It reminds me of another word, one that is often used in reference to professional golf and most especially to the foremost practitioner of that art, Tiger Woods. The word is “grind.” What it means in that context is that even on days when the swing isn’t smooth and flowing, when the putts aren’t dropping like flies in a DDT storm, when the precision of the irons reminds one of a butcher rather than a surgeon, and when the drives haven’t seen anything but tall grass since the practice range, you *still* give it everything you’ve got.

Tiger Woods does that, and they call it grinding but it sounds gritty. And if I could give my best to every person the way he gives his best to every shot, I know I’d be better for it.