You might wonder, as I do, what the allure of chasing a little ball around and hitting it with a bunch of different sticks as hard, or soft, as you possibly can, to get it to a tiny hole in the least number of strokes is all about. I decided maybe I should try and understand, especially since my husband is a golfer. We have had many discussions of him trying to explain what is so great about golf and to his credit, he makes it sound fun, but I have yet to give in and try it out with him. I did try it once, when I was 16. I think I hit the ball a total of two times and probably said every cuss word in the book. I was frustrated and mad and vowed to never play again. Ever since, I decided that golf wouldn’t be something I would, or could, for that matter, enjoy playing. My husband disagrees and has told me that if I would just give it a try, I would learn to love it too. Well, I haven’t tried it as of yet, but I did decide to ask around and see what all the hype was about. I asked a few of my friends and family who are avid golfers, what they love about it and what golf has taught them about life.
First up are the Conrads. They are a couple who have golfed a total of 50 years combined. They are both currently in leagues and try to get out on the course several times a week. Here is what Julia and Kory had to say. “The course has 18 separate holes, so it is easier to make a plan to conquer each hole one at a time, just like life goals. Most courses have on their golf cards pictures of the holes with the hazards you can encounter as well as how far it is from the tee box to the pin on the green. Like in life, it’s good to know where you’re headed and have a plan to get to the end, but even when you are shown where the obstacles are to avoid, sometimes you still find yourself smack in the middle of them.
It also takes patience. You have to take your time to make a good shot. You have to stay in the moment and stay focused. It will also help you develop the skill to overcome obstacles. You learn to take them head on, master them and keep moving forward. It also helps when you have others there to cheer you on and encourage you. It lifts your spirits. You have to make your own shots, but having someone there helps to give you hope.”
Jourdan had a couple of great things to think about as well. She commented, “You can’t cheat your way through life or golf without consequences. In golf, it affects your form, you can get hurt and it will mess up your shot.” She goes on to say, “Don’t compare yourself to anyone. Everyone has their own way of doing things that works for them. You are your own worst enemy, and only you can determine the outcome of your game/life.”
Robert, my father-in-law, has golfed for more than 40 years. He and my husband love spending time together on the course. Unfortunately, he lives in California, and they only get to golf together a couple of times a year. However, he had some great words of wisdom to share. He said, “Comradery, I think, is what I’ve gotten the most out of playing golf this long. I have a good friend here I just love playing with. It’s about giving someone a hard time and getting it back and making lifelong friends. Strategy is important. Very few shots are ever the same. You have to know which club to select and avoid taking unnecessary risks. Golf, and life, is about doing your best and always trying to do better. Playing by the rules hopefully makes you a better player/person too. But I think the most fun I have is playing golf with my son.”
I guess maybe my attitude towards playing golf has changed. There is a lot more involved than what I thought. Surprisingly it really does have great life applications. Golf teaches us to strategically navigate life and the obstacles that get thrown at us, whether they are holes-in-one or triple bogies. Sometimes, unfortunately, we land in the rough, which no golfer wants or intends to do. Even when we hit the ball to the best of our ability, something might happen that we have no control over, and it will veer us off course. But when we assess the situation and focus, we are more prepared to take a swing that will get us back on course. As in life, we need to embrace the process, focus, be patient, stay positive, assess the situations, forgive ourselves and take our best swing. Sometimes we land a hole-in-one and other times we end up in the rough. We just need to pick ourselves up and try again.
I think Ben Hogan, one of the greatest golfers ever, said it best, “As you walk down the fairway of life, you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.” That’s not just great golf advice; it’s great life advice.
“As you walk down the fairway of life, you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.” Ben Hogan