A light bulb moment for me. I've been struggling with an injured foot/calf/achilles for the past couple of years, and played zero golf last season. Looking back, I can see that I've probably been hard to deal with over the past 15-20 months, and I now know why -- I haven't had my therapy sessions! I haven't even been able to go to my local chipping green and have the satisfaction of hitting a couple of hundred pitch shots (even that weight shift hurts), which was a regular occurrence in my life. I'm not sure why I'd never thought about this retardation of my state of mind before, but thanks. Maybe I'll start re-reading some of my golf library, to in some part mentally alleviate the lack of golf in my life. Golf in the Kingdom it is...
Mark, thanks again for reading, and I appreciate your thoughts and am sad you weren't able to play. I've had a few spells where I hardly golfed, but only one where it was enforced (a small broken bone in my wrist a good 15 years ago). It was a very different feeling...frustrated rather than disinterested, and it was so good to gradually get back to playing a bit. I hope you are able to resume next season, but Golf in the Kingdom sounds a good place to start your preparation!
This one hit the sweet spot. I didn't discover golf until my fifties - I am certain I have been an easier person to live with AG (after golf) than BG (before golf). It's the ability to escape, to live in the moment and discard all other distractions that is so good for the soul. Without wishing to labour the point, you get the same effect on a motorcycle.
On the other hand, it could just be that I am getting old :-)
I think I probably know the answer, but have you read (my favourite book!) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? Some classic passages on being present in the wind and the sights as they motor across the great plains...if you haven't read it yet, stop what you are doing and begin! I'll even send you a copy, haha!
You guessed right, Richard - yes I know it well. Unlike golf, the amount of quality writing available to motorcyclists is fairly limited (and nothing that crosses over, at least, not yet). Even for those who have never ridden, I would recommend: The Perfect Vehicle - Melissa Holbrook Pierson, Riding with Rilke: Reflections on Motorcycles and Books - Ted Bishop and Revolutionary Ride - Lois Pryce.
Have you ZATAOMM on Kindle? My father’s hardback is starting to show how much I’ve read it, so to protect that, I bought a digital version. It includes extra material…some reflections on his son’s tragic end, plus letters to and fro with his editor (after 100 plus rejections. It was revelatory to find this additional stuff…
Thanks re: the other recommendations! Safely bookmarked!
So true for most of us I’d guess. Escaping the rush & chaos of the world in our golf sanctuaries is so good for our minds, bodies & spirits. I miss it dearly every winter or when injured (currently both). So the next best thing is reading good stuff like your posts and golf books. Just finished Jim Hartsell’s “When Revelation Comes” & highly recommend.
A light bulb moment for me. I've been struggling with an injured foot/calf/achilles for the past couple of years, and played zero golf last season. Looking back, I can see that I've probably been hard to deal with over the past 15-20 months, and I now know why -- I haven't had my therapy sessions! I haven't even been able to go to my local chipping green and have the satisfaction of hitting a couple of hundred pitch shots (even that weight shift hurts), which was a regular occurrence in my life. I'm not sure why I'd never thought about this retardation of my state of mind before, but thanks. Maybe I'll start re-reading some of my golf library, to in some part mentally alleviate the lack of golf in my life. Golf in the Kingdom it is...
Mark, thanks again for reading, and I appreciate your thoughts and am sad you weren't able to play. I've had a few spells where I hardly golfed, but only one where it was enforced (a small broken bone in my wrist a good 15 years ago). It was a very different feeling...frustrated rather than disinterested, and it was so good to gradually get back to playing a bit. I hope you are able to resume next season, but Golf in the Kingdom sounds a good place to start your preparation!
This one hit the sweet spot. I didn't discover golf until my fifties - I am certain I have been an easier person to live with AG (after golf) than BG (before golf). It's the ability to escape, to live in the moment and discard all other distractions that is so good for the soul. Without wishing to labour the point, you get the same effect on a motorcycle.
On the other hand, it could just be that I am getting old :-)
Thanks Robin. I love the AG/BG categorisation!
I think I probably know the answer, but have you read (my favourite book!) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? Some classic passages on being present in the wind and the sights as they motor across the great plains...if you haven't read it yet, stop what you are doing and begin! I'll even send you a copy, haha!
You guessed right, Richard - yes I know it well. Unlike golf, the amount of quality writing available to motorcyclists is fairly limited (and nothing that crosses over, at least, not yet). Even for those who have never ridden, I would recommend: The Perfect Vehicle - Melissa Holbrook Pierson, Riding with Rilke: Reflections on Motorcycles and Books - Ted Bishop and Revolutionary Ride - Lois Pryce.
Ha! I knew it!
Have you ZATAOMM on Kindle? My father’s hardback is starting to show how much I’ve read it, so to protect that, I bought a digital version. It includes extra material…some reflections on his son’s tragic end, plus letters to and fro with his editor (after 100 plus rejections. It was revelatory to find this additional stuff…
Thanks re: the other recommendations! Safely bookmarked!
So true for most of us I’d guess. Escaping the rush & chaos of the world in our golf sanctuaries is so good for our minds, bodies & spirits. I miss it dearly every winter or when injured (currently both). So the next best thing is reading good stuff like your posts and golf books. Just finished Jim Hartsell’s “When Revelation Comes” & highly recommend.
Thank you! And another recommendation for Jim's latest...I've been saving that for the winter months. It sounds wonderful!