The Forty Year Old Apprentice: A Journey of Getting Better

“If you are not willing to change, you will not get better.”- one of my master instructors last week

Have you ever had the opportunity to meet someone at the absolute pinnacle of their craft? As a huge fan of sports, I immediately think of Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, or Lebron James. But those are the sexy names. Have you ever thought about who is the best writer in the world? Or the best interior decorator? Or the best maker of sunglasses?

If you aspired to make sunglasses, how awesome would it be to spend an hour, a day, or an entire week with that person?

That’s what happened to me last week.

—

For the past four years in the golf world, I have been the least experienced person in every room and on every course as it relates to aspiring golfers, golf instructors, and golf professionals. The room last week in Frisco, Texas was no different as I spent the week with eighteen peers aspiring to be something more.

I haven’t used this word much because it isn’t used much anymore, but in retrospect, I’ve really been an apprentice for the past few years, on a mission to learn an exorbitant amount of information through listening, observing, and getting thrown into the fire. I brought a wealth of life experience into my position, so don’t let me fool you, but as it relates to golf, I was a forty year old apprentice.

As we introduced ourselves to each other on the first day of the seminar, I briefly told my story. They asked what my ultimate goal was, and I confidently told them I had no idea. How can I have any idea what my ceiling is when I am learning something new every single day? When I am experimenting and trying something new every single day?

—

“Be curious, not judgmental.”- Ted Lasso

Though the number I found varies, for simplicity’s sake, let’s say that there are only 400 master professionals in the world. Last week in Frisco, Texas, I got to spend five days with two of them. As the name implies, they are the best of the best, and with as many years of experience as I have been alive, the wealth of knowledge is astounding.

What struck me most, though, was that even though they were at the top of their fields, they were hellbent on the process of learning more. (Wonder how they got to the top of their field?) I felt so energized in their presence. They had ten stories for every question that was asked. But the real treat for me, other than the Texas Twinkie from nearby Hutchins BBQ, was the thirty minute lesson I got from each of them regarding my personal golf game.

—

For the past almost twelve months, something has been slightly off in my game. It’s been diagnosed, kind of fixed, rediagnosed, sort of fixed, over and over. But something is still wrong.

Never one to miss an opportunity and certainly not ashamed of my flaws, I jumped at the chance to get a free lesson with each of them, something that would usually involve a waitlist and upwards of $500. I couldn’t wait to hear what they observed and how that information would be communicated to me.

Would it be my swing path? Or my wrist angles? Or the shafts in my club? The answer was not just no, but hell no. As only a true master of his universe could tell me, my instructor said Ben, your feet are too close together. You’re 6’4”. This Texas wind is about to blow you over. How can you expect to swing as fast as you do with such a narrow foundation? And that was that.

He gave me homework. We discussed how the change felt. He talked to me as a human being. And then I hammered a handful of balls into that beautiful Texas sky.

My feet were too far apart? He diagnosed that in thirty seconds, and one week later, when performed correctly, I’m hitting the ball better than ever. A master, indeed.

—

As we shared thoughts with each other throughout the week, I pondered what I might tell everyone that would be beneficial for them to hear. When the moment was right, I shared with the whole room that this entire process is a journey of getting better. Not a journey of comparing yourself versus Tiger Woods, or yourself versus a master teaching professional, or even yourself versus me. It’s about ARE YOU GETTING BETTER, measured daily, monthly, and over a larger period of time.

I’m not going to be an apprentice for much longer. I’ve told my parents to circle a date on the calendar next year. But that’s really just semantics. For a curious person like me, the apprenticeship really never ends. Learn more. Get better. Pay it forward.

—

Have a great week.-Benj

Join the abk community!

Follow along on Instagram @anythingbutkhakis, @abkgolf, and @anythingbutkhakisphotography.

If you enjoy these and would like to get the weekly piece via email, please follow on the website http://www.anythingbutkhakis.com.