Anyone who has set foot on a golf course knows how enjoyable the sport of golf can be. In addition, those same individuals will tell you how frustrating it is as well. For every good putt, drive or chip, there are many more occasions where golfers voice their displeasure over mistakes made on the links. I found this out firsthand when I hit the Pacific Lutheran University Golf Course for a round of nine holes last week with my best friend Nolan Soete.
I’ve only golfed a handful of times in my life. Prior to hitting the links with Nolan, the last time I golfed was in July of 2006. After watching Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate compete for a title in the US Open a few weeks ago, it inspired me to get on the course myself.
When it was all over, I scored a 58 in my round of nine holes. I was 23 strokes over par. I didn’t par a single hole but was fortunate enough to score a pair of bogeys on the third and seventh hole. Nolan on the other hand had a career day, registering an even par.
Even though it was the first time I’ve golfed in almost two years, I thought I would fair better than I did on the PLU course.
It was indeed a rude awakening. After failing miserably and not achieving par on even one hole, I have newfound respect for the sport of golf and golfers in general. To be even an average golfer must possess physical fitness, technique and perhaps the most coveted attribute, mental toughness. For every good shot a golfer makes they will undoubtedly see an abundant amount of shots that will make them cringe. I know that was my experience. Golf is a sport with a wide array of aspects to it. Driving, chipping, putting all are uniquely different, and take not months but countless years of practice in order to be proficient.
That’s probably one of the reasons why a multitude of family members embraced golf as their favorite sport after hitting retirement. It seemed at least once a week, my father was going golfing with his friends. I remember the delight on my face as a 10-year-old when my dad came back from golfing at Lakeland Village’s golf course in Allyn with an autograph from legendary Washington Huskies head football coach Don James. A wide range of people may participate in golf, but there are very few individuals who have mastered the game.
Professional golfers like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus are true masters of the sport. While most will never reach the heights of those golfers, it won’t stop thousands of Americans from heading out the door on a sunny afternoon for a round of golf with their friends.
I compare golf to the thrill of the chase. It’s fun trying to strive for something that’s very difficult to achieve. This summer I plan on golfing at least once a week, in an effort to become a golfer who can at least make par on a few holes. It may not be pretty, but I know it will be a blast.
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