Good-bye 2020… and hello 2021! What did January bring us? Riots at the Capitol, our nation’s COVID-19 death toll reaching 400,000, another impeachment, the swearing in of a new administration, and the death of a sports icon. And that is only January of this year so far. What did we learn? I believe we learned some valuable lessons. We learned that our democracy is strong, COVID-19 is an indiscriminate killer, and that racism can’t diminish achievement. I took away some other key ideas from the events of this year that I will share with you: Unity, Passion, Strength and Grace.
Unity or Oneness: The state of being wholly united with or a part of someone or something. How is this applicable to our Section? Think of our mission statement, “Serve the member and grow the game.” Your officers and board members continuously filter everything that we do through that statement. More importantly, with five diverse chapters, we can’t always be aligned with day-to-day operations. However, by focusing on our mission, we can be united as a whole.
Passion: Sharing intense feelings. Why is it essential to be passionate in our roles? Think about how many people we interact with each day. Using the example of teaching, if you give five lessons a week for a month, that’s twenty people a month, and over six months, that’s 120 people you impact directly. People feel your passion and embrace it.
Strength: The ability to withstand strain. We have all had to show strength this last year in all facets of our jobs. People have been suffering and continue to suffer, and and for many, golf has been a release. Our ability to be empathic and supportive creates a caring environment and positive experience for our customers/members and our staffs.
Grace: To confer dignity or honor. Hank Aaron received hate mail death threats to himself and his family as he closed in on, and passed, Babe Ruth’s record. Throughout this, he displayed grace; while it was painful, he quietly did his job. It’s important as leaders to display grace every day. Some days it is easier than others, but it must remain a bedrock in everything we do.
I believe 2021 will overall be a year of promise and success with Unity, Passion, Strength and Grace as our guiding principles. We are united as we strive to “serve the member and grow the game” and we share a passion for this great game. We will get through our difficulties and celebrate our successes with strength and grace.
I’d like to end with a quote from Hank Aaron: “In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.”
Please stay safe and healthy,
Howie Pruitt, PGA
Director, Golf Operations, Aspen Lakes GC
President, Pacific Northwest Section