Fairways of Life Overview:
Fairways of Life uses golf as a metaphor for life by drawing inspiration from the rich history of the game. Stories about Jones, Hogan, Palmer and Nicklaus, and many others, reveal the universal truths inherent in the game. New York Times and USA Today best selling coauthor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series and Golf Channel personality, Matthew Adams, uses the game’s timeless wisdom to help us find meaning and fulfillment both on and off the golf course. Fairways of Life is destined to become one of the finest golf books every written and one you will surely fall in love with.

Fairways of Life Testimonials:

“I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have.”
Arnold Palmer

“There are great stories of inspiration from champions of the game like Hagen, Jones, Snead, Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus and Woods, among many others. Fairways of Life celebrates their accomplishments and the lessons that their discipline, hard work and perspective can teach us.”
Tim Finchem
Commissioner
PGA Tour

“Matthew Adams’ unique perspective on the game of golf and the game of life are brilliantly displayed in Fairways of Life. Matthew uses golf as a metaphor for life in a way that is insightful, empowering and full of hope.”
Jack Canfield
Creator and cofounder of Chicken Soup for the Soul
Author of The Success Principles

Fairways of Life
Sample Chapter: Overcoming Obstacles

Just How Long Is This Hole?
Golf course architects have a few tricks that they like to employ to make a golf hole seem much more ominous. One such trick is to build up the green complex so that the top of the green seems almost suspended in air. Usually, the green is surrounded by broad, sloping hills that keep trees and vegetation a considerable distance away from the putting surface. The result is the illusion that the green is farther away from the golfer than it actually is because the eye lacks a reference, near the green, from which to ascertain distance. Combine this with a narrow shoot at the tee box, a bunker placed around 400 yards from the tee (to draw the eye), and some gentle mounding to define the contours of the hole and a hole measuring around 425 yards (while not short, certainly not a monster by today’s standards) seems like it is 800 yards long. A particular master at visual deception was the course architect genius, Donald Ross. While most of his courses were not designed to be very long compared to modern courses, he could make a 325 yard hole seem three times as large. When you recall that his courses existed before the advent of yardage books and GPS systems it gives an even greater appreciation for his mastery. If the mark of a classic is the way it stands the test of time, then Ross’ Pinehurst #2 pretty much says it all.
The bottom line is that Ross, and others like him, provide us with the opportunity to create an obstacle in our mind that is bigger than it is in reality.

“This is the essence of strategic architecture:
to encourage initiative,
reward a well played stroke,
and yet to insist that there must be planning and
honest self-appraisal behind the daring”
Robert Trent Jones, Sr.

Overcoming obstacles represents the very essence of the golf. Each shot carries with it a new challenge; a new set of variables to content with such as wind, slope of the landing area, width of the fairway, the size and shape of the green and the pin position, among others. Of course, while the physical demands of executing the shots necessary to overcome these obstacles is challenging, what can be even more formidable is the mental strain they cause. This is compounded by pressure from competition, stress and anxiety over execution.

“Wind and rain are great challenges.
They separate the real golfers.
Let the seas pound against the shore,
let the rain pour”
Tom Watson

In an effort to illustrate the steps necessary to overcome the obstacles we may face in life, this chapter uses character traits of some of the game’s greatest champions from which to draw inspiration. Here are the steps to execute:

Have the vision of Nicklaus: Overcoming obstacles requires vision. Vision allows us to see the possibilities that exist on the horizon, beyond the fog of adversity that surrounds us.

No player in the history of the game had better vision than Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus had the career vision to prepare his game for the major championships, ignoring the critics who claimed he did not play in enough weekly Tour events. While Nicklaus has a very impressive record in non-majors, he understood that great players are judged by their performance in majors. Nicklaus’ vision led to a plan to be prepared for the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship before all others.

“Laddie, a blind hole
is blind only once
to a man with a memory”
Tommy Armour

Have the perspective of Jones: Bobby Jones pursuit of the Grand Slam in 1930 was wrought with tribulation. The fact that Jones accomplished this amazing feat is staggering, especially given the fact that he was an amateur golfer, and contrary to the popular misconception, he was not independently wealthy, so he had to contend with the everyday struggles of life, just like the rest of us. In addition, the pressures of expectation were enormous not only because he was a golf prodigy, but also because with each victory the excitement and anticipation grew (especially in America, which was struggling with the Depression and desperately needed a hero). Jones also faced fiercely tough competition from golfers eager for the fame of having stopped his march into the history books. Add to the challenge the fact that he was not at the top of his game through some of this stretch (understandably so) and the monumental statue of his accomplishment starts to come into focus.

Jones persevered and triumphed because he maintained a Zen-like stoicism that allowed him to stay focused on his core strengths regardless of the tempest that whirled around him.

“One might as well attempt to describe the smoothness of the wind
as to paint a clear picture of his (Bobby Jones) complete swing”
Grantland Rice

Have the experience of Hogan: Ben Hogan worked for every ounce of success he enjoyed. The legend of Hogan that is most remembered is the dominating golfer he became after the Second World War until the mid-1950’s. Few today recall that during his early years on Tour, Hogan was broke, more than once, and he was nearly forced to give up the pursuit of his dream to be a touring professional. So desperate was Hogan as a young professional that one time he reportedly stripped an orange tree, which was adjacent to the course, of all of its fruit so that he and his wife could live on the oranges for the following two weeks.

