Straight Shots and Real Conversation

This past week, I found myself at the golf course playing by myself as usual and caught up with two women who were playing in front of me. We had a brief conversation and found out that one was the daughter of a retired colleague, and the other was her 87 year old (she gave me her age!) grandmother! They asked if I wanted to play through and after doing that (with a poor tee shot!), they ended up asking me to play the last 5 holes with them. What I thought would be another quiet finish to a round turned into something unexpectedly special.

The grandmother, at 87 years old, was still out on the course, a club in hand, and a smile on her face! And let me tell you—she could hit the ball straight! She could also putt better than me and I asked for some tips! But even more impressive than her swing was her outlook on life.

In just five holes, I was reminded how powerful a positive perspective can be. She wasn’t focused on what she couldn’t do anymore—she was simply enjoying what she could do. There were no complaints about bad shots, no worrying about her lack of distance-just appreciation for a beautiful day, good company, and one more swing.

In a world where it’s easy to get wrapped up in results, outcomes, and status (something easy to do on the golf course and something I struggle with!), here was someone who represented enjoying the process. It wasn’t about a score on the scorecard—it was about being out there, moving, connecting, and living.

What impressed me the most was that this 87 year old wasn’t just participating—she was engaged! Her presence, both mentally and physically, was a gentle reminder that staying active, at any age, is a choice we can all make. We often tell young athletes to take care of their bodies, to keep moving, to never lose the joy of playing. But how often do we model it as we get older in life? I get asked often why I keep working so hard in “retirement”. The answer is that I am very much alive, continuing to find a purpose in life, and finding activities that fit that purpose.

This amazing woman is doing that with her life as well. She wasn’t just playing golf-she was representing a lifestyle—a commitment to movement, optimism, and living life to the fullest. Here are a few other takeaways from my interactions with her:

• Stay curious about people. That chance meeting led to an unexpected source of inspiration. We can gain something from every interaction we have and taking time to think about the benefits of slowing down and looking for positives from the people we meet can give us memories that will stick with us.

• Movement matters. Whether it's golf, walking, or stretching—do what you can, for as long as you can. There is no need to look back and think about what we can’t do-what are we able to do and how can we keep building on that?

• Attitude is everything. She didn’t have the longest drive, but she may have had the best day on the course. She was with her granddaughter, enjoying the nice day and got a lot of exercise in. When she hit a bad shot, she laughed it off and moved on to the next one. She definitely had a “next play” mentality!

• We’re never done learning. The people with the most to teach us often aren’t the loudest or the flashiest. I was clearly the best golfer of our threesome that day, but I clearly learned a lot from someone with more “experience” than me!

Going into the day, I thought I was just out for a routine round of golf, but those last five holes turned into a large lesson in living life with joy, aging well, and keeping everything in perspective.

So here’s to hitting the ball straight, keeping a positive mindset, and never underestimating what five holes—or five minutes—with the right person can teach you. Have a great week!

Coach K