Logos Golf Ministries at the Pro-Am at Easter Moffat
It’s been a while since I’ve played in a Pro-Am and the last one might have been way back in 2019 before the Pandemic. I’ve never been a great fan of the format as it’s used more for a boys’ day out these days rather than proper tournament golf but can be a good way of meeting new people.
Easter Moffat is not far from Airdrie and sits among the trees on top of a hill. A very quirky course that requires some good bounces but usually the greens are excellent. I was paired with Players A, B, and C who are all members of the club and from the start, they were very vocal (loud) which was probably due to the ciders being consumed. They were all very friendly but I was hoping the volume wouldn’t get too much higher.
It was a tricky start, and despite hitting the ball reasonably well I found myself 4 over after the first 5 holes. A combination of misclubing and being a bit tentative on the fast green didn’t help but I felt really hard done by.
The guys had calmed down a bit and by the turn, I’d struck up some decent conversations with Player C. He’d asked about LGMS and we chatted for quite a few holes about faith and our own backgrounds. He mentioned that his wife was Muslim and when confronted with different religions I always tend to say the same thing. I explained that we believe deep inside us there is one true faith, and that man has created so many different religions it’s impossible for them all to be true because they all conflict. If we look deep enough inside then we’ll find the one truth that God wants us to believe. I think he got the point I was trying to make.
I’d managed to get a couple of shots back going into the back 9 and felt as though my game was in pretty good shape despite being over par.
I did however make a really poor decision on the 11th tee and I think this was a result of doubt. I was going to play a fairly conservative tee shot due to being Out of Bounds all the way up the right side of the hole, but I got swayed by the thought of reaching the hole in 2 and making another birdie. I tried to cut the corner with a wood, a shot I was not 100% comfortable with, and knew this was a risk. As soon as I hit the shot I knew it was the wrong call and should have gone with my first instinct.
Too often I’ve second-guessed myself in these situations and it’s cost me. A treble bogey and my round was all but done.
As we finished the final few holes the guys were still in good spirits as our team score wasn’t bad. I was still hitting decent shots and trying hard but the doubt had set in and I dropped a couple more shots purely out of disappointment, nothing more.
Sitting at dinner we chatted about various issues from Golf course condition to football and the Old Firm. The guys were very kind to me despite my challenging finish and I think they appreciated I’d had a bit of a raw deal on the course.
It’s amazing how one shot can cause such a problem but I think the best way to improve is to be more decisive and not doubt.
Committing to something is the hardest decision we make, whether on the course or off it. There will always be another option, but standing firm and believing we’re making the right decision will generally provide the best outcome.
Already I’m looking forward to Falkirk Tryst this Friday (19th August) for our LGMS Outreach Day and praying for another successful event.
Yours in Christ,
Vincent Brown, PGA Professional, LGMS Ambassador to the Tartan Tour
To get in touch with Vincent Click Here