Hogan knew that steel is hardened through fire and he admitted that without experiencing the hard times he never would have known the great times.

“He (Ben Hogan) was the most dedicated practitioner of all time.
His tenacity had no equal”
Paul Runyan

Have the humor of Trevino: Lee Trevino used humor to deflect stress and anxiety.

Humor allows us to laugh at our mistakes. Humor flushes out blinding rage and negative thinking. Without the benefit of humor, our anger only compounds our problems.

Of course Trevino had great confidence in his ability. Humor does not diminish conviction or minimize that fact that a mistake has been made. Humor simply allows us to adjust faster and not dwell on what is in the past.

“Trevino has more lines
then the L & N Railroad”
Fuzzy Zoeller

Have the help of Penick: When the legendary golf instructor Harvey Penick died in 1995 at the age of 90 he left behind a legacy that goes beyond that of just a great teacher of the game. Penick, who’s students included Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite, taught the game in such a way that revealed as much about life as golf. What’s more, Penick did it in a manner that both showed great respect for his students and left an indelible mark, by masterly using an economy of words. He did this by ingeniously leading his pupils down the path of their own discoveries rather than forcing them to learn by submission.

Harvey Penick individually provided the help that his students needed. Help is all around us as well. However, we have to be willing to take advantage of it. We need to put aside our fear of rejection and embarrassment and ask for the help we need.

“A golf course is to me holy ground.
I feel God in the trees,
and the grass and flowers,
and in the rabbits and the birds and the squirrels;
in the sky and the water.
I feel that I am home”
Harvey Penick
From A Game for a Lifetime

Have the work ethic of Vijay Singh: Being the first to arrive and the last to leave is more than just a cliché for Vijay Singh.

Singh’s humble origins and ascent to the top of the world of golf is a testament to the rewards that await those that approach any task with an unrelenting tenacity. No one works harder, or longer, on their game then Vijay Singh and the results speak for themselves.

“Golf is a job to me.
I love to play, but I’m
very serious about what I do”
Vijay Singh

Have the commitment of Snead: Sam Snead was unrelenting in his pursuit of golfing excellence. The fact that Snead was one of the most naturally gifted athletes to ever play the game sometimes obscures the fact of how precisely committed he was to his craft.

Snead not only owns the record for the most all-time PGA Tour victories with 82, but Snead’s burning passion for the game was also demonstrated by his longevity at its highest ranks. He played competitively on Tour well past his 50th birthday (the Champions Tour did not begin until 1980 when Snead was already 68 years old). In fact, Snead holds the record as the oldest player to make a cut on the PGA Tour. He was 67 years old when he made the cut at the 1979 Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic. That same year, Snead became the first player to shoot his age on tour when he posted a 67 in the second round of the 1979 Quad Cities Open.

“Sam Snead is one of a handful
of golfers who inspire
the club players with the conviction
that golf is easy”
Peter Dobereiner

Have the confidence of Palmer: There has never been a golfer whose game has rivaled Arnold Palmer for the shear excitement he generated on the golf course. Palmer was a power-golfer who could bring a golf course to its knees through his skill and by having the confidence to take chances that others did not possess the intestinal fortitude to even attempt.

There is not doubt that confidence is built through success, but it can also be built through having the courage to try the very thing that all around you would advise against.

“Put him (Arnold Palmer) three strokes behind anybody,
and he believes he’s the favorite”
Frank Beard

Have the discipline of Woods: Tiger Woods possesses the physical discipline of Gary Player through his exercise and strict nutritional plan. He possesses the consistency of Byron Nelson, having eclipsed Nelson’s record of consecutive cuts-made. Woods run at consecutive cuts-made would extend to 142 events (ironically, the cuts-made streak ended at the 2005 Byron Nelson Classic). He possesses the vision of Nicklaus and the confidence of Palmer.

Tiger Woods, through hard work, a plan and courage (he twice retooled his major winning swing) has reached the highest levels of the game. His commitment and discipline serve as an example to all of us of the possibilities of what can be achieved when you are not willing to let anything stand in the way of you and your dreams.

“I’ve got to continue down the path
and continue working hard.
I want to get to a better level,
a higher level and be more consistent
day in and day out.
It’s as simple as that”
Tiger Woods

Modern golf course architecture has changed dramatically over the last three decades both in length and design. However, there is no hazard, no obstacle, than can be incorporated into a golf course’s design that the combination of the skills listed above cannot overcome.

Chapter Sample: One Up on Fear

A Fighting Spirit
One golfer who could definitely use his life experiences as a source of strength to overcome fear and pressure was Bobby Cruickshank.

Cruickshank enjoyed more than a decade of prominence in professional golf during the 1920s and 1930s. Cruickshank was a tough competitor; that can be said without debate.

