The Game of Golf

The Lovely Frustrating Game of Golf

by

Paul R. Meredith

I play the game of golf, perhaps not very well these days, but I do still play. I have played golf for over sixty-five years off and on. At my advanced age, golf is a very taxing game because it takes a lot of energy that I don't seem to have much of these days. In my younger days I always walked the golf course carrying my bag of clubs. Then I started using a hand cart in my middle years. Today I require an electric cart to ride in around the course in order to play the game. That is because my legs are pretty much shot and I don't feel well much of the time. I absolutely don't hit the ball very far these days. Most of the Florida courses require the use of a cart these days in order to speed up play so they can earn more revenue. There are a few courses where walking is permitted, but they are rapidly disappearing from the scene.

            It is true that playing golf is not a cheap sport if one really loves to play the game seriously. The equipment required can actually be quite expensive, although the quality of the equipment can vary quite widely if one wants to do it on the cheap side. Then there are the green fees, the range balls for practice, and almost always the tip for the bag man. Often it is advisable to pay for the services of a golf professional to teach certain aspects of the game if there is a need to do so. There will be some minor costs for the upkeep of equipment, such as new grips for the clubs periodically. And of course there is the cost for new golf balls, especially for the amateur players who tend to hit several stray shots during play. One doesn't always find the ball they hit in the woods, or in the lakes. Compared to other outdoor sports, I suppose golf could be about equal in costs. Hunting and shooting can be quite costly too, as is fox hunting, but ping pong or tennis would be considerably cheaper.

            I justify my expenditures on golf by telling myself I do not smoke or drink, so that allows me to feel good about whatever I do spend on golf. I am not saying I never have a social drink because that would not be true, but my expenses are extremely limited in drinking. I have not smoked a cigarette in more than thirty years. 

            So why do I still play this game of hitting and chasing that little white ball that many say is a silly waste of time? Well, the answer is fairly simple to me. First of all, I play because I love the camaraderie of being with the kind of friends I choose for myself, but there are also other reasons. It is said that golf is a game for gentlemen. That is very true; you will never find golfers fighting over the game, such as you might witness in a game of basketball or football. I have always found that golf is a game that defines the character of a man or a woman. Most people who play the game of golf are upstanding members of their community, people who often attend church and who offer help to others less fortunate. You will rarely find people playing golf who are outcast members of society.
            Golf is a game where the player calls penalties on himself or herself, not rely on a judge, jury, referee, or someone else to do it for them. I find that people who play golf are not cheaters. Yes, rarely a player will mistakenly lose track of a shot, especially when we grow older and our minds aren't as sharp as when we were younger, but it is not that common. Even then, a simple reminder from a playing partner will quickly correct the mistake.
            Golf is a very safe game to play. It would be extremely rare to read of a robbery on the golf course, or of a personal attack like a rape or mugging, let alone a murder. People who do those things are generally not golfers. You rarely if ever hear that someone playing golf has broken his leg, or his arm. And a caveat is that golf is a peaceful, quiet game that is played in a beautiful setting out in nature. Compare all this to playing a game like football or basketball where settings and attitudes are generally much different, where noise levels are through the roof..

By and large, golfers are an honorable group of individuals who never create chaos, but choose to conduct their lives in harmony with others. You may have noticed on television how the pros always shake hands at the conclusion of a golf match, not with just each other, but also with their caddies and the caddies of the opposition. This happens whether a player wins or loses. It is a great sign of true sportsmanship. I know of no other sport where this takes place quite like it does in golf. I think that may be why they call golf a game for gentlemen--and also for gentlewomen. Early in the history of the game of golf, it was truly a gentleman's sport, but it has morphed into an amazing sport for both genders because it can be equally played well by man or woman.

I simply love this game of golf.