Ancestry Magazine

What if you were at a genealogy conference and one of the lecture topics was titled: “Golfer Will Show You How To Do Your Genealogy”? Ridiculous, you say? These two hobbies have nothing in common, right? Well, before you dismiss such a seemingly odd notion, perhaps you should take a closer look.

One of Jim’s friends is a professional golf instructor, so we asked him what tips he gives someone who comes to him for a lesson. We were amazed at what we learned. The instructor said that it didn’t matter whether the individual was new to the sport or just wanted tips to improve his or her game, he made the same recommendations to everyone. The advice he gave could easily be applied to someone who wanted to get started in genealogy or to someone who just wanted to improve their research skills.

1. Take Lessons
One sure way to get better at any sport or hobby is to take lessons. With family history there are several places a researcher can look for lessons. In your community, see if your local Adult Education program, Community College, or Continuing Education Center offers courses in genealogy. Likewise, check to see if your local historical society or genealogy society might offer something. Even if these organizations don’t have regular classes, it isn’t unusual for them to conduct workshops. Finally, check the Internet. Several websites offer online classes in genealogy while others provide fact sheets, tips, or useful lessons focusing on specific topics that will get you headed in the right direction. 2. Buy the Proper Equipment
Just as a golfer needs solid clubs, a sturdy bag, and comfortable shoes, the genealogist needs good writing utensils, a good bag, and comfortable shoes. The better equipped the genealogist is, the more successful he or she will be. One of the pieces of equipment every genealogist should have is a computer. It is every bit as important to master as a putter would be for a novice golfer. 3. Learn the Sport
Any hobby, especially one as demanding as genealogy, requires that a participant keep abreast of the latest trends, developments, and ideas. There is no better way to do this than to subscribe to magazines that can deliver relevant information in a timely fashion. Just as a golfer might read a magazine to improve his or her game, the genealogist should make use of the many informative magazines and journals available. It is amazing how many useful tips, ideas, shortcuts, and good suggestions are found in a quality journal.

One often overlooked advantage of subscribing to an interest magazine is the advertising. The products being advertised relate to the hobby, and the magazine serves as an excellent clearinghouse for presenting these items.

Recently, we were pleased to find an advertisement in our copy of Ancestry Magazine for a CD-ROM that could help us with our French-Canadian research. We ordered the product online, received it as promised, and have already used it. Something as simple as this has already saved us countless hours of travel to and from the only local library that has the same material available in book form.

4. Join a Club
One of the best decisions you can make is to become a member of a local genealogy society or local historical society. It is also a good idea to join a national organization, for a number of reasons: 1) They are a good source of information; 2) they host remarkable conferences; 3) they publish excellent journals; and 4) they protect the interests of genealogists.

In our experience, as we had a great many Franco-American and French-Canadian ancestors, we joined the American Canadian Genealogy Society located in Manchester, New Hampshire, and its Father Begin Chapter in Lewiston, Maine. The support, suggestions, and guidance we received from the people involved in these societies is a big reason we have been so successful in our research.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice
The only way to get better at golf is practice, practice, practice. This holds true for genealogists as well. The only way to improve your research skills is to keep working at them. Do as much research as possible using as many resources as possible. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Just because you haven’t done something before is no excuse for not attempting it now. 6. Find a Local Course
Avid golfers find a course close to home that offers what he or she needs in terms of providing a challenge and enjoyment at the same time. Genealogists can find their own “course” in a good local research center. This might be your local library, a local historical society, or a local family history center. The “local course” options for researchers who live in larger metropolitan areas are greater. In our case, we are fortunate to live close to the Maine State Library and the Maine State Archives, both of which house excellent collections of research mat erial. 7. Dream Big
What genealogist, regardless of ability or experience, doesn’t dream of visiting the Family History Library in Salt Lake City? How is this any different from the golfer who dreams of playing the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland? And if a genealogist’s trip to Salt Lake is comparable to a golfer’s trip to St. Andrews, then why can’t a golfing trip to Pebble Beach be compared to a research trip to the Allen County Public Library? Or how about comparing a visit to any of the famous Donald Ross golf courses (Ross is considered the godfather of American golf course architecture) to the New England Historic Genealogy Society in Boston, Massachusetts, which is more or less the godfather of American genealogical societies?

When we were taking courses at the University of St. Andrews, we would marvel at how the golfers would get up early in the morning and stand in line, hoping for an opening on the first tee so they could play the course. We used to think genealogists would never engage in such behavior. Then, with our involvement in the first Ancestors series on PBS, we found ourselves in front of the Family History Library early in the morning before the doors opened for the day. There, standing quietly in line, were about seventy-five genealogists waiting patiently for their chance to get into that famous library. This is not too different from the golfers in St. Andrews after all.

8. Develop a Game Plan
One of the aspects of the game that makes Tiger Woods such an excellent golfer is his ability to develop a pre-game approach to whatever golf course he happens to be playing. He decides well in advance what clubs will be appropriate at different points in his round. He considers where the best place is to land his shot on any given hole. He even considers intangibles such as possible wind speed and direction. No detail is too small for him to consider in advance o f his round.

In golf, this is called course management, but the concept certainly has applicability for genealogists. It is imperative that a genealogist have a research plan prior to going to the library or even surfing the Internet for information. Ask yourself: Who am I looking for? What information am I seeking? Every question should be written out before you actually begin to gather data. A well devised “game plan” will yield success.

9. Record Your Scores Accurately
Many golf instructors emphasize that a golfer cannot improve his or her game until the rules of the game are adhered to correctly and, more importantly, every stroke is recorded accurately on the scorecard. This is perhaps the most important action a beginner could take.

Genealogists must also be accurate in how they record information. While the rules of genealogy may not be as codified as they are for golf, there certainly are guidelines that must be observed. Just as the golfer is honor-bound not to improve the lie of his or her ball, the genealogist is honor-bound to cite the source of any information he or she found.

10. Focus on the Basics
In the game of golf it can occasionally seem as if everything is going wrong. It is as if the wheels have jumped off the track. And it happens to all golfers, even to the very best. When they experience such a slump they must return to the fundamentals. For the golfer, these include the grip, the stance, and the alignment. Once these have been reviewed, the golfer then turns to the mechanics of the swing. With a little review and a lot of practice, the slump soon ends.

A similar situation occurs in genealogical research. There are times when everything seems to go wrong: a seemingly good lead turns out to be a dead end–a census record has all the ages wrong, or a vital piece of information was destroyed by a flood or a fire. When the going gets tough, focus on the fund amentals of good research. Focus on what you already know, identify the information you need to discover, make a list of all possible sources where you might locate this information, then methodically and carefully investigate these sources.

When we started to compare golf to genealogy, we were more than a little skeptical that any useful comparison could be found. In retrospect, we are pleasantly surprised at the results and we find ourselves looking for other similarities between the two. For example, we recently drove past a golf course and saw a foursome walking the course, each pulling a cart loaded with clubs, gear, even snacks. We turned to each other and chuckled because we each had the same image in mind: the genealogists standing in line outside the Family History Library, pulling a cart loaded with their gear and a snack or two. We decided that even genealogists might enjoy having a caddie once in a while.

And here’s another thought: golfers have been able to tune in to the Golf Channel for the past few years. Could there be a Genealogy Channel in our future?

Terry and Jim Willard hosted the ten-part PBS “Ancestors” series. They have researched their family history fifteen generations back on both sides.