I think golf gets a pretty bad reputation from many who don’t understand, from both those who play and those who don’t.  Many who play golf do it to get out with their buddies and have a few hours outside, away from life, just blowing off steam.  While I think there is some merit to using golf in this manner, seeing golf as just an extracurricular activity is an opportunity lost.

I hear of others who think golf is a complete waste of time, and to some extent, I will agree with them.  If they are referring to the lot that uses golf as something to do for a few hours, blows off steam, and has a few beers, then it could very well be seen as a waste of time.  But I would argue it is no more a waste of time than gambling, going to a movie, hiking, shopping, getting your hair done, whatever.  Everything done to blow a few hours, reduce stress, or have a little fun can be seen by someone else who doesn’t respect that activity as a waste of time.  The list of items I consider a waste of time is long, and, to not offend a good majority of the world, it will be kept private.

Golf, to me, is much more; golf is an opportunity for me to be outside, which is good for my soul, but it also gives me a chance to learn more about myself and how my body and mind work together or against each other.  This is where I find golf fascinating; this is where I find golf rewarding.  I choose carefully with whom I play golf, and I rarely like to play golf with anyone I don’t already know.  I find that a waste of good learning time.  Some enjoy using golf to meet new people or see an acquaintance a little better, but I don’t.  I can’t get to know someone some other way, and I choose not to do that much on the golf course.  I sometimes don’t have a choice for personal or business-related reasons, and I’ll do it, but I don’t approach that type of golf any differently than I would go to work or work in the yard.  It needs to be done sometimes, whether I want to or not, so I grin and frankly just hold on for 4 hours.

I don’t like tournament golf much unless it is on a course I find challenging, the format is fun, or I know and enjoy the people I am going to play with.  I do not like tournaments on unimaginative courses, and I attempt to avoid these tournaments as much as I possibly can.  I would rather play a course I have never seen before or one that challenges my game and eye.  Playing a new course usually isn’t great for your score, but it is great to learn more about yourself, see how you analyze the shot and attempt to execute it, and, frankly, see how your game holds up. 

I have 3 home courses, 2 of which are pretty unimaginative and 1 very challenging and stimulating.  The 2 monotonous courses I use to work on different shots, shapes, trajectory and my short game, so lots of practice on the courses.  The course I consider challenging is to see how my scoring is coming along, and I track my scores very closely there.  

Let the journey in golf continue…