The Garden Metaphor…
Our super golfers of the future are like seeds in a flowerbed. All the potential and knowledge about them already exists inside them waiting to blossom. What kind of soil, nurturing, and environment do they need to make their potential grow? As a coach and / or parent, you need to become aware of what each flower needs and wants.
Some of the flower buds are shooting up early in their careers with fantastic performance. Others seem to do the right things and learning is taking place, but you haven’t seen the flower in it’s fullest and greatest bloom yet. A good gardener is patient and knows that they may still end up being the best of the crop. Some may fade and be considered gone, then show up a few years later in full bloom!
A natural rhythm of seasons exists that is different for each young flower. For long life, each flower needs a balance of activity and rest. This balance will lead to the greatest learning opportunities and ensure the best performance for the long run.
One thing is for sure: You cannot pull a flower up by its stem and say “Now you should grow!” They will only grow when they are ready and the environment is right. Certain flowers will grow better together with other flowers. Others will grow better alone. Nothing is right or wrong, so you will have to adjust accordingly.
As a coach and / or parent, you are gardening in order for the flower to establish a strong root system, and to find the right soil and the right amount of water for optimum growth. In this way, you take care of the entire flower. You do not believe in just caring for a few of the petals here and there that you can only see. You understand that the whole plant requires fertilizing and nurturing. It might take longer and require a good bit of patience, but you know it’s the only way to achieve a strong and beautiful flower. Neither do you believe in overfeeding or overwatering young athletes in the form of too much information or coaching. When this happens you know the flower just rots at the roots.
During certain periods some of the young plants will need extra support. Something might be out of balance. A support stick might be needed. Some might even need to be indoors for awhile. When their balance is back, the support stick can be removed. Your goal is for each one of the flowers becomes hardy and self-sustaining.
In a flower’s life you know it will experience a few storms. It’s part of nature’s cycle. You do not know when the storms will come or how challenging they will be, but from experience you know that storms will come and go. By working at the root level, the flowers will build strong stems and will have greater resources to handle any storm that comes along – all by themselves. This is a good goal as they won’t always have the gardener around to take them in when it gets stormy.
When the maturing flowers reach their potential, they will start to shed their seeds. The potential in these seeds is incredible. These seeds contain qualities, competence and performance that will spread with the wind over the land. In these seedlings lies the future of the sport. The next generation of flowers has a bright future. As a gardener, you know, they too are unique, and will require their own kind of tending to.
And sow on…
May your one putts, birdies, and eagles be plentiful.
