Golf has always been my number one. It’s hard to get good at, and yet it still brings players of all levels together.
Not all golfers are born equal. For some, getting out of the sand trap is a cakewalk; for others, hitting a drive into the fairway is perpetual an uphill battle. I imagine it’s the same in every sport. I read that only 6% of all golfers break 100. That’s a lot of players hitting over and over again and still thinking golf is fun. So why do so many of us spend the best days of summer wandering around the course? Because we’re always hopeful every new game will turn out to be unbelievable (22 handicap be damned!). You’ll play like that pro who keeps popping up in your Insta feed. It’ll be par after par, and you’ll even throw in a birdie. But reality tends to catch up quickly. The first drive is pretty great, then the second shot lands in the tall grass near the green. Bad chip, another bad chip in another time zone from the hole on the green, and a three-putt for a triple bogey. Ok so maybe this game isn’t the one. Poor technique, poor concentration and poor self-esteem ruin the next few holes. There you are, you and your best intentions, at the 18th with another stratospheric score.
Let’s face it, a golf swing is like a Rolex horological movement. And what makes the Submariner such an icon? That same perfect steadiness, second after second, year after year. It’s pretty rare for someone to flash a Rolex on the golf course, but less so if you’re watching a player on the LPGA or PGA tour. And understandably so, since golf is their job. A good game takes a lot of perseverance, character and drive (both types). But for many golfers, it isn’t about the score; it’s about the game. And to each golfer their own motivation: get outside, walk around, breathe in some fresh air, enjoy the scenery, chat with friends and maybe even meet your soulmate. That’s the amazing thing about the sport: the social aspect can take all sorts of unexpected tangents.
I’ve always thought the best way to get to know someone is to play a round with them, spend a couple of intimate hours in an electric cart. After a while, the usual small talk (where are you from? Do you have kids? How many? What do you do for a living?) inevitably gives way to silence, a confession or two and maybe even some juicy anecdotes you’re surprised to hear yourself sharing. But what it’s really about is who people are when they play. You’ll see some of the most eclectic personality traits emerge. There are players you cross paths with season after season and a few memorable ones you just can’t forget. There’s the methodical one (very pro-like, with all kinds of rituals and habits), the ultra-hip one who invests heavily in golf apparel (ever notice how a lot of people who watch golf tend to dress golf?), the cheater (spot them a mile away, always a ball in their pocket and one shot less on the card), the hypersensitive (can’t hit a ball if someone or something is in their field of vision or within earshot, like a train, a plane or a loudly croaking frog), the explainer who talks incessantly about their bad game (I don’t understand what’s going on with me today! I don’t usually play in the morning!), the ball seeker (who takes the opportunity to pick up a few extra) and the eternal gimme player. I could go on for hours. Golfers love nothing more than talking about golf.
And therein lies the beauty of the sport. No two holes alike, no two shots alike, no two games alike, no two players alike.
