Triumph of the Little Brother!

Much of my life has been spent trying to best my two older brothers in various sporting challenges. With each challenge came the expectation that this time it would be different. I always had such grand visions of the exhilaration that would accompany a victory over the stronger, bigger and more experienced big brothers. And yet, most of those times were met with disappointment. They would always comment about my great athletic potential, all the while worming their way through the cracks in my mental game. Several times I was on the brink of success, only to collapse near the end under intense pressure of verbal onslaughts. If you asked them, they would tell you they were trying to make me tough. Trying to prepare me for difficult life experiences. It was either that, or the ego of a big brother who hates to lose to the little brother, but I'll let you be the judge of that. Regardless of the motivation, the result was fairly consistent. They won and I lost. And then there was July 6, 2006.

Last night was the scene of yet another epic battle. This time on the links of Midland Country Club. Tod, Cary and I stood on the #1 tee ready to replay a scene we had rehearsed hundreds of times before. Just one week before I defeated Cary in a head to head match, but he was clearly off his game, and lacked Tod's verbal assistance to ignite my short mental fuse, so there was still more to prove. Cary declared a rematch, Tod joined in and the game was on. Cary and Tod smashed drives down the fairway, and mine went left and ended up behind a tree. After several more unfortunate shots, I was in the hole with a double bogey. Cary had par, and Tod had bogey, so it would seem the contest was over before it even started.

The old me would have fallen apart from there. But something happened. I began to wonder if this wasn't somehow a blessing in disguise. Always before, the brothers would wait until I had done well for a few holes before the mind games began. Tod would wait until about the 7th hole and say "you know he's good for at least one blow up hole per side." But this time, I got it out of the way early and stole his thunder. I knew it would come later, but this mistake gave me a little extra time to steel myself for the inevitable. And so I played on. Cary still had the lead after 3 holes, but I sensed the tide was turning. Over the next six holes I was like Tiger Woods, finishing the front 9 at just 1 over par. My career best.

Over the next 9 holes, the brothers tried to sling their arrows at me, but to no avail. Something had changed in the cosmos. My previously fragile mental game had been transformed. I continued on, determined to play like the golfer they often feared I could be. Cary was playing well, but still trailing. My putts were rolling in from all over the green and I began to see a look on Cary's face that I had never seen. It was as though he was thinking to himself, "I'm playing really good, and he's still winning. How can this be?" As darkness fell, we stood on the tee box on 17 and I hit my first bad drive since hole #1. They sensed an opening and began their taunting in earnest. I double bogeyed the hole and their hopes were raised. Would there be another collapse? Not this time. I finished 18 and looked at the scorecard. A 78! My first round in the 70's at MCC, but more importantly, 4 shots better than Cary and 18 shots better than Tod.

So, for all the younger brothers out there, there is hope. I urge you to press on through the browbeating and needling. Believe in the impossible. Victory is attainable if you have the courage to take it.

As for Tod and Cary, I want to thank you for your relentless dedication to increasing my mental toughness. You can take pride in a job well done. And by the way, you both owe me some money.