The foundation of the game of golf is found in a single word. It doesn’t matter if you are a 30 handicap, or the world’s #1. It is so centric to the very ideals of the game on the professional level, that when a player thinks that he or she may have done something wrong, they call a penalty on themselves. Now there are exceptions when a player tries to get away with something illegal, but it is a very rare occurrence. There is not another sport that I know of where this happens. Tom Brady never called a penalty on himself. LeBron James has never admitted to a foul. It would be unheard of if this occurred. ESPN would run the story around the clock. Yet, that is what happens in golf when a player breaks one of the rules. It’s all because of one word. Integrity.
There were many times when my integrity was tested during a round of golf. After all, I am just a weekend hacker, so what is the harm in fudging a little? Maybe move that ball out of the bunker. Maybe tap the ball a couple of inches into the fairway and out of the thick rough. You often see casual golfers use the “foot” wedge…that is, they kick the ball into a better position. My philosophy was always that I got myself into the position I was in, so the challenge was to get out of it in the best possible way. Having your golf ball end up in bad positions is part of the game, and you cannot move it in competition, so why move it when you are just playing casually?
So where did I learn integrity? If you’ve been following my blogs recently you are going to know the answer. I could just wait here and have you go back and read those latest entries, but I will go ahead and tell you (but seriously go back and read the past stories). My dad taught me integrity. Now, he didn’t sit me down and tell me, “Son, you are going to be tested in life, and integrity is going to help you in every one of those instances.” It did not happen like that. Instead, he showed me. He showed through what he did and what he said. Integrity is not easy, and more times than not, it is the hardest thing, the most difficult choice. But when faced with those kinds of options, don’t you want to choose the one that is going to give the best outcome? Of course you do.
Before we go any further, I guess it would help to understand where I am coming from so that we are on the same page. Integrity simply means being honest and holding strong moral principles. I have always liked this picture of integrity…doing the right thing even when no one is watching. It is easy to do the right thing when all eyes are on you. But the second those eyes turn away, the pressure is really on. Back in the golf world, it looks like this. Your golf ball is in some really thick rough, and your competition is standing right there next to you. Obviously, you are not going to move your ball. But what if that person you are playing against is nowhere in sight, are you going to move your ball? Integrity says no, even when it would be easy to do so. In life it is no different. When faced with a decision that will test your character, will your response be different if someone is standing right next to you? Integrity reminds us that doing the right thing is not dependent on whether someone else’s eyes are upon you.
Integrity is one of those things where I cannot point to a specific instance when my dad revealed how important integrity was or how “integral” it would come to be in my life. But I can say this, when the Air Force (my employer for 30+ years) created its current iteration of core values in 1995, I was already well versed in integrity. “Integrity First”, “Service Before Self”, and “Excellence In All We Do” are the three core values the Air Force is built on. Integrity is first because everything else hinges on it. Work ethic, morals, values-based decision making, how you will treat others, all start with integrity. If you think of it in terms of a house, integrity is the foundation, the very thing that the rest of the house is built on. Poor foundation, and the house will fall. Strong foundation, and the house will last generations.
When I think of integrity in the light of history, many examples come to mind…both good and bad. George Washington stepped down after two terms as president not because people wanted him to, or because his terms were riddled with scandal. Instead, he left because he felt that his time in office would become a precedent, that is, others would emulate him, and he did not want the presidency to become a lifelong appointment, ultimately fearing that a president would hold too much power for too long, much like a king. That precedence stood until Franklin D. Roosevelt ignored Washington’s warnings and ran for a third and fourth term. In 1951, the 22nd Amendment became law, limiting an individual to two terms as president. Washington’s example bleeds integrity.
Then you have another guy who served under Washington, and who Washington himself, called the fighting general. Benedict Arnold. Sides have debated for years as to whether he deserves all the bad press he receives. However, what is not up for debate is the fact that he was an outstanding general for the patriot cause, winning major battles for Washington’s army. But when he was injured and then passed over for promotion, he felt disrespected and turned to the other side, hoping to hand over West Point and the Hudson Valley region to British control. What is the cause for when an outstanding general like Arnold, though rightfully angry about how he was treated by some in Congress, tries to influence the fall of his own country. Something was not right at the very core of his character. Dare I say he lacked integrity? If we return to that basic idea that integrity is doing what is right even when no one is looking, then we have a clear case of a lack of integrity in Arnold, for when no one from the American army is looking, he is trying to betray them. So, two early American figures, both challenged with doing what was right, but only one comes out the other side successfully.
Let me close this up by going back to my dad. He is an amazing dude. He is not perfect. He makes mistakes. But I’ve never witnessed a lack of integrity in his character. When the right thing needs to be done, my dad does it. And in doing so, he has helped shape the responses to challenges in my own life. So, the next time you are tempted to move that ball to a better position, or go down the path that challenges your character, take it from my dad, and do the right thing. You won’t be disappointed.
Faith, Leadership, and History 