Golf Masters in Future
(We are constantly reminded about how Technology has overtaken Golf. Golf products seem to get obsolete as fast as the computers, mobile phones and all other gizmos. In answer to this onslaught of Technology, the golf course designers are constantly redoing the golf courses to make it as techno-proof as they can. Golf administrators are also constantly making rules and writing specifications to counter this threat of Technology to Golf.
Added to this are the many aids to golf training that get more and more sophisticated! I saw recently on TV, a Robot of German design which takes hold of you and guides you through the perfect swing path. A work out with this Robot would obviously give you a very consistent swing. It is like a dance teacher taking you through the steps.
I am sure it will be quite a while before we can hope that the driving range near your home would install one and that you can afford to pay for this work out. It is bound to be expensive and the poor us who cannot afford all this Technology can only pray!
We all know that prayer plays a big part in major sports for many. They invoke god to be with them when they play. The reason surely is the desire to win as well as the prize money that comes with winning. For others not playing, it is the pride for the team or the nation. Also, it could be that they have placed heavy bets on the outcome!
I know that in our cricketing world, priests are employed to offer prayers and many rituals are performed. I saw this news item Dec last year…‘led the rituals of rahuvu, ketuvu nagasarpadosa nivarana (a puja to ward off evil and seek divine blessings)’ … and thought it was a pity that God was not free to enjoy a game impartially! Possibly God does stay impartial and bless ‘may the better man/team on that day win’?
I had thought about writing a blog about god in sports, neither to propagate faith nor to criticize it, just to examine this human attribute. Zach Johnson after winning the Master said ‘I felt Jesus Christ with me on the golf course every step of the way’. So I suppose it is time for my blog! Enjoy!)
Golf Masters in Future
Srinivas Madhav Shankar woke up at sunrise as he always did and felt that he was ready for the challenge. He had offered to take on the Golf ‘world number one’ to establish, forever, that the spiritual power is superior to technology. He was a staunch believer of the 'dharma' he had discovered from a deep study of nature. It went back to days even prior to every known religion of the world! It was the time when humans recognized the spirit in the mountains, knew trees had immense wisdom as they stood firm against all odds and every being animate and inanimate had a soul!
He offered prayers to the spirit of the earth, especially the area (Khsetra) on which the golf course was built. He had invoked and had installed the idols representing the spirit of the trees around the fairway, every single blade of grass that grew on the greens. The water and the sand that surrounded the greens, the wind that blew around the course. He prostrated before the idols and started a very austere penance. Pleased with his sincerity the gods appeared and asked him ‘why this penance and what is it you desire’?
SMS very thrilled with the appearance of the gods, explained in detail the game and requested them to help him win. The gods were amused at the request of interceding in a game that was just putting a ball in a hole! However, they agreed to help: The wind god promised to carry the ball towards the hole and drop it into it, the water spirit promised to throw the ball out of the pond in case it fell into it. The trees offered to knock the ball back to the fairway in case the ball strayed. The blades of the green would convey the ball towards the hole and would also the change color ever so slightly that the putting line would be seen. Mother earth assured that it would change direction and bounce as required by him. There was one condition though, SMS had to invoke the right god and they would be there. This was required, they said, to avoid too many gods working for him at the same time. It could lead to confusion amongst them!
Simultaneously at the other end, the super technologist of the conglomerate Ti-ke-away was looking forward to this contest with enthusiasm and amusement. He felt that it was a waste of time as it was ‘given’ that there would be a no-contest! He was positive that with the new equipment, he could pick any amateur and train him with his robots to be equal to the top Professionals within a fortnight. Soon, a birdie was the highest score one would make on any hole. Eagles would be in plenty, the rare albatross would be seen more often and the hole-in-one would become a bore to watch!
He was very keen to test in secrecy the new irons that were revolutionary. They were designed to take over when the distance to the hole fell between clubs. The club had devices that could not be detected but were effective. They would sense the swing speed and adjust so that the ball would stop nearest to the hole. The putters were so designed with new unnamed gadgets that as soon as the putting stroke was made, the putter would correct the line and the speed after reading the break and the speed of the greens. He almost thought that he would also put the new homing device in the ball to test, but felt was not really necessary.
However the contest of the century ran into a snag on the day of the contest and was called off.
