Some say that golf was invented to frustrate and drive people crazy. While one can go crazy, if you simply enjoy the game and see it as a beautiful and fun way to pass the time, golf is a great hobby. Let me start this article by saying that while I enjoy the game of golf, I am a “terrible” golfer. I play for fun, and to try to improve a bit from start to start. While I do keep score, I do not submit these scores to create a handicap. While I keep my scores accurate and take every shot, my real handicap is my golf game. My drives are erratic, my irons are erratic, my short game is erratic, and my putting is erratic. Other than that, I play a “pure” game!

I have taken numerous lessons and I applaud my golf instructor for not getting so frustrated with me that he wanted to kick me out. He probably realizes, at least he pays his bills! There are days when I play better than other times, and there are shots I take that are actually pretty good shots. Unfortunately, there are many more very poor performances, both on the day and on the shot. I can even hit several good shots in a row and then follow up with more bad shots. Invariably though, after I’ve played a round of golf, I find it to be a much more enjoyable experience than most other activities.

I have trained myself to focus my memories on the few good shots during the round. When I occasionally make a “great” shot, I can remember that shot and focus on that shot for a season. I am “convinced” that the “golf gods” deliberately allow you to have a few good shots each round, to “keep you coming back”.

When you watch the pros play, whether in person or on TV, don’t they make golf look so easy? They often seem to be hitting the ball effortlessly and can hit farther with an iron than I can hit with my driver. Sometimes, though, even the pros show they’re human, too, whether it’s hitting a miss, “beating” a putt, hitting too far or too short, hitting the hazard, or having trouble getting out. of the obstacle. And we can witness the frustration on their faces when this happens to them!

My advice to casual weekend golfers is to just enjoy the game. Do your best, but you will almost always do better when you put less pressure on yourself than when you get tense. For many of us, golf can be fun or drudgery. When I see other “weekend warriors” get so mad at a hit that they start cussing, “body lowering”, throwing sticks, breaking sticks, or throwing the sticks at the warrior, it’s hard for me to understand how they’re enjoying themselves. the wonderful game of golf. We must remember that for many golf is a game, for others a sport and for others a competition. Regardless, one should make enjoying golf the priority!