So you think that Golf is easy?
O.K., So I toss a little white ball on the ground and puck it with a fat-headed metal stick till it falls in a hole..how hard can that be?
The Journey Begins:
A friend of mine contends that every round of Golf is different even if played on the same course on the same day in the same conditions and I agree with him 100%. Golf is one of those sports with so many factors involved so as to make it almost quantum and chaotic by nature. I have often felt like a sea captain, driver in hand standing two meters behind a teed ball and overlooking the sea from the port as I prepare to launch my vessel on a fantastic journey. Bending to the ground to remove a pinch of grass between thumb and forefinger then standing erect to momentarily survey the terrain before tossing the light green strands skywards to get some indication of the winds movement. This ancient ritual alone bonds me with my long dead ancestors who lived before our advanced tools of navigation. Watching the grass gives the golfer and idea of the winds strength and direction. Do these current wind conditions allow me to drive straight or should I play right and let the ball be carried back around by the strong breeze? The Golf game now enters the realm of applied mathematics or physics. Each Golf club representing a different distance and height depending on the stance one takes, the individual grip and swing of the golfer (and strength thereof) and the pivot or openness of the golf club face etc. Another factor could be the mental or nervous stress. Are you playing alone or in a tournament? The patience of a vicar and the courage of a G.I. can also be invaluable assets in your Golf arsenal. Relatively happy with your drive you leave the safety of the tee and the voyage begins.
In Full Sail:
Personally I find electric Golf carts a nuisance and distraction unless of course you are handicapped or elderly but Golf trolleys are fine in order to avert back damage through long years of carrying Golf clubs for hundreds of miles. So being in a good health condition is also a requirement for the game of Golf. Striding down the fairway you reach your golf ball and it is plugged in sponge-like ground. Taking out your archeology tools you begin to excavate. Then enters the new aspects of law and conscience as fair play and sportsmanship are required dropping the Golf ball the prescribed distance in accordance with the rules of the game. How good is the new placement and how far away from the green are you? Has the wind changed? Oh! Oh! A wide bunker and tall tree stand in the trajectory path so I need to play a high Golf shot. I don my aviators cap and prepare for flight. Having plotted in a course both long and high the Golf ball leaves the grass runway and sails high out of the metaphoric airport. Pausing momentarily I watch as it lands safely on the green.
Reaching Your Destination:
The adventure so far has proved rather predictable leaving you with a comforted feeling of smugness. Arriving at the green you prepare to enter the next phase of this multi-personality game of Golf. Bending to one knee you survey the grooves and texture of the landscape like an experienced engineer. Walking the distance between Golf ball and pin to check for any obstacles that may be laying on the surface the physicist/mathematician returns to calculate the angles and force need to complete the journey. The putter strikes the ball firmly and the echoing hollow plink sound closes a chapter in the days book.
Epilogue:
True, you may be familiar with every ridge, nook and cranny of a course which you regularly frequent but the constantly changing conditions such as weather, seasons, personal fitness/mental level, course upkeep (pin position/tee distance changes), skill level, playing style, Golf club brand etc. can make each round of Golf a unique experience.
Nigel Nix has been playing Golf on and off since he was 5 years old. He is now 42 and runs a humorous Golf blog. Golf Mad Blog For Golf Mad Golfers
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