Dreams Can Come True
RV GOLFER
When your golf handicap is a modest 24, the thought of breaking par is wishful thinking at best, or at least it should be. For John Richardson, not only was breaking
par a personal goal he set for himself, this weekend hacker also
vowed to achieve that feat in a year’s time, despite his 24 handicap.
Famed Scottish golfer and commentator Sam Torrance told John
Richardson to “dream on,” when Richardson told him he was
determined to break par in a year. Thus, the inspiration for the title
of Richardson’s book: Dream On: One Hack Golfer’s Challenge to
Break Par in a Year.
Already the best-selling golf book in the United Kingdom,
Dream On is making its North American debut. Readers can enjoy
this heartfelt, touching and informative story that simultaneously
teaches you how to improve your golf game and relentlessly pursue
your dreams. Richardson’s story is a fascinating example of dedication and perseverance. A weekend golfer who couldn’t break 100,
Richardson, who lives in Bangor, Northern Ireland, also had a full-time job, wife, and young daughter. Despite all those responsibilities, he still felt his dream of breaking par within a year was doable.
Readers will appreciate the chronology of events that unfold
over the months leading up to his accomplishing the goal of break-
ing par. Each chapter begins with a quote from a notable source,
such as Walt Disney, George Bernard Shaw, Henry Ford or
Abraham Lincoln. The quote sets the tone for the coming chapter.
The chapter titled “Winter Closes In” begins with a Walt Disney
quote: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to
pursue them.” The chapter titled “Martin Sheen and Guilt” starts
with an Anatole France quote: “To accomplish great things, we
must dream as well as act.”
Not only did Richardson dream he could accomplish his goal of
breaking par, he acted as though he would accomplish his goal
within a year. This is in spite of negative comments like that from
Darren Clarke, a PGA Tour professional, who told him that three
years would be a more realistic time frame.
Richardson’s pursuit of breaking par began on May 26, 2004. He
shot a 103 that day, then wrote the following: “There is a stage of
euphoria at the start of any long-promised challenge or goal like this
one. You are filled to the brim with a ‘can do’ attitude. It’s all pure
possibility. It’s a wonderful high, but it doesn’t last long. Just watch
the heartfelt testimonials that people give after a motivational seminar. They are full of enthusiasm in the belief that their life can be
so much better, but they have yet to do any of the hard work that
will actually make the change. And that’s where I was. I’d started,
The thought of the year ahead
was exhilarating… I was off and
running and it was exciting.
Delusional, but exciting.”
Three-hundred-and-sixty-
one days later, John Richardson
broke par, shooting a round of
By Rick Stedman
John Richardson began a year of golf with a 24 handicap and a goal to break par.
Skyhorse Publishing
70 on the par 71 Hamilton Course in his hometown.
Dream On: One Hack Golfer’s Challenge to Break Par in a Year is
available at most major bookstores. For ordering online, visit sky-horsepublishing.com.
The 19th hole (and a few chip shots)
Athletes, golfers especially, are always on the lookout for the
next great product that might give them an edge over their com-
petitors. Performance mouthwear, aka mouthguards, are gaining
momentum with professional athletes in several sports, including
golf. After Hunter Mahan won the Phoenix Open a month ago, he
said, “Wearing a custom-made performance mouthguard has
increased my strength, power, and heightened my accuracy.”
Here’s how it works: Performance mouthwear is made by a den-
tist and covers all of the teeth—upper for contact sports, lower for
non-contact sports—and extends over the gums. The mouthpiece
allows the jaw to be placed in a more relaxed position, which can
cushion a blow that may have otherwise caused a concussion, and
can relieve stress.
Minneapolis-based Bite Tech developed performance mouthwear and sells it under the Under Armour Brand. These are not
your boil and bite mouthguards of a decade ago. Since athletes lose
about five million teeth every year, the mouthguard is an essential
piece of equipment for any sport. Mouthpieces may not only protect teeth and prevent concussions, recent Bite Tech research shows
some types may actually increase athletic performance.
“Throughout history, soldiers, warriors and athletes realized
that by preventing their teeth from clenching together with a
leather strap or bullet, they were able to gain the edge they needed
