I have the pleasure of watching our community play golf. I see the swings, and hear the tales of agony and success.
Through the pro shop window, I have a clear view of the first tee. For those of you who don’t play golf, the first tee is just about the most intimidating place on the course. People are watching. With all that pressure, it’s understandable that most golfers don’t hit their best shot. But every once in a while, a golfer connects with one.
The sound reverberates across the putting green, turning heads as everyone strains to watch the ball fly through the air. We all hold our breath as it bounds along the fairway, hoping to witness a miracle, willing it toward the bottom of the hole.
Local lore has it that our very own superintendent, Steve Woodruff a.k.a. the TurfDoctor, grabbed a club off the rack one day, and in front of a small crowd, proceeded to do just that, make a hole-in-one.
To me, this is one of golf’s greatest qualities — it gives us a rare glimpse of our true potential. Just when you want to give up and join a bowling league, you hit a shot that is so perfect, even Jordan Spieth wouldn’t have anything to yell at it. The sensation of solid contact and the majesty of a ball flying high through the air captivates the mind.
Then it happens … you become a golfer. It starts small; you catch yourself practice swinging an imaginary club, but soon enough, it takes over. You start recording shows from the Golf Channel and sneaking in range sessions on your lunch break.
Inevitably you meet other golfers, or discover that you knew some all along. The legendary instructor, Harvey Penick, was famous for saying: “And if you play golf, you’re my friend.” This is another of golf’s great qualities — the relationships you form along the way.
I see people from all walks of life meet as strangers on the first tee and emerge nine holes later as friends. There is something about sharing the emotional rollercoaster that is golf that brings people together. You commiserate after the bad shots and celebrate the good ones. Golf tradition reinforces this camaraderie, dictating that if a golfer makes a hole-in-one, he or she must buy a round of drinks for the other players in the group (if not the entire clubhouse).
Golf is about much more than the score you shoot, it is about realizing your potential and the people you meet along the way. My former boss and mentor, Head Professional Ken Woods, would remind me whenever I was frustrated that, “it’s just golf.”
His point was that the way you treat other people on the course, and the insights you discover about yourself, outweigh anything you can accomplish with a golf ball. Pretty good advice.
I invite you all to give the game a try. Find out what you are capable of and meet some good folks along the way. I warn you that it is the hardest game known to mankind, but the rewards are well worth the struggle.
-Bob Chase is a Professional Golf Instructor and the Director of Golf at Valley Gardens Golf Course in Scotts Valley. He previously worked as an Assistant Golf Professional at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz. He has a BA in Political Science from UC San Diego and is pursuing an MBA from Santa Clara University. He lives with his wife, Mary, in Ben Lomond.
