Just Tap It In

Have you seen the Adam Sandler movie “Happy Gilmore”? It’s an hilarious movie with all types of lessons to be learned if we look for them. One of the best is when Happy’s coach/mentor is trying to help him with his putting game and tells Happy, “Just tap it in.”

You see, Happy is phenomenal at getting the ball to the green but knows nothing about putting. Happy is an old Hockey player and can drive the ball as far or farther than anyone else, so he has no problem getting to the green. But he knows nothing about what to do once he gets there. Now, Happy has other issues but today I’m going to focus on “Just tap it in.”

Some people believe that the game of golf has two main parts or components. The “long game” and the “short game”. The “long game” requires power and distance so that a player can get the ball to the green in as few strokes as possible. Some say this part of golf doesn’t require as much expertise  or control as the “short game”. Now, I am only making generalizations. I am not saying this is necessarily true. I am going to make an analogy and I’m over-simplifying the whole game of golf – so relax and read on.

The “short game” on the other hand is more demanding of control and expertise on the players’ part. Things like “chipping”, “pitching”, and “putting” come into play in this portion of the game. I am going to talk about the “putting” part of the game today. The part which Happy had a problem with in the video above.

You see, he was able to get to the green. He was able to get onto the green. He was unable to send the ball home, putting the ball into the cup or hole. This is when his coach/mentor told him to “Just tap it in. Just tap it in. Just tap it in.”

This scene from the movie reminds me of life, a lot. It doesn’t matter if we are on our first hole or our twenty-nine thousandth hole, we all have to start at the tee. The tee is the beginning. The beginning of this job. The beginning of college. The beginning of this relationship. The beginning of our career. The beginning of our business. The beginning of life.

We can put a lot of muscle and power and sweat and tears and effort and time and sacrifice and life into getting to the green where the cup is. The cup is the finish line. At every hole the cup is the finish line. If you play nine holes, there are nine cups. If you play eighteen holes, there are eighteen cups. If you play twenty-nine thousand holes, there are twenty-nine thousand cups. And every cup is a finish line. And to win one hole, or eighteen holes or twenty-nine thousand holes you have to do more than get to the green.

You have to be able to putt the ball into the cup. You have to be able to send the ball home. You have to be able to finish. You have to be able to finish what you start.

This is what Happy Gilmore had a problem with. He couldn’t send the ball home. He couldn’t putt the ball into the cup. He couldn’t finish.

That is exactly what so many of us have a problem with. We do everything we need to do to get onto the green. We do everything we need to do to get to the finish line. We’re ready to finish and then…

We don’t know how to finish.

We don’t know how to putt.

We don’t know how to send the ball home.

Everything goes wrong. We make mistakes. People turn on us. Bad things happen. Relationships fall apart. We personally live through every part of Murphy’s Law:

If there are two or more ways to do something, and one of those ways can result in a catastrophe, then someone will do it.
If anything can go wrong – it will.
Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.
It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
Everything goes wrong all at once.
Tomorrow will be worse.

I’m here to tell you that Murphy’s Law is wrong! Just tap it in.

All of the people who told you that you’re a loser are wrong! Just tap it in.

The person who broke your heart and said you were worthless is wrong! Just tap it in.

The experts who said it’s impossible are wrong! Just tap it in.

The voices crying just quit are wrong! Just tap it in.

All of the circumstances which seem insurmountable are wrong! Just tap it in.

The coaches who said you can’t do it are wrong! Just tap it in.

Every negative word; every negative thought; every negative action against you is wrong! Just tap it in.

Occasionally we may need to regroup. We may need advice. We may need to seek direction. The Bible says in Proverbs 4 that getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do. So make sure you get wisdom for your situation. We may need to rest, take a vacation, get a new perspective. All of these things are good, as long as we don’t quit. Never quit. Never give up. Just tap it in. Learn how to putt and just tap it in.

You see, in life, unlike golf, it doesn’t matter how many strokes you take; how many times you swing; how many mistakes you make. What matters is that you don’t quit. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t think you can’t do it. Don’t believe it’s impossible. Something is only impossible until you do it.

Never give up! Just tap it in.

Never quit! Just tap it in.

Never believe the lies that you are a loser! Just tap it in.

Never accept the ridicule! Just tap it in.

Never own the discouragement! Just tap it in.

Never keep the abuse! Just tap it in.

Never hear the taunts! Just tap it in.

Never take the insult! Just tap it in.

I’m here to tell you that, with God’s help we can do anything. Just keep trying. You are a winner. You have a winner inside of you no matter what you’ve experienced in life. Never give up. Just tap it in. Just tap it in. Give it a little tappy.

Keep Believing…