I’ve written a lot about the game of golf, and I wanted to add one more thing.
With so many beautiful golf courses in Newport Beach, I’ve felt like it’s my duty to get people out there golfing and discovering this wonderful game.
It’s true, I’m definitely biased, having worked in the golf industry for several years, but the reason I did that in the first place was to get better acquainted with a sport I didn’t fully understand.
I previously thought golf was only for fat-cat rich people with nothing better to do with their time. I thought you had to have some sort of minimum social standing just to walk into a golf course.
None of this is actually true, aside from certain private clubs, and all most courses require is for you to have your own clubs, a collared shirt, and no jeans. Some don’t even require that much.
Golf is the only sport I can think of where the individual players are actually policing themselves. It happens fairly frequently in the pros, where a player will violate a rule and on his own, go tell an official of his mistake.
That doesn’t happen in any other sport!
Could you see Tom Brady throwing a pass from in front of the line of scrimmage, and then telling the ref who missed it that the pass shouldn’t count? Could you see Derek Jeter slide into home, being called safe, and turning to the umpire to tell him he was actually tagged out?
The only thing remotely close to this is when a basketball player, college or pro, gets a foul called on him and raises his hand, but that’s clearly not the same thing.
For children, it teaches discipline and fair play.
Little league and AYSO teach them how to be part of a team and that winning isn’t everything, which is great, but golf seems to teach these young guys how to be an individual and take responsibility. It makes them dig deep into their own soul and learn how to blame themselves occasionally and not others.
Adults take to the game because of its attention to detail and challenging nature. Business deals are done on golf courses, friendships can be made, and you can fall in love with the game after a single terrific shot.
I know the common perception that golf is just too expensive, but it’s really not if you have a little help. The optimum equipment will cost you a pretty penny, but anybody can afford to get started.
Learning the game is where money should be spent anyway. I’ve watched people spend thousands on equipment and never a dollar on instruction and, needless to say, they never got any better.
I know this all sounds preachy, but it truly is a beautiful game with many different facets. Just try visiting a local driving range – borrow a few clubs, and buy a small bucket of balls. You’ll be hooked in an instant.
