Lee Trevino - The Lonely Game - True or False

[nevets88]

I dunno, now with how connected we are now, if that's the case.

 

[iacas]

True. He's not talking about being a scratch golfer… and even as a scratch golfer, you'll spend plenty of time alone.

[IowaGreg]

Just my hacker opinion........

Unless you are one in a billion that has just has the natural aptitude, you really have to work at it with no distractions to get good at it. and even with the natural aptitude, you have to still work at it.  You still need to be with others that can help improve your game, but there is still a majority of just being out there by yourself to practice.  I've stated before, I know i'll never be a scratch golfer, but, I do keep trying to improve my game as much as I can.  I cannot afford hundreds of $$ on lessons.  Spending 3-4 days a week, and weekends on the course and the range.  I just do what I can.  75% of the time by myself.  I try to play along with others at least as good as I am, preferably better and it seems to help me bring my playing level up.  While it can be, Golf is not a team sport.  I would agree with Lee, the better you want to be, the more you will be out there practicing and typically by yourself.

 

 

[p1n9183]

In order to improve, yes. If not you can play just with your friends and you will never be alone.

 

[Patch]

I tend to agree with Trevino. I myself have spent countless hours, practicing and playing to reach what ever potential I had for this game. I still do today, just to slow down the process of losing what game I now have. 

Most all of that guru practice and some of the playing were done alone. I'd get my instruction from my swing guru, go practice what I needed to work on. These days I tell myself what I need to work on.

Now, I don't necessarily think being alone on a golf course is a bad thing. A good match with others is a good thing. However, when it's just the golfer playing against the course, alone, that's pretty special too.  

 

[chspeed]

I agree, but he could be talking about anything in which you want to become an expert or world class.

Math, science, literature, music, you name it. You're going to be spending a lot of time alone. IMO, when he says alone, he doesn't necessarily mean not in the company of others. He said he spent a lot of time on the driving range - I am sure there were others there, it's just that he sacrificed being with friend and family to become as good as he could be. For most of us, being with strangers is like being alone.

Talent is necessary but not sufficient. Work ethic and personal sacrifice is necessary, but not sufficient. It's some combination of those that stands out.

Edited May 30, 2019 by chspeed

[hoselpalooza]

1 hour ago, chspeed said:

I agree, but he could be talking about anything in which you want to become an expert or world class.

Math, science, literature, music, you name it. You're going to be spending a lot of time alone. IMO, when he says alone, he doesn't necessarily mean not in the company of others. He said he spent a lot of time on the driving range - I am sure there were others there, it's just that he sacrificed being with friend and family to become as good as he could be. For most of us, being with strangers is like being alone.

Talent is necessary but not sufficient. Work ethic and personal sacrifice is necessary, but not sufficient. It's some combination of those that stands out.

@chspeed, your comments remind me of an einstein quote i think is actually real:  

Quote

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.

 

[golfprotl1]

On 5/30/2019 at 8:42 AM, nevets88 said:

I dunno, now with how connected we are now, if that's the case.

 

  As someone that had the pleasure of knowing Lee on the golf course at LaCosta as a pro caddy and being with him as we he worked his way around the golf course....i can assure the entire golfing public....if Lee Trevino tells you it's raining...you can get an umbrella....This man has integrity...honesty...commitment...talent...and is a true human being...it doesn't come any better than...Super Mex...God bless you Lee.....and thanks for the memories....

[Zeph]

From the perspective of a professional, he's right. They need to put in the hours, and most of them alone. But being alone doesn't necessarily mean you are lonely. 

I like being alone, so it's a happy game for me, but I'm just an amateur and don't put in anything close to the number of hours a professional does. 

It's one of the reasons I ended up with golf and not something you need more than one person to do. I like tennis, but never kept up with it. I'd think there are many professional golfers that also enjoy solitude and ended up with golf partly because of that. 

As others have mentioned, if we are talking about athletes at the top of their sport, you need to put in a lot of hours, many of them alone, even if you are in a team sport.

[Epopt]

I think being a touring pro is largely what he is referring to. Or a hustler that's trying to make a living off golf. We all dream of waking one day in the PGA on tour but I suspect it is not as desirable a life as the dreams suggest. 

Discipline can be hard on the individual, as rewarding as it often is. 

[70sSanO]

Golf is really no different than being a musician.  You can’t achieve any level of competency without practice.  And you can’t really practice proper techniques working the others.

You can get instruction or pointers but no one can play the notes for you or hit a golf ball for you.  It takes focus and concentration; and hours of practice.

Golf is one of those sports where you are alone even in a crowd.  When you stand over the ball, you are not reacting to an opponent, or accepting a pass, or in the middle of a bang-bang play; it is just you and the ball.

John