SMS being a true follower of the ancient ways strode into the most exclusive club in the world and was not allowed to enter as he was dressed in a loincloth!
Added to this are the many aids to golf training that get more and more sophisticated! I saw recently on TV, a Robot of German design which takes hold of you and guides you through the perfect swing path. A work out with this Robot would obviously give you a very consistent swing. It is like a dance teacher taking you through the steps.
I am sure it will be quite a while before we can hope that the driving range near your home would install one and that you can afford to pay for this work out. It is bound to be expensive and the poor us who cannot afford all this Technology can only pray!
We all know that prayer plays a big part in major sports for many. They invoke god to be with them when they play. The reason surely is the desire to win as well as the prize money that comes with winning. For others not playing, it is the pride for the team or the nation. Also, it could be that they have placed heavy bets on the outcome!
I know that in our cricketing world, priests are employed to offer prayers and many rituals are performed. I saw this news item Dec last year…‘led the rituals of rahuvu, ketuvu nagasarpadosa nivarana (a puja to ward off evil and seek divine blessings)’ … and thought it was a pity that God was not free to enjoy a game impartially! Possibly God does stay impartial and bless ‘may the better man/team on that day win’?
I had thought about writing a blog about god in sports, neither to propagate faith nor to criticize it, just to examine this human attribute. Zach Johnson after winning the Master said ‘I felt Jesus Christ with me on the golf course every step of the way’. So I suppose it is time for my blog! Enjoy!)
Golf Masters in Future
Srinivas Madhav Shankar woke up at sunrise as he always did and felt that he was ready for the challenge. He had offered to take on the Golf ‘world number one’ to establish, forever, that the spiritual power is superior to technology. He was a staunch believer of the 'dharma' he had discovered from a deep study of nature. It went back to days even prior to every known religion of the world! It was the time when humans recognized the spirit in the mountains, knew trees had immense wisdom as they stood firm against all odds and every being animate and inanimate had a soul!
He offered prayers to the spirit of the earth, especially the area (Khsetra) on which the golf course was built. He had invoked and had installed the idols representing the spirit of the trees around the fairway, every single blade of grass that grew on the greens. The water and the sand that surrounded the greens, the wind that blew around the course. He prostrated before the idols and started a very austere penance. Pleased with his sincerity the gods appeared and asked him ‘why this penance and what is it you desire’?
SMS very thrilled with the appearance of the gods, explained in detail the game and requested them to help him win. The gods were amused at the request of interceding in a game that was just putting a ball in a hole! However, they agreed to help: The wind god promised to carry the ball towards the hole and drop it into it, the water spirit promised to throw the ball out of the pond in case it fell into it. The trees offered to knock the ball back to the fairway in case the ball strayed. The blades of the green would convey the ball towards the hole and would also the change color ever so slightly that the putting line would be seen. Mother earth assured that it would change direction and bounce as required by him. There was one condition though, SMS had to invoke the right god and they would be there. This was required, they said, to avoid too many gods working for him at the same time. It could lead to confusion amongst them!
Simultaneously at the other end, the super technologist of the conglomerate Ti-ke-away was looking forward to this contest with enthusiasm and amusement. He felt that it was a waste of time as it was ‘given’ that there would be a no-contest! He was positive that with the new equipment, he could pick any amateur and train him with his robots to be equal to the top Professionals within a fortnight. Soon, a birdie was the highest score one would make on any hole. Eagles would be in plenty, the rare albatross would be seen more often and the hole-in-one would become a bore to watch!
He was very keen to test in secrecy the new irons that were revolutionary. They were designed to take over when the distance to the hole fell between clubs. The club had devices that could not be detected but were effective. They would sense the swing speed and adjust so that the ball would stop nearest to the hole. The putters were so designed with new unnamed gadgets that as soon as the putting stroke was made, the putter would correct the line and the speed after reading the break and the speed of the greens. He almost thought that he would also put the new homing device in the ball to test, but felt was not really necessary.
However the contest of the century ran into a snag on the day of the contest and was called off.
SMS being a true follower of the ancient ways strode into the most exclusive club in the world and was not allowed to enter as he was dressed in a loincloth!
Labels: Golf 'Oriental'
posted by Doreswamy Srinidhi at
9:03 PM
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