Catch up and reflection

What we have learnt from The Camino Tour de Golf can be divided into two areas.

One is about golf clubs and golf courses, that I put into 3 categories. The second is about the mental part of playing golf, that I also put into 3 categories.

The inspiration to the tour started when I was searching for the history and meaning of the phrase “Camino de Compostela”.

The apostle St. James who went to the Hispania to evangelize the people when following the Camino – the field of stars of the Milky Way.

I wrote: “Our Camino-trip is not about finding peace with God, but with ourselves. That is what the Camino de Golf is all about. Or to put it another way: A golfing route in nature, in silence and challenges inspiriting to create a balance between the inner ambition and the physical realization of it. And then to accept the difference between the result and the ambition”.

And what did we learn about golf clubs, golf courses and ourselves?

Let me start with a prelude to our conclusions!

This section was written and inserted 3 weeks after I had finished the Catch-up and Reflection conclusion.

But I put it in here because it was perhaps the most important learning, we had on our Camino de golf tour.

A learning realized only after we came back to Denmark. Home to the “normal” life.

A life that starts in the morning reading the news, doing some work in the office, working in the garden, and watching the news on the television in the evening.

So, we start and end the day being informed about all the bad things happening in the world. The war in Ukraine, the fighting in Sudan, the famine due to climate change, the shooting of innocent people in the US, about selfish politicians et cetera, et cetera.

Dreadful things that we cannot change, things that are beyond our control.

On our Golf de Camino we started in the morning discussing and planning the day.

Getting excited about the drive through the countryside, being overwhelmed by the nature, the sound of silence, the anticipation of seeing and playing another new golf course. Just being together and enjoying the moment.

And in the evening, a walk in the city or village, meeting the locals in a little restaurant, enjoying a glass of wine – and then to bed, looking forward to the next day.

The score of the rounds had absolutely no effect on the good mood. Enjoying the nature and the walk, finding peace with ourselves, resting in oneself and with each other was the most important learning.

And now to the evaluation and categorization of clubs and courses.

First: Golf clubs and courses

We played 11 courses that I put into 3 categories.

The first category is golf courses and clubs established and managed for business. I call them Golf for Business.

The second category I call Golf for Golfers, and

the third category I call Golf for Fun.

Why?

Because I found that already from reception, the arrival at the club you, start to “kind of programing” your mental approach. It is all about the expectations that the first impression and view create within you.

Golf for Business

Here you find Peralada, Fontanals, Aravell, Las Margas and Gorriaz.

All of them kind of holiday resorts with hotels, golf courses, tennis courts, fitness, swimming pools etc. These courses are generally excellent when it comes to design and maintenance. What you miss is the absence of an authentic golfing atmosphere.

Often, they are staffed with people with little knowledge of or interest in golf. You get good service, but also often an impersonal service.

You are welcomed as a customer.

Golf for Golfers

Here you find golf clubs and courses established by golfers for golfers.

On our tour it were clubs like Cerdanya, Ulzama and Golf de San Sebastian.

At these clubs you find a long tradition of golf and golf management. These clubs were established more than 30-50 years ago (by golfers), therefore they have a tradition and a culture of golf.

Most of the staff are golfers themselves and many knows about all aspects of golf. That gives a feeling, a sense of authenticity and golfing atmosphere as soon as you arrive.

You are welcomed as a golfer.

Golf for Fun

Here you find most of the clubs with 9-hole courses. Like Camprodon and Goiburu.

They are all established by golfers for golfers and – more important – they are managed by the members on a small budget. Several members are voluntarily involved in the practical aspect of running and maintaining the course and club house.

Interestingly I have found that many of these clubs are of older age, which gives them tradition and authenticity. Often the courses are placed in a terrain very different from modern golf courses, and most of them are not designed by famous golf course architects.

From the start there was not enough money to purchase hectares for an 18-hole course and not either and “experienced” architect.

Here You are welcomed as a friend.

The mental approach and learning

For me these different clubs and courses have 3 different influences on my game and enjoyment. Before you go on (if you haven’t dropped out long time ago), this is my personal learning.

When I played Clubs for Business, I mentally often found myself in a competition mode.

Most of these courses have a great design looking like it should be easy to make a good score. With that in the mind the competition gene takes over.

And when that happens, I easily get irritated on players in front who don’t know how to behave on a golf course. And then I also start to become frustrated with not so good shots and putts.

I forget to enjoy the nature and the great golf design.

Lesson: learn to accept and adjust your ambition.

When I played Clubs for Golfers, the mental start was more like “this is fantastic, what a reception and what a course, this is going to be fun”.

In that mode I noticed all the good things, the shots, the design, the nature.

Accepting bad shots, and a not so well trimmed green.

Lesson: It’s all about enjoying the walk, the good shots as well as the bad ones.

When playing Clubs for Friends.

Right from the start the mental focus was to enjoy the nature, the walk, and the surprises ahead. And on these courses, there are often many.

I know from the beginning that these kind of courses are not courses for serious competition golf. It’s not courses for lowering your handicap. Even though, if you play them often you probably can, but it is not the purpose.

Lesson: It is all about having fun.

So, what did we learn playing 14 rounds of golf, on 11 different courses in 16 days?

In the end, I think that I learned to find a “balance between the inner ambition and the physical realization of it. And (to) accept the difference between the result and the ambition”.

It all starts with your own expectation, purpose, and ambitions.

And now the next question is ?

Where to and when next ? Maybe the rest of the Camino de Compostela going from San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela! We will keep you posted.

Thanks for accompanying us on this experience