In World War I, the Scottish born Cruickshank served as a British soldier. During the War he had the misfortune to witness his own brother’s death when he was ripped to pieces by a German shell. Later, Cruickshank was captured and sent to a German POW camp. He escaped, fighting his way through enemy lines to rejoin British forces.

To illustrate how tough he was, Cruickshank is remembered for a self inflicted blow to the head during the 1934 U.S. Open. In the third round, while leading the tournament, a wayward second shot on the 11th hole hit a rock in a streambed and then ricocheted onto the green. Cruickshank would declare “Thank you, Lord!” and toss his club into the air in celebration. Unfortunately, the Lord’s good graces and the forces of gravity were not swayed by his enthusiasm, and the club came crashing back down to the earth, striking Cruickshank squarely on the head and knocking him to the ground. Cruickshank was paired with Wiffy Cox, who after checking on Cruickshank and finding the club did little visable damage to his skull, nearly joined Cruickshank on the ground due to being doubled over with laughter. For his part, the determined Cruickshank would play through the discomfort of his injury to finish the tournament (the tournament was eventually won by Olin Dutra by one stroke over Gene Sarazen).

Cruickshank’s tenure as a professional golfer happened to match up with the golden age of golf and he annually went into battle with the likes of Bobby Jones and Gene Sarazen, among others. He would finish his career having reached the finals in the 1922 and 1923 PGA Championship (loosing both times to Sarazen) and the 1923 and 1932 U.S. Open (loosing to Jones and Sarazen, respectively). In a testament to his fortitude, during the 1932 PGA Championship in a match with Al Watrous, Cruickshank came back in sudden death from being nine down with twelve holes to play.

One Up on Fear
Fear has a place in golf that is as old as the game itself. Fear is the challenge from within that represents the quintessential essence of golf. Against all others, including weather, terrain and competition, it is the psychological match play in our mind that represents golf’s greatest challenge. It is the fear that rages in every golfer’s mind that a glimpse of his human frailty and true self image will be revealed. We are petrified that our insecurities will be played out for the world to see. We cannot hide, we are alone, dependent upon ourselves and it is scary.

“Fear of any kind is the Number one enemy
of all golfers,
regardless of ball striking and shot making capabilities”
Jack Nicklaus

Fear is a particularly insidious adversary because it attempts to strip us of our confidence and trust. Fears of failure (of every variety), embarrassment and ridicule number among it forces.

Conquering fear entails understanding what it is. Fears are created in our mind. Fear is based upon the anticipation of danger. It is a forecast of an adverse future event. We literally frighten ourselves into believing that our mind’s fiction is reality. Heart racing, blood pressure rising and a splintering focus lead to tension and anxiety, the last things we need in order to perform to our optimum level.

To beat fear we need to remove its credibility. Our fears lie to us. We need to concentrate on the here and now, the challenge we face, the shot before us. We must stay focused in the present and concentrate on our plan.

“Fear comes in two packages,
fear of failure, and sometimes
fear of success”
Tom Kite

Golf is particularly unique in the fact that persons with great success in other areas of life become irrationally paralyzed with fear at the prospect of hitting a little white stationary ball into a distant hole.

I believe that you can use your life’s successes as a means to minimize fear’s impact. To do this you need to replace your fears with confidence and conviction you carry from some other aspect of your life. What are you so good at that you feel you are among the best; you are “world class?” What accomplishments, triumphs and convictions are you willing to measure against anyone else in the world? Are you a world class salesman, professional, manager, analyst, or executive? Do you feel that you are the world’s best father or mother, coach, teacher or volunteer? Have you ever carried yourself, family or loved ones through a tragedy, sickness, or surgery? Surely if you can persevere through this you can handle an up and down to save par or a double breaking putt to close out a match?

“When you’re playing for $500
and you have to borrow a penny to spot your ball,
now that’s pressure”
Lee Trevino

Overcoming fear in golf is having the courage to replace fear, insecurity and anxiety with the same tested confidence and swagger you carry in other parts of your life. Courage is not oblivious to fear, it simply stands up to it with the knowledge that playing a game is nothing compared to the battles you have fought, and won, in other aspects of life.

Often it is the ability to deal with the fear of failure that defines the difference between a champion and an also-ran. Champions know that failure is inevitable. It is impossible to perform perfectly 100% of the time. What is important is whether we learn from the failure. Otherwise we are doomed to repeat it.

“One always feels that he is running
from something
without knowing what nor where it is”
Bobby Jones
On pressure in Majors

We need to insure that we do not waste the opportunity that failure gives us to learn from the experience. We should fully understand it. It helps to write it down in detail. Look for a recurring theme, action or decision. Boil it down to a trigger point. Be as specific as possible. It is important that we are honest with our selves in our assessment.

Losers see failure as an ending. Champions see failure as a beginning.

It is important that we continue to remind ourselves that we are winners. Winners use failure as a building block to improve, to get stronger.

The next time fear tries to launch an assault, remind yourself of who you are, where you have been and what you have been through. Make a mental commitment to face the challenge at hand with the same conviction, courage and determination as you have used to overcome obstacles of far greater meaning.