I made my option clear on the LIV league here. In summary, I think its more of a (not competitive league) more like the leagues my kids played where everyone gets a trophy. Plus there is the moral questions. Either way, I don’t plan to watch it. But I also said I understand guys have their reasons and I can’t really blame them for that.
After watching the full season of Full Swing on Netflix I do have a new-found view of Brooks Koepka.
We all know guys like Brooks
I’ve known guys and am even friends like Brooks. You know the guy, touch guy, no nonsense, calls you out if you’re acting like a weenie. They tend to push the envelope, showing a weakness is not an option. A strong guy, works out, doesn’t show a lot of sympathy for the weak and pretty sure we all know what he thought of a guy who is kind of an odd duck like Bryson.
To me Brooks is a guy that probably never had any doubt about himself or his game. Nobody can win all the time, except maybe Tiger. I just figured Brooks knew his game was down a little but I never would have thought he would doubt himself and whether he would ever get back to winning.
That’s why episode 2 in season 1 was so surprising
It was a side of Brooks that I never thought I would see. Vulnerable, questioning his abilities, comparing himself to other golfers like Scotty Scheffler. I just thought of him as a mentally and physically strong individual.
I’m not saying I think he is not’t mentally strong, you have to be to play at that high of level at any sport. But for someone like me who is playing pretty well, for me, and one bad swing causes me to completely get into my head and have a hard time getting out of it. To see Brooks question himself like that really reminds me, golf is so, so mental.
Why I wanted to write this
I think as amateur golfers, and I am talking about myself, need to remember golf is hard and we are all going to hit a bad shot now and then, or even a bunch in a row. So we should probably go easy on ourselves and we will probably play better and enjoy ourselves on the course.
That fact I sometimes think my game is toast and I will never hit a shot over 20 yards again is probably a normal response. Even the pros question themselves sometimes.
Conclusion
So basically, all I was trying to comment on in this article was my surprised with the vulnerability Brooks showed in the Netflix episode Win or Go Home. He really let the camera crew in on his true feelings and insecurities in his current game. It would have been really easy for him to keep up the tough guy persona and say he was fine and would be back so don’t worry. I would have believed that from him without much question.
But the fact that he was questioning his game and willing to share that was very impressive to me. I have a new-found respect for him as a golfer and person. I still don’t really feel the LIV tour is all that legit, as I’ve said here. But the fact that Brooks choose LIV does make more sense at this point if Brooks was questioning his game when the opportunity presented itself.
So whether you are just starting to play golf or you are a seasoned player with a single handicap, its good to know even the best golfers in the world sometimes question themselves and their golf game. But I think the best thing is to try to not be too hard on yourself and understand there are going to be times you’re not playing your best.
I wonder if Tiger has ever felt that way?
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