What has golf given back to you?

llewol007 · August 27, 2019

Golf gives me a very good application to life. At the end of the day, you and only you can control the things that can affect your game. I fell in love with golf because of that aspect. I was on teams of various sports before and I always blamed others for the performance of the team. But with golf, even on a team level. You control the performance and the outcome. An example is the preparation one must take to even play the game. We all approach learning the game on different levels. Some take lessons, some watch videos and feel like they have the secret formula. Some never sacrifice the time to practice while others seek expert advice on getting better. Life is exactly that same way. Golf has provided me the insight that I teach my 4 kids now. I tell them that life is going to be a challenge like a brand new golf course with the highest slope rating out there. All you can do is prepare yourself, deal with the issues at hand and hope you have the proper tools and knowledge to over the challenges and shoot a low score. If you do not, take it as a learning experience to see where you are lacking , obtain what you are lacking whether equipment or knowledge. Learn to master it, and take on the next challenge. Each time you are becoming not only a better golfer, but a better person. I love the game of golf as it applies to life. Just like in golf, all it takes is one great shot to make you come back for more. Same with life......

Divot License · August 30, 2019

Like many have mentioned I played golf from a young age, I got very good as a teen and played to a pretty decent level. Then in my early twenties I got married and things started to change, it's not all her fault, I didn't stand by my love of the game but slowly my particiaption dwindled. Then in 2007 my father died, he was my main link to weekend golf and without him I drifted further and further away (always being supported in my move away from golf by my ex wife).

Eventually we divorced (not golf but growing up into different people as a cause) and I still didn't get back into the game. At this point I had gotten pretty low, I'd let myself go a little, drank more than I should and didn't really have anything in my live to enjoy. Then in 2014 I met that special someone. She had never played but knew I had, we married in 2015 and her first declaration once moving in together was "I want to play golf, I want you to play golf, I want us to play golf together" It's now 2019, I'm playing golf almost to the same level I was as a teen, she's off low teens and we have a great way to spend our time together. If she hadn't taken a liking to the game, I'm not sure what would have happened as I'm not sure I could turn my back on golf twice.

She got me back into this game, but the game gave me a great life with a partner who is happy to be on the course with me or understands why I'm on the course without her. Golf has given me freedom, purpose and most importantly perspective. It may only be a game, but it's a game I love and a game that can teach a person everything they need to know about life and how to live it.

I couldn't be happier that my kids are now getting into golf also.