Phil the Thrill
Greetings Golfers,
How do I not write about Phil Mickelson?
This week it was revealed that Phil had bet more than a billion dollars over 3 decades … with over a hundred million dollars in losses.
That sounds more like an out-of-control government than a real person. How is that even possible?
And especially - why?
Well, I think it’s wrapped-up in his nickname - “Phil the Thrill”. I think for Phil … life is all about thrills.
Phil type of gamblers are not the desperate characters hoping to win the lottery to get out of poverty. This is a guy who loves “the action”.
His golf game reflects this same attitude. Phil took crazy risks on the golf course. He had so much confidence in his short game, that he believed he could save it no matter where he hit it.
But how does that short game translate into his gambling risks? Does he think he’s so charming that he can save it no matter how much he loses?
Well, his former gambling buddy - Billy Walters - claims that “Phil doesn’t care about anybody but himself.” And that “Time and time again, he never stood up for a friend.”
Ouch. How’d you like that said about you?
But … if that’s true … can’t people feel it when they hang around with Phil? I’d like to know how babies and dogs react to Phil … they usually seem to know.
My wife and I have been watching a show about a woman who has that power. It’s called “Poker Face” … she's a human lie detector. The gambling world is after her … so she’s on the run across the country … and everywhere she stops her skill is put to use to solve a murder. It’s actually pretty good - better than my review of it.
I’ve seen YouTubes of how to spot liars … and their “tells” … and I think some of it’s valid … but what about your instinct? I meet people that some people think are charming … but sirens are going off in me … I know they’re shady.
Don’t ya think it boils down to authenticity? We all have moments of fake smiles, etc … but it’s usually not to take advantage of people, but rather to not rock-the-boat or hurt someone’s feelings.
I’m not attacking extraverts … you can be extraverted and authentic. A problem for extraverts can be that some people are suspicious of it … and can’t believe it’s real.
But babies and dogs aren’t fooled … they can tell if an extravert is real or not.
Why are people so bad at this? I think it’s because we stop listening to our gut … we stop trusting our ability to think and feel. We’re waiting to hear what everyone else thinks. I’m not talking narcissism …I’m talking about a core sense of figuring out what’s going on. That’s confidence. The narcissist’s thing is arrogance. Big difference.
Phil’s thing is arrogance not confidence. I also think confidence comes from valuing and doing the right thing.
Is never standing up for a friend … doing the right thing?
Remember the line from that John Mellancamp song “Life goes on … long after the thrill of living is gone”. If that’s how Mellancamp looked at life … I can see why he later gave himself that nickname “Cougar” … he didn’t want to grow up. If life is boring because it’s not thrilling … you need to take a class in Meaning 101.
Is/was Phil Mickelson a great golfer? Yes. Definitely one of the best of all time. Should that give him a pass to live like that? It certainly has - that’s not my call. But that the truth is coming out is always a good thing. I don’t think his charm and short-game can save his reputation.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com