In this episode of 15 Minutes With Charlie, Charlie Mechem sits down with an old friend and premier golf instructor, Tom Patri. Together, they explore anecdotes from “Total Anecdotal: A Fun Guide to Help You Become a Better Speaker and Writer,” as Tom reflects on how these anecdotes relate to his career in the world of golf. 

Hole-In-One

For the average golfer, a hole-in-one is a rare occurrence. Tom recalls playing a game with a major league baseball player. When his companion scored a hole-in-one he exclaimed, “That’s better than winning the world series!” This story is proof that it’s the little victories that can empower us the most. 

Good Things Take Effort

Too often do we expect things to happen without any effort. The truth is that the best things in life take hard work. Tom tells a story from his youth, when he realized the work he would have to put in if he wanted to compete at the national level in golf. One day at his home golf course, he noticed that on top of the clubhouse there were large security spotlights. He decided that he would start practicing at night under the spotlights. One night he went out to practice only to be caught by a security guard who he then bribed with beer to allow him to keep practicing. Each night he would putt from 10 p.m. to one in the morning. The work clearly paid off, he says. 

Embody Passion

When he thinks about passion, Tom immediately thinks of Arnold Palmer and Jack Niklaus—two of his boyhood idols. “If those two guys didn’t embody the word passion for the game, I don’t know who does.” All great champions have a passion for what they do. Especially in golf, an individual sport, it can be easy to pick out those who have the passion and those who don’t. 

When you embody passion in what you do, you will get very far. 

If you’d like to listen to more episodes of “15 Minutes With Charlie,” please visit the podcast page or search for “15 Minutes With Charlie” in your podcasting app. If you are enjoying the show you should check out “Total Anecdotal: A Fun Guide to Help You Become a Better Speaker and Writer.” Learn more on our book page, or find it available through Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and perhaps your local bookstore.