Dear Golf

This week’s blog entry will function differently than week’s past. This week, I’ll be writing a letter to golf. I drew inspiration to do this idea/challenge from EAL and Rick Shiels. Without a further ado…

Dear Golf,

Thank you. I know we’ve only known each other for a short time, but in that time, you’ve done for me what few others have… changed me. It might sound cliché for a game to change someone’s life but you’re much more than a game, aren’t you? You’re more of a mentality or a self-sustaining being.

A game is defined as “a form of play or sport, especially a competitive one played to rules and decided by skill, strength, or luck”. Golf, you’re much more than something that is played for competition to decide a winner, you impact people beyond those who choose to be one with you.

Golf, you alluded me for a majority of my life but on the faithful day I became one with you, is something I will cherish forever. In just three years, you’ve given me more than anything I would’ve imagined you could’ve. You gave me friendship, opportunities, fun, pain, and most of all, a new mindset. The beauty of you is that you aren’t perfect.

Perfection is something we all strive for, but few can actually achieve it. Even for someone who keeps score, they will never be truly happy. Every milestone encompasses a new milestone to achieve again and again.

And that’s the best part of you, we can all enjoy in our own way. For the longest time, my goal was to break 90, and then it finally happened and it felt great in the moment. However, I found the true prize was the round after, where I no longer had to worry about my score because I had achieved what I wanted.

My new goal was this: to enjoy the simplicity of the game and the people I get to enjoy it with. When I was trying to break 90, I would always get upset and try my hardest to break that milestone. It took away the enjoyment. Relatedly, this could correlate with becoming obsessed with a career path. Becoming too enthralled with the next test or certification that you pass by the relationships that matter to you.

Looking back to the round I played a couple of weeks ago with my friends that graduated college a couple of years ago, I played the worst in a long time. I could barely get the ball to go where I want it to, which hasn’t been a problem in a long time for me. However, instead of getting upset or angry, I just soaked in the time with my friends that I hadn’t seen in some time.

Golf, you’ve also brought me closer to my dad in a very long time. He played a long time before I was born and he was a very good player. However, when I was born, I began to take time away.

My dad is my favorite playing partner. There is something comforting about having him with me when we go play golf. Maybe it’s just being able to spend time with him and always having something to talk about. Ultimately, that’s what you’re all about right? Bringing people together?

You do a damn good job. From organizations that use you as a platform to bring change for those who need it. To the longtime friends that meet up every weekend to get some time away from the realities of life, we thank you.

Ultimately, Golf you mean more to me than you know. Traditionally, people would feel love in this sense but I think you deserve something different. My word for you would be gratitude. An ultimate admiration and appreciation for everything that you bring to this world.

From everything that I am, Thank You.

Sincerely,

Golf Beyond Score

One final note before ending this blog post, I’d also like to thank you all, the Golf Beyond Score faithful, for sticking along for this journey. Over the course of this journey, we’ve talked about a multitude of topics and how people connect to golf without their score.

On our social platforms, we’ve seen lots of growth in content and following. We’ve had posts gain lots of attention for the Golf Beyond Score movement.

If I can leave you all with one thing, remember to enjoy golf. It has its moments of infinite frustration and of unlimited happiness. It’s about enjoying the ride of all the feelings in the journey.

The future of Golf Beyond Score is in the air still. I plan to have a blog out every couple of weeks that focuses on something related to golf. Additionally, the Instagram and Tiktok will remain active, just not as active as they currently are.

Thank you all for joining the rocket ship so far. I look forward to continuing to make content in the coming weeks.

-GBS-