Golf Teaches Life Lessons
I’ve been thinking…
…about golf, particularly since one of the young grands asked me, “Noanie, why do you like to golf so much?”
Actually, I LOVE to golf. But it is such a frustrating game. “Golf” and “putt” are four-letter words!
I am just an average golfer. Like IQ scores, 100 is a median mark. With each round, my goal is to “break 100.” Nothing stellar about that. Yet I love the game. I love courses that are away from the world — all open land and big skies. Like Arnold Palmer’s beautiful course that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean in County Kerry, Ireland. Palmer famously said of Tralee that he designed the first nine, “but surely God designed the back nine.”
I love walking the course, taking in the sights of birds, turtles, the occasional fox. I love being with John, and golfing pals for the camaraderie — and commiseration!
In finding answers to my grand’s question, I can say that I have come to appreciate the life lessons that golf teaches. Like patience. And humility.
In golf, you play against the course. It doesn’t matter what anyone else does, it is about meeting an expected standard — Par. Sometimes you miss the mark (Bogie or worse!) and sometimes you beat expectations (Birdie! Eagle!).
Each course has natural hazards. Water, sand, rough. It is what it is. The challenge is how to get over or around or through the hazards to get to the green – in the case of golf – the putting surface.
Golf isn’t a power game. The biggest, brawniest man can be beaten by a lightweight man or woman who is a skilled golfer. Age doesn’t matter. Youth is easily bested by experience.
It seems to me that golfing is like a moving metaphor for life:
Keep your eye on the ball.
Drive the ball straight. Keep it in the fairway.
Putt with your head down and follow through.
Expect every hole to present new challenges — and opportunities.
Start again after the turn as you head to Number 10.
At the end of the round, you shake hands with fellow golfers with a hearty “good game!”
It IS a good game. And as in life, even after a not-so-good game, you are ready to play again.
Someday I hope to share these life lessons with my grands as we golf together.
