A Story About Golf, Friendship And The Meaning Of Life

by Johnny

You play golf to get to know yourself better. You also play golf to get to know your friends better. If you stop and think, you realize that golf has turned into much more than just a game.

Let me tell you a personal story…


As I write this I'm just back home after playing 18 holes…


The round I played tonight was one of the best rounds of golf I have ever played. It was the kind of round you want to experience when you're a beginner golfer..


I didn’t play my greatest golf, neither did my playing partners.


Yes, I got to challenge myself. But this round was more about how golfers make friends and become part of something bigger than themselves. It was one of those golf rounds that gives meaning to life.


How?


Let me explain…


But first, let me rewind til the time I decided to learn how to get into golf…


For me this was a time in life when I had many things that troubled me…


I needed to find something that brought peace to mind, something I could focus my thoughts on in order to think less on what troubled me.


(What troubled me was out of my control. I couldn’t take action to deal with it.)


When I first started I spent hours on the driving range hitting balls.


I thought I improved my swing, but then I realized it’s quite hard to dig it out of the dirt if you’re a beginner adult. However, the range is a place to start. It let me gain some experience and I got used to the clubs.


Soon I turned into one on one golf lessons…


This was a huge game changer for me. Having the local pro showing me how to swing opened my eyes and made me understand how little I knew about hitting a golf ball.


From there it was fast forward.


(Yes, it requires putting in time for practice.)


On the other hand, getting to know other people at the golf club didn't come natural for me. Being an introvert, that's often the way it is…


I didn’t know many at the golf club and didn’t really feel that I belonged. I saw many other golfers that looked like they’d known each other for years. I realized I had to do something…


...so I signed up for beginner golf group lessons.


This was when the rubber hit the road…


I quickly got to know new people, all in about the same situation as me. This was easy and fun and I regretted not signing up for group lessons earlier.


I became closer with two golfers and we have been practising together ever since. It was these golfers I played with tonight...


This is how easy it can be to get into golf.


Back til tonight's round…


It was cold and windy when we stepped up on 1st tee...


… and off we went.


My playing partners are very successful in their field, but when we're playing golf we don’t talk about work. When we are playing golf we are all equal and golf is what unites us.


(If you don’t get what I mean, you will soon.)


We got to see the sun for a short period of time. Other than that the weather was harsh. But there were chatter and laughs as we navigated our way around the course…


When we walked up to 18th green we were happy. Maybe not with our level of play, but with the round we were about to finish.


There was a sense of belonging. A connection between us.


It wasn't spoken out loud, but we felt what life is all about…