Tales from the first tee

Golf, Ego, and Life Lessons


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Have you ever made a decision so spectacularly self-sabotaging that you couldn't help but laugh at yourself afterward? That's exactly where we begin this journey—with my confession about renaming a successful golf podcast and promptly losing half my audience. Much like my previous marketing disaster involving overpriced plastic plates during the anti-plastic revolution, it's a perfect example of how ego drives our decisions, often to our detriment.

The golf course serves as the perfect laboratory for observing ego in action. From the player confidently announcing they'll ace a par-3 (before scoring a 10) to the experienced golfer who putts aggressively because "I don't think about missing," our self-perception dramatically affects performance. Professional golfers like Tiger, Rory, and Scottie make aggressive plays under pressure not from blind overconfidence but because they've proven to themselves repeatedly that they can execute. The lesson? Confidence should be built on capability, not delusion—a principle that extends far beyond the fairways.

We also explore golf's curious rulebook, which prohibits using earplugs to block distractions while allowing Bluetooth speakers that create them. And in our modern world of contactless everything, I share a cautionary tale about needing actual cash in a cashless society, especially when stuck behind someone with 30 items in the 10-items-or-less checkout line. Whether you're a golfer facing retirement's shifting priorities or young parents confronting the shocking 33% increase in child-rearing costs over just three years, this episode offers perspective on adapting to life's unexpected challenges. Subscribe now for more tales from beautiful Charleston, South Carolina, where golf and life lessons intertwine like Bermuda grass on a summer green.

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Tales from the first teeBy Rich Easton

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