Another year and another season has come to end. It’s the time of year you go on social media and you see everyone posting their highs and lows and sharing their spotify wrapped for the previous 12 months. What has happened, what could have happened. It’s a positive but also quite an eery and reflective place. What did we do before social media, did we just tell each other or did we even reflect? Is that a new thing? I don’t know, but it’s definitely something more and more people are doing, and rightly so.
You don’t have to reflect. You don’t have to publish it, you don’t have to share it, you don’t even have to tell anyone. Or you can. That’s ok too. I find value in it, and I feel so many other people could too. I guess writing this and publishing it is my version of reflection.
I’m on a flight on the way home from Q-School, another one, another one where I have ‘failed’ to achieve what I went there for. I’ve already started reflecting, there were conversations with colleagues and friends within 30 minutes of our tournament finishing about the future. Reflection and looking forward already. Conversations flowing over a few spontaneous shots- just to slightly numb the pain of yet another visit to what could be the most stressful tournament of the season. One we build up so much in our heads, one that means so much to us. The golf ball has no idea where it is though, it couldn’t care less. Those at home look on in hope, and support.
It’s now Christmas and a perfect time to stop, reflect and look forward to the new year. On a business level so much has happened to me since our season finished in October. Three sponsors have told me they are no longer going to support me. That hurts, but I can’t thank them enough for their support up to this point. My management company and I have gone our separate ways. I’m now taking care of all things Hannah McCook golf myself, something that actually really motivates me.
I’ve changed coach, that was actually a relatively easy decision in the end, once I had convinced myself. I just needed a slightly different perspective, something fresh and new . The conversation with David was so hard though, it felt like a break up. We had worked together for so long, I valued all our time together and everything he has taught me. He’s got me to where I am and for that I will forever be grateful. He saw me smile and he saw me cry. He picked me up more times than I could pick myself up. He finished the sentence for me when I was trying to find the right words to explain I was going to move on. Just like he did many times when we would have sessions together, we would bicker at times but we are so close it was always from the right place. I’m lucky to have had someone like David for so long who has only ever wanted the best for me. It works both ways.
I’m now a PGA trainee, I’ve begun my PGA training. I’m not ready to retire, I’m still on my own personal pursuit of excellence. However, I am ready to dovetail my playing with stepping into a new world to pass on my knowledge and experience to others. I never saw myself as a coach until the start of this season, but caddying at Cabot Highland and helping some people along the way brought a bigger smile to my face when I saw their reaction. It was quick decision to begin my training after I first thought, so here I am with an assignment due soon but I’m typing here rather than all about social media and personal branding. It excites me. I want to introduce and help people in a game that has not only become my life, but that has brought me so much joy.
This year has flown by, I can’t believe it’s Christmas in a few days…. How many people are you hearing say that? It’s not been the most successful year on the course in terms of the goals I had set myself. Although, it’s taught me a lot about me and what I want and need to do. I’m more than ready for a few mince pies and then get my teeth stuck into getting better myself, and beginning my journey to help others feel that same satisfaction of improvement and pursuit of excellence, however that looks to them.
Until then, I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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