The Love of Golf

How do you explain the “love of golf”?  To Mark Twain it was a good walk spoiled while others do not even bother to walk between their shots.  It is by far the most polarized and yet unifying game or sport there is.  It is the quintessential “love hate relationship.  In the years that I have been playing golf I have seen grown men and women laugh, cry, cheat (both ways) and occasionally throw an expensive golf club further than they can ever hit a golf ball.

It is dynamics that make life interesting, sometimes annoying and yes “fun”.  What keep us going are the ups and downs or swings and roundabouts as they say around my way.  In one game of golf there can be so many changes and bits of luck or moments of bliss you can be mistaken that you have taken a roller-coaster ride not a morning on the links.  From a missed putt to hitting a real sweet spot our emotions can be left on the ragged edge.

Who is our opponent?  Is it the brightly dressed guy who is walking round the golf course with us with that annoying, confident smile, the course itself? challenging and tempting us.  Perhaps it is ourselves that we are playing.  We have all got to 13 thinking this could be the round when it all comes together when suddenly the hand gets a little sweaty and the wind seems to be getting up.  It is a time when people find themselves looking up for perhaps, divine intervention.

Golf has it all from simplicity to sophisticated gadgetry, courses that never see rain to ones that resemble the Eiger.  Crossing all levels even the best of us have missed a “two-footer” and sunk a thirty foot putt.  So Mr. Twain, fan that I am of your work, I beg to differ.  I have to go now as I am about to have my swing analyzed with lasers.  Hey ho.

Image via Wikipedia