The 2022 Recap
It’s hard to believe the year is coming to a close, and with it, a time for reflection. For golfers, this reflection can be bittersweet. The putt we missed on 18 to shoot our lowest score ever. The OB left on our favorite course that mocked us on our last round there. The skulled bunker shot in the state AM that dropped you out of the top 30 for exemption into next year’s tournament…okay, this is getting too personal. But you get the idea. Why is it that we remember the bad shots so much more vividly than the good ones?
Turns out there’s science behind the reason for this. Laura Carstensen, a psychology professor at Stanford University who studies memory and aging believes the pattern of remembering the bad more than the good has evolutionary roots. “It’s more important for people, for survival, to notice the lion in the brush than it is to notice the beautiful flower that’s growing on the other side of the way,” Carstensen says. So, we remember the bad golf shots so it’s easier to avoid them in the future? If only the game were that easy.
In an effort to lend some more depth to the positive golf memory bank, we’re looking back at some of our most-read stories from 2022. You clicked, you shared, and you scrolled on these stories the most. But, some of you may have missed them. So, enjoy this recap of the top five OTG stories from 2022.
Before you go, have a golf new year’s resolution? Share it with me here. We’ll be digging into these in the next issue. See you in 2023!
Fore please,
Ross Evans
OTG Creative Director
The Green Mountains & The Green Jacket
What do The Masters and the state of Vermont have in common? More than you might think. In Issue 1 of On The Green we explored a few unlikely connections between the Green Mountain State and the famous Major Championship. Click here to read The Green Mountains & The Green Jacket.
Stiles Upon Style
In Issue 6 of On The Green, we paid homage to Wayne Stiles and his golf course architecture of the early 20th century. While Robert Trent Jones Sr. and William Henry Tucker get most of the credit for Woodstock Country Club, Wayne Stiles left his mark here too. Find out how in Stiles Upon Style.
Amateur Hour
In a year where the professional game got more media attention from news outlets than ever before, we took a step back to celebrate golfers who retained their amateur status. Issue 5 of On The Green was dedicated to the amateurs. Relive the glory of playing for the love of the game here.
Renew the Mind
With winter setting in and cold weather spreading throughout much of the country, now is a great time to create that off-season reading list. In Issue 2 of On The Green, we presented a number of ways to renew your golf game, including two books on the mental game. Click here to get the reading list.
OTG Gift Guide
Still looking for that perfect gift for the golfer in your life? In our most recent issue, we answered that call by highlighting a number of gifts from small makers and emerging businesses in the golf industry. Revisit the gift guide here…no promises about shipping times though!
