Three Qualities of a Great Golfer

I read a post today about the qualities that make someone a great entrepreneur and that made me think about what a great idea it would be to write about three qualities that make a great golfer. I am by no means a great golfer, but I've seen a couple before, and I think I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to be great (it is not, by the way, wearing the most fashionable mens golf pants, though that can't hurt). If you think I'm wrong, there is a comment section below just waiting to be used.

1. Great Golfers are Dedicated

Being great takes dedication. I hate to admit this, but I just saw a documentary on Tim Tebow, the former quarterback of the Florida Gators. He didn't want to be a pro golfer, but he did want to be a pro football player, and, specifically, a quarterback. He said, during the documentary, something to the effect of "every day I, at the end of the day I ask myself, did you give it your all? Did you do everything you can to be the best today? Is there anyone out there that can say they outworked you? My goal at the end of the day is to be able to answer those questions the right way."

If you want to be good at something,if you want to be great at something, you have to be willing to dedicate yourself to it. That means working on it on those days when you don't want to. That means fitting your work in whenever you can. It means going that extra mile.

In golf it's no different. If you aren't practicing every day, doing something every day to get better, then you are getting worse. Pros don't take days off (at least the good one's don't - they work every day to get better.

2. Great Golfers Have a Short Memory

Do you know any golfers that have never missed a putt? How about a golfer that has never hit his ball into the hazard or the rough? Ever know a golfer that never lost a golf ball or didn't get a terrible kick off a sprinkler head? Of course not - those thing happen in golf. That's what makes them fun. But if you want to be great, you've got to be able to put those bad shots out of your mind and move on.

For example, I knew this guy, great golfer. He hit a shot so flush and so perfect one time that it went exactly where he wanted it to - and it landed right smack dab in the middle flagstick - and then rolled back into the water. When this happened, did my guy lose it, and his round? No. He rolled up his plaid golf pants, got in the water, and got up and down for par. If you want to be great, you've got to accept that you're going to fail some times and put that out of your mind.

3. No Fear of Failure

It's a tough thing to do to put yourself out there, to tell people you are trying to be a professional golfer. And the reason it's hard is that often people around you are rooting against you. Maybe not outright. Maybe not to your face, but it's amazing how eager people are to see other people fail - I think it just makes them feel better about their own failures.

Well, if you want to be a great golfer, you've got to be able to eliminate fear. You've got to be able to embrace the stage, to step into the spotlight, and take that chance to be great when it needs to be taken. Failing isn't the worst thing that can happen to you, it's the not trying that's really epic.

There you have it - three qualities of a great golfer. Do you agree? Did I forget something? What should be added? Let me know in the comments below.