expensive where I am. I’ll probably buy the kit and then play in my garden.
Integrity and sportsmanship are important too. There was a sense of connectedness among all of us who were playing. We kept track of who was able to do more and who had achieved certain things. There were people challenging one another. In such an environment, you tend to take up new challenges and learn from them as much as you can. These experiences shape our life skills.
As a PhD student, I took several lessons from golf. Patience and focus are crucial in the PhD process, which is an intensive effort that takes several years to complete. Maintaining focus throughout the journey is essential. Like in golf game, you must carefully plan and execute each step of your research, including thesis writing and defence. Consistency is key. You must be patient and consistent with your work. Attention to detail is vital in conducting doctoral-level research. Every small adjustment to the research method can significantly impact the entire project. Managing setbacks is another important lesson. Researchers and PhD students inevitably face challenges, obstacles, and setbacks throughout their programme. One must learn to manage setbacks and bounce back from failures, adapting lessons learned from previous setbacks into key skills.
Continuous improvement is necessary. Nobody has the best shots all the time. Similarly, in a PhD programme, you need a mindset of continuous self-improvement, refining your ideas. Every PhD student starts as a novice in the first year, improves in the second year, and becomes an expert along the journey. The topics you propose to study often change over time.
Regarding integrity and sportsmanship, consider the ethical aspects of your work as a PhD student. Just like in golf, there are collaborations. You need to be transparent, share things within your community, and help one another. For PhD students, it’s essential to exhibit integrity in our work and maintain respectful relationships with advisors, committee members, peers, colleagues, and people we meet at conferences, building a supportive network.
Accepting challenges is another critical lesson. In the PhD programme, challenges arise, such as intellectual challenges or questions about your research. Embrace these challenges and be prepared. There are also competitions and grants available. For instance, I took up the challenge of a 3-minute thesis competition and, despite not being fully prepared, managed to be the runner-up. This experience encouraged me to take on more challenges, earning some financial rewards, awards and certifications along the way.
Overall, the discipline and resilience I gained from playing golf over the weekend made me realise that games are not just for leisure. They offer valuable lessons. Navigating the rigours of a doctorate programme can benefit from the lessons I’ve learned from golf.
I will talk a little about PS5, particularly the FIFA game that I played. Actually, I can’t remember the game if it was FIFA. I’m not much of a gamer anyway. But overall, let’s continue learning from our daily life experiences. I hope you have a couple of things to take away from this blog. Stay proactive!
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