Lessons Learned from Augusta & Bobby Jones

Even watching sports on TV can be an occasion to learn and grow in virtue. Frank brings up so many interesting conversation points, lessons ...

A powerful connection between virtue, golf and The Masters Tournament is the person of Bobby Jones (1902-1971).After retiring from competitive golf in 1930, Jones started and helped to design the Augusta National Golf Club soon afterwards in 1933, and also co-founded the Masters Tournament, which has been annually staged by the club since 1934 (except for 1943-45, when it was cancelled due to World War II). The Masters evolved into one of golf's four major championships. 

Bobby was a man of extraordinary virtue. Here is a movie clip that depicts this. I would truly be difficult to have a shorter clip display so perfectly the virtues of honesty and integrity in only 2 minutes.

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Lessons Learned from Augusta

By Coach Frank DiCocco

I Watched the Masters This Weekend… and What I Saw Was Inspiring

Like many golf enthusiasts, I tuned into watch the greatest tournament to be found anywhere in the world.  Augusta National: it is the reason why HD-TV was invented… the lush grass, the bright azaleas, the incredibly picturesque scenes of Magnolia Lane and Amen Corner.

But what caught my attention the most, however, was not the beauty of the greens and fairways. Rather, it was the beauty of the human spirit on display.

What I saw when I turned on the Masters, was the following…

I saw Phil Mickelson, adorned in pink awareness ribbons, promoting the fight against breast cancer — a battle which both his wife and mother most recently fought valiantly. Both waged a courageous war against a disease more insidious than anyone should have to deal with. Both of these brave women not only survived: they overcame.  They conquered cancer.

I saw Ryo Ishikawa, playing his hardest for something truly special—Ishikawa made it known that he will donate his earnings for the ENTIRE YEAR to the relief efforts in Japan. Ryo Ishikawa will give every-single-cent of every-single-paycheck he makes on the PGA Tour this season, to help the victims and nation of Japan heal from the tragic earthquakes and disasters that ravaged the wonderful country.

(Whoever says it’s all about the money… might want to talk to Mr. Ishikawa. They may also want to talk to his fellow countrymen and women, for whom Ishikawa will be playing this entire calendar year.) 

I watched the Master’s this week; much like every golf enthusiast around the world.
Yet, I saw something that many others probably didn’t see:

I saw courage.  I saw hope.
I saw compassion.  I saw redemption.
I saw greatness.  And more importantly, I saw goodness.

I watched for hours and I saw something that cannot—
And will not—ever be replaced.  I saw the human spirit on full display.

And there’s no jacket that can be made to fit something so large.