Why Do I Play Golf?

There are lots of reasons why I play golf, here are some. For one thing I needed sometime to occupy my time when I retired, and I like new challenges so why not golf. I really didn’t think I would like it as much as I do. Like playing bridge, there are always things to learn; you just can’t know everything in golf and things keep changing. Physically it has been great; my body feels better now than it did 20 years ago or when I was playing tennis. It keeps me limber and my arthritis has improved vastly. I also, like a lot of guys, like toys and there are a ton of them when it comes to golf. That’s also a negative, it costs too much to play this sport but fortunately we’ve been able to find places to make it affordable for us. There is also the esthetic part; with rare exceptions almost all golf course are beautiful. If you don’t think so, just walk a golf course backwards and you will find beauty that you may have never seen before.

The primary reason I like to play golf however is because of the people. Oh golf has its share of boneheads, but I have found for the most part golfers when nice folk to be with. It is a social game and golfers possess a type of integrity involved in the playing that is morally rewarding. You are your own referee. The few cheaters just hurt themselves more than anyone else.

It many ways it has the same things that I enjoyed about serving in churches. Nice people, who have fun and delight in each other when they follow the rules. And, the Lord’s name is invoked often; perhaps not the way it is in a church sense, nevertheless, there is a spiritual aspect of the game. A friend of mine, Matt Molke, gave me a great sermon from golf. He told me one day, “Golf is like Christianity. You try to do your best and you know you never will be perfect, but you get great joy out of trying to do so.” I find that profound.