Of the many ways to celebrate our all too brief summers here in Manitoba, golf is probably my favourite.
For some, the thought of spending hours every week trying to knock a little white ball into a not much larger hole from hundreds of yards away might appear a little silly. It may even seem downright mad to insist on going back day after day, chasing that nearly impossible dream of shooting a sub-par
While the above may be true, golf is also the ultimate individual game. The only person who affects the outcome of your round is the one swinging your clubs.
Having a good round of golf comes down to two things: technique and concentration. And sometimes luck.
A person will spend years practicing and honing their swing, taking lessons, getting pointers from others, even working on their stance without a club in hand. The pursuit of perfection (or even par) can become a life-long obsession. As frustrating as a shanked drive or missed tap-in can be, those moments only make that hole-in-one (I have two, by the way) or chip-in from the bunker that much sweeter.
Another beautiful thing about golf is it’s a perfect reason to get to hang out with your buddies for a few hours or even make new friends out on the course.
Golf can double as a business meeting, and for those of us lucky enough to have a significant other who enjoys the game, it also can serve as quality time spent with that special person in your life. Walking an entire 18 holes is more exercise than you might expect, and if you’re not in the market for some exercise, well, who doesn’t love to drive a golf cart?
And if you happen to get thirsty while you’re out there, you won’t be for long, because the drinks come to you!
Also, with the multitude of charity golf tournaments throughout the summer — there’s got to be at least one a week — you can also support your community while swinging the sticks.
So get out to your local driving range and go hit a bucket. You’ll thank me later.
http://www.winnipegsun.com/life/columnists/dave_wheeler/2010/07/01/14582591.html
