Putting with Bob Hope
Day 2 from “The Golf Hall of Shame” by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo
The Golf Book Club: Every day, we share a mental game lesson inspired by great golf books—stories and strategies to help you think better so you can play better.
Bob Hope was one of our greatest comedians. He made over 70 movies and hosted the Academy Awards 19 times.
But when asked about his success, he said, “Golf is my real profession. I tell jokes to pay my green fees.”
In 1960, he launched the Bob Hope Desert Classic. He loved to play in pro-ams and he knew how to laugh at himself.
He once said, “There are days when I’m closer to shooting my weight than my age.” Yet in his prime, he worked his way down to a 4 handicap.
And like many great comedians, Bob’s humor often contained a dose of wisdom.
“I’ll never use that bleepity-bleep club again.”
One day, Bob was invited to play 18 holes with Samuel Goldwyn, one of Hollywood’s most powerful producers.
Have you ever played golf with your boss? Imagine that boss was a tyrant who treated movie stars like extras. Bob was more than a little nervous.
After Goldwyn missed a two-footer, he flew into a four-letter rage, hurled the offending putter into the bushes, and swore. “I’ll never use that bleepity-bleep club again.”
As Goldwyn stomped to the next tee, Bob retrieved the putter, wiped it off, and slipped it into his bag.
On the next green, he used it to sink a 20-footer. Goldwyn didn’t realize that Bob was now using his own discarded putter.
As they made the turn, Bob kept making putts.
Goldwyn was so impressed, he asked if he could try Bob’s putter. Goldwyn sank every practice putt as if he was holding a magic stick.
He said, “Bob, I like this putter. Will you sell it to me?”
Bob hesitated, as if he couldn’t bear to part with such a fine piece of equipment.
Finally, he agreed. Goldwyn bought back his own putter for $50, which, accounting for inflation, is about a thousand dollars today.
Bob never got up the nerve to tell Goldwyn the truth, which is a shame. Because Bob’s joke contained a powerful lesson:
On the green, your beliefs sink more putts than any putter.
Muhammad Ali said, “Once belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.”
How can we have more belief in our putting game?
Dr. Joseph Parent, author of Zen Golf, said that you can’t sink every putt, but you can make every putt. If you go through your routine and stroke the ball on your chosen line, then you have made that putt regardless of the result.
Practice that mindset and you’ll putt with more confidence. Putt with more confidence, you’ll make more putts—and unlike Samuel Goldwyn, you won’t have to “buy” a new putter to do it.
That’s all for now. Tomorrow, Chi-Chi Rodríguez reminds us to never take anything for granted on the golf course. Until then, keep imagining what’s possible.
Today’s Photo
Denarau Golf & Racquet Club in Fiji
