Okay folks, let me tell you about this morning. Grabbed my notebook and coffee, fully intending to jot down some thoughts for that new short game drill I’ve been working on. You know the one, trying to get more spin off tight lies.
Stumbled Down a Rabbit Hole
Well, best-laid plans. Ended up scrolling through some junior golf highlights on my tablet, totally sidetracked. That’s when I saw this kid, Graham Murray. Just sixteen! His swing looked… smooth. Effortless power. Reminded me of those old Fred Couples videos.
Got curious. Started clicking around, looking for his tournament history, scores. Nothing major yet, but the snippets showed flashes of real talent. Solid putting under pressure. Good course management for his age.
Then Came the Comparisons
Here’s where it got weird. Almost every video clip, every forum thread about Graham, people weren’t just talking about him. They were immediately saying stuff like:
- “Is he the next Rory McIlroy?”
- “His swing isn’t as powerful as Tiger’s at that age…”
- “Hope he avoids the meltdowns Spieth had early on!”
Seriously? He’s barely started! Felt kinda frustrating to watch. It wasn’t just experts either. Loads of fans doing it. Like they couldn’t just see Graham for Graham.
My Own Dumb Moment
Made me check myself, actually. Flipped back through my own notes from a tournament I played last month. Found this little scribble: “Need Ernie Els tempo, not my usual rushed junk.” Caught myself doing the exact same thing! Comparing my messy swing to a legend. Felt pretty silly. How’s that even helpful?
Went back to Graham’s footage, intentionally this time. Ignored the comparisons in the comments. Just watched him. Noticed the really quiet hands he has through impact. Saw how calm he looked lining up a tricky lag putt. Focused on his strengths, his unique rhythm.
The Realization While Sipping Lukewarm Coffee
It clicked then. This constant measuring against giants? It does three things, and none are good:
- Crushes potential: Tells a kid he’s only good if he becomes exactly like someone else.
- Blinds you: You miss the cool, unique things this new player is actually doing right now.
- Kills the fun: For the player and for us watching. Turns it into a constant exam.
My coffee was cold by then. But the practice notebook? Still blank. Instead, I wrote down this thought: “Watch Graham Murray. See Graham Murray. Let him be the measuring stick for his own progress. That’s interesting enough.” Maybe I’ll try applying that to my own game too. Stop chasing Ernie and just get a tiny bit better than yesterday’s me.