Less is More
Greetings Golfers,
What do people mean by the saying “Less is More”?
According to PHRASE FINDER, it means: “The notion that simplicity and clarity leads to good design”.
Obviously it’s referring to architecture, but I think it relates to everything. Simplicity and clarity sure beats complication and confusion.
We host a lot of golf events. My mantra to the organizers is always “Less is More”. That usually isn’t what people want to hear. They get sucked into other people telling them they should do “this really fun thing”. Usually, it’s not really fun … and if they listen to a lot of people and keep adding “fun things” … it becomes annoying instead of fun.
We need to prioritize. We have limited time on this planet. We innately know how much time things should take. Life shouldn’t be rushed through … but time shouldn’t be wasted either. Time is precious. We all know that instinctively.
I advise golf events to focus on 4 things:
simple format
nice pace of play
friendly atmosphere
good food
Too often, adding “More” … leads to:
complicated format
slow pace of play
uptight atmosphere
frustrated golfers
Simple doesn’t mean simple minded. It usually means clarity. That takes work.
Adding too much to things … is usually lazy and not focused. Lazy because of not doing the work of clarity which leads to simplicity.
Henry David Thoreau: “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify. Simplify.”
Simplifying is not the same as being organized. Don’t get me wrong - being organized is important … it is based on priorities. However, I know hyper-organized people who are always reorganizing mundane details … that is not simplifying … that’s missing the point.
And, it’s easy to say yes to everything and everybody. But, that can’t work - or work well. It’s almost like lying. Here’s a great quote “hurt me with the truth, but never comfort me with the lie.”
At DRGC … we can’t be everything to everyone. Trying to do it or agree to it is basically lying. Of course people want to hear what they want to hear.
We are trying to provide a quality golf experience. Not perfect - that’s a fool’s goal - but quality. To do that means saying no to a million things that would get in the way of what we’re trying to do.
Saying yes would be lazy and dishonest.
Promising more is a scam.
Less is more. If you value quality.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com