Golf

Over the years I’ve developed a deep level of respect for those that can really golf well. It is undoubtedly, for me, the most humiliating and frustrating sport there is. Just when I think I should give up the game all together, I’ll hit the most picture perfect shot. Those ‘moments of glory’, I guess, have always kept me coming back.

My oldest son bought a set of clubs a while ago and for quite some time has asked me to take him golfing. Unfairly I let my own frustrations with the game affect my taking him. I relented finally and took him to the driving range to see how his patience would hold up. Last summer we drove, chipped and putted for a good hour or so before heading home. Like myself, he would get frustrated with how he was hitting the ball and I, with what little I know of the game, passed on pointers to help him out. He still really wanted to play a ‘real’ round, which I put off with the response ‘some day’.

Well, ‘some day’ turned out to be Friday last week. I took him out for his first real round of golf and, for the first time, I actually felt like a pretty accomplished golfer. My game hasn’t improved any but compared to his level of play, I was Tiger Woods. Time and again I’d watch him try to ‘kill’ the ball only to miss completely. With his frustration mounting and my advice increasing, I feared that we wouldn’t make it past two holes. I showered him with lots of encouragement to keep the game moving and he managed a few ‘moments of glory’. Surprisingly he persevered and after two hours we accomplished all nine holes. As angry as he was at how he played, not once did he threaten to quit. I’m really proud of him for that. His attitude actually made my game ‘better’.

We both learned a lot that morning. He learned that his Three Wood is his best club and I learned that I play much better when I don’t keep score. The fact that he thanked me for taking him (repeatedly) and him stating that he had a lot of fun (despite how he golfed) proved to me that it was more about spending time together than it was about golfing. That turned out to be the biggest lesson. Looks like I may have another reason to golf.