NOTES FROM THE SOUTH ZONE CIRCUIT

Dated: Thu 25th October 2007 Posted by: Vijay divecha

A LESSON IN ENTHUSIASM, COURAGE AND PERSISTENCE

Notes from the South Zone Junior Circuit—October,2007

A lesson in courage and persistence

After a long break of four months, the circuit got under way during the Dassera holidays. Starting with Eagleton on 9^th,10 & 11^th, we went on to Mysore on 12^th,13^th and 14^th, and then after a short break went to Chennai on 19^th,20^th and 21^st.
All three tournaments provided good competition and good quality of play. The six hole play off at Mysore was really a cliff-hanger and very exciting to watch. Congratulations to all the winners and to all the participants for making our circuit so unique. It was great meeting up with our community – juniors, parents and grandparents after so long.
It was at Chennai while watching the eleventh hole that I learnt a lesson in enthusiasm, courage, determination and persistence. Being a par three hole which involves a carry over the race track (out of bounds) to the green on the other side it is a difficult shot for most players. One of the boys playing that hole hit one ball out of bounds and then hit a provisional and then another. After walking up to the green he found all of them out of bounds. He was in tears and I went up to him and did try to cheer him up. He then proceeded back to the tee and hit another ball out of bounds and then another. Tears were rolling down his cheeks but he finally managed to hit one ball over the race tracks. He played out that hole and the tears had not yet dried out. He was running out of balls but continued the round where most of us would have given up.
He came up to meet me after the round and said that but for that hole he played reasonable golf that day. He not only finished the round but came back the next day and played the second round. On the second day I went back to the eleventh to see him play his tee shot. He pulled out his driver and sailed it over the rails just over the green. The look on his face and his pumping fist was a joy to watch.
The boy in question is Shreyas Muzumdar. Shreyas at the best of times shoots in the 90s and is a regular participant in all our tournaments. Shreyas would like to be a good player one day. I wish him all success. Whether he will become a good player I cannot say but he has all the qualities that I look for in a good player.
After a long association of 45 years with golf I learnt something that day. I learnt that enthusiasm, courage, passion and persistence are the qualities for being a good player. I always believed that a good player is the one with good scores. Well, Shreyas just taught me that a good player is also someone who has other qualities so aptly displayed by him at the eleventh hole in Chennai.
I take this opportunity to congratulate Shreyas for his tremendous enthusiasm for the game. His enthusiasm was evident all these years but what he revealed to me on the eleventh hole at Chennai was beyond just enthusiasm – THAT WAS PASSION, COURAGE, PERSISTENCE AND …. something I cannot describe in words. I also take this opportunity to congratulate his parents. YOU MUST BE REALLY PROUD OF YOUR SON. The qualities he has shown are admirable and your son taught me something that I consider the best lesson of my life.
SHREYAS YOU ARE A GOOD PLAYER – MAY YOUR SCORES IMPROVE. But whatever happens with your golf you have taught me a lesson I will never forget. I hope you achieve whatever you have set out to achieve in your life.
To all the other boys and girls out there. You add value to our circuit and I am planning to bring some of our top players to you for lessons in humility, courage, persistence and enthusiasm for the game of golf.

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