Golf Fore the Good

What would we golfers do if we couldn’t get out to whack that little ball around once in a while? I’m sure our blood pressure would be higher, our temperaments more finicky, and that we would find our spouses far less charming. There is no doubt, golf is good. It’s good for us, both for our bodies and brains.

My friend was on the driving range not long ago, banging away at a bucket of balls. She was hours away from the unveiling of a major project, an undertaking in which she had been heavily involved for a long period of time. She is fabulous at her job, having won many major awards and been honored for numerous career achievements. None of that stops her from being a nervous wreck when showtime rolls around. How good it felt, she said, to swing away and free up her mind from all that was about to unfold.

You really can’t think about much else while you’re on the golf course, or even while just nailing a bucket of balls. With a gazillion things to concern yourself - setup, grip, stance, alignment, tempo, timing and swing plane, among other sundries–who could possible find time to worry about something that doesn’t pertain to one’s golf game?

Just yesterday, I was having a mentally overwhelming day of my own, until I hit the links. For three hours and forty five minutes, my mind cleared of all things unrelated to golf - at least for the most part. My game wasn’t stellar, but the time spent on the course was invaluable. Even the bad shots -maybe especially the bad shots - represented an attempt to move forward, a logical progression, a willful act.

Golf will never bore me. In it, I find a challenge, a good fight, a worthy opponent. Even at my worst, perhaps absolutely and totally stymied and in a most dire position, I am forced to consider the facts, to decide and to take action. The game is mentally absorbing – to soak up the game is to expunge all else.

Golf is fair. Unlike life, the kicks you get are usually deserved. Just like life, cranking about a bad one won’t help. Swearing a little might take the edge off, but you have no one to blame but yourself, so buck up and move on. A great golfer I know over simplifies it a bit, as it’s easier said than done, but he insists, “if you make a bad shot, just make sure the next one is a good one.” Take control of your game.

When life has you a little down or confused, head for the golf course. Smack a few balls around. Take a long walk through the green. Spend time with friends. The real world will still be there when you’re through with your round. In the meantime, you just might discover what’s actually important in life.