Golf & Life

This is a blog I wrote back in 2006 when I was still living in Lake Tahoe. I just noticed that the Bible verse I reference at the end of this blog is one I have read recently and still consider one of my favorites. It is also interesting that when I wrote this blog I had no idea I would take a job as a golf professional only one year later.

Here is what I wrote 4 years ago:

During the PGA Championship there were several commercials with an old man teaching the lessons of golf to young children. My favorite was his comment, "If you can't handle golf, how are you going to handle life?"

This game of golf I play is truly much more than a game. At times it can be enjoyed as a game, but for myself it is always more than a game. It is a test to see if we are ready to handle the challenges of life. Nothing in golf comes easy anymore, every shot is a struggle in the mind as well as the body. The parallels of golf and life are too many to be numbered. My favorite is that when playing great golf, I honestly can't tell you what it is I am thinking about. But when struggling, I can't seem to do anything else but think. The same can be said for life. When things are going well, I move through this world without thinking about what is going on, but when adversity strikes, I am left to contemplate everything about myself.

My hatred for this game has almost become too much to bear on a couple of different occasions. Fortunately, I have had friends there to help me get through those times, and God says in the Bible that He will never give us more than we can bear. Golf has taught me so much that I have no idea where I would be without this game. It took me a while to realize that this "game" is only preparing me for difficult circumstances in the future that will be far more important than a number on a scorecard. Therefore, I know now that I can never quit this grand game. This game has given me so much, and I know there are more lessons and prizes for me in the future. The Bible says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance." (James 1:2-3) The game of golf has shaped my character and tested it at the same time. I now enjoy the tests this game brings at me, and welcome the challenge of improving, both my score and character.