The Lessons of Bobby Jones

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The influence of Bobby Jones on golf, Augusta and the Masters Tournament remains vital more than four decades after his death. And while his talents as a golfer are well known, his friends and most of his biographers were always impressed with his writing skills and use of language. He used this to share lessons that applied not only to golf, but to life. A life in which Bobby Jones valued honor, grace, dignity and sportsmanship. Here are some examples:

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On destiny: "...It looks more and more as if this game is all in the book before a ball is hit; and you merely go through a championship tournament as you were rehearsed to go through it, perhaps a million years before."

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On advice: "I hope I may be able to follow it, occasionally."

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Past mistakes: "There are always a number of strokes in a round that you might have dropped ... Don't think so much about them."

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Master little things: "Those little shots from just off the green - they're the least spectacular in golf, I suppose, and the greatest stroke-savers, if they are working for you."

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Avoid trouble: "As a general proposition I fancy it might be laid down that the main object of a trouble shot in golf is to get out of trouble. This conclusion is not so obvious as it first may appear."

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Be your best: "In order to win, you must play your best golf when you need it most, and play your sloppy stuff when you can afford it. I shall not attempt to explain how you achieve this happy timing."

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Be patient: "Old Man Par is a patient soul, who never shoots a birdie and never incurs a buzzard ... and if you travel the long route with him, you must be patient, too. The number of years required to hammer it into me is a sorry commentary on my native intelligence"

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Trust instinct: "I can't help the opinion that it is judgment more than mechanical execution that counts, when you're in trouble."

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Rest and relax: "Years ago I discovered that the best preparation for a big tournament, for me, was as much rest as I could acquire."

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Keep focus: "Old Man Par, the imperturbable economist! Make a friend and a constant foe of him, and the other boys won't be quite so rough on you."

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On luck: "I have found out this much: In the long run it seems to play no favorites - if the run is long enough."

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Economize: "The secret of golf is to turn three shots into two."

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Don't hesitate: "Once a swing is under way, the only thing I can think of is hitting the ball. To attempt to think of anything else is the most certain method of courting absolute ruin."

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Pay attention: "I never learned anything from a match that I won."

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The influence of Bobby Jones on golf, Augusta and the Masters Tournament remains vital more than four decades after his death. And while his talents as a golfer are well known, his friends and most of his biographers were always impressed with his writing skills and use of language. He used this to share lessons that applied not only to golf, but to life. A life in which Bobby Jones valued honor, grace, dignity and sportsmanship. Here are some examples:

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Perspective: "Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots - but you have to play the ball where it lies."

The Lessons of Bobby Jones

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The Lessons of Bobby Jones

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