Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Magdalena's Were the Best Lessons I Ever Gave

This is a true story...  In 2001 a lady named Magdalena came to me for a lesson.  She was 77 years old, Hispanic, and LOVED golf even though she had never played on a course.

I asked Magdalena to hit some shots while I got some more background on her.  So she proceeded to try to hit an 8-iron even though the clubface was so closed it would not get airborne.  I asked her how many times she had been out to hit some balls and she said about 15 or so.

I couldn't believe that with that kind of performance and no instruction that she would still want to play golf!  I made that one little clubface position change to open it up and she got the ball airborne -- for the first time ever! 

It flew about 35 yards in the air.  Magdalena covered her mouth with her hand, stunned at what had happened.  She looked back at me and I smiled and said, "That was great -- do it again!" 

So she did -- 3 more times.  And with each she had the same response - complete and utter joy.  So much so that she began to cry.  I gave her a hug and said let's see if we can do even better! 

She shook her head no and said "No, the lesson is over because I just achieved what I set out to do!"

I said no, that she now had to go with my goal, which was to get her to play golf.  So that day we played 3 holes with all shots off a tee and by the end she was speechless!

Over the next 2 years I saw Magdalena about a dozen more times.  I never changed her golf swing -- we would just work on a few positions.  Then we would go to the golf course and play 2 or 3 holes.  She even bought 5 custom fitted clubs from me and played golf with her husband.  I moved away then, but I never forgot about Magdalena.

You see, she said she had such a hard life that she wouldn't tell me about it.  "I don't want you to cry too!" she said.  All I know is that she was an alcoholic who had been sober for about 6 years when we met.

Magdalena told me that I had helped her live the remainder of her life to its fullest because she got to play and succeed at golf.

You just never know who might show up for lessons, and you never know just how big your impact can be.