Why Every Person Should Golf...

Sorry it's been awhile since we posted. We have had a lot going on, but just have not gotten around to blogging. We've had graduation parties, weddings, family get-togethers, doctor visits, and so on. We didn't take a lot of pictures though (which I am guessing is everyone's favorite part), which is one of the reasons we haven't posted.

Feeling like I am letting you down, I wanted to at least post something this morning. I apologize that I still have no pictures to share with you. What I wanted to write about this morning is one of my favorite hobbies/sports/interests - golf. I am playing golf this morning with my dad and sister, and while I am sitting here getting ready to play, I have been thinking about all the reasons why every person should golf.

1) It's a great way to get out and enjoy fresh air, beautiful grass, trees (although these can be troublesome for your golf game), water (see note on trees), and sand (see note on trees and water). I love being on the course and enjoying the creation God has made.

2) It's a great way to develop patience and self-control. Every time I hit a bad shot and am tempted to chuck my club like there's no tomorrow, I'm reminded that I need to be patient and have self-control. Where else can you have so many chances to get better at this than on the golf course?

3) It's a great way to develop honesty and integrity. There are a million ways to cheat or mislead in golf. You can "accidently misread" your 9 from the second hole as a 4 - shaving five whole strokes off your final score! You can carry extra golf balls in your pocket so that when you lose your real one in the creek, you can "substitute" a new one by dropping it in play when no one is looking. It can be a real temptation, which is why it's such a opportunity to grow in honesty and integrity.

4) It can be great exercise if you walk instead of ride. (Okay I realize that most of you are just going to disregard this one since you never even realized golf could be played without a cart :-)

5) It's a great way to help you overcome being materialistic or stingy. With as many golf balls as I loose in a round, I quickly begin to see them as just stuff. They can all be replaced and their are more important things in life (this may also apply to golf clubs that get tossed, broken, or go for a swim if I don't do well with point #2). Losing golf balls also helps me to be better with sharing what I have with others - particularly with those guys that always seem to find everyone else's lost balls.

6) It's a great game for learning to be polite and courteous. I love the fact that when someone else is hitting, you're supposed to be quiet (unless of course you just happen to be driving by a golf course - an opportunity in which you have no choice but to honk and yell as loud as you can out the window - "FORE!"). Also, I love that if you play quicker than the group in front of you, they are supposed to let you play through so you can move forward in front of them (and if they don't, you can just keep hitting into them until they get the message - wait, that's not very polite or courteous). 

7) You only have to hit about one good shot out of every fifty or so to keep you coming back for more. It's amazing how this works. You can hit the ball all over the place all day long and wonder to yourself, "Why did I pay all this money to come out and be this bad and miserable?" But once you hit one good shot, you're motivated to come and do it again.

8) It's fun. There are all sorts of ways you can play to suit you and the group of people you are playing with. So make it enjoyable for yourself, and please don't knock it until you've tried it!

Golf is a great game. Yes it can be expensive. But with all of these great benefits, how can their be any doubt. There are very few other investments that give you so much in return. So if you get a chance - spend some time golfing (maybe spend some time at the driving range first though).