Why do you play?

Don’t overthink this…But it is important that understand why you play golf. What are your goals? What is your purpose for spending countless hours and dollars on a game? To compete. For fun. To get outdoors. Exercise. Family time. Whatever the reason, all answers are correct and awesome. You just need to be confident in your “why” so you can set proper expectations and get the most out of your experience.

Playing a few times a year and being mad you aren’t shooting even par is a poor expectation and an even poorer metric of success. Some of the most interesting and enjoyable rounds I’ve had are with 90-100+ golfers. It’s not about how well they play. Honestly, no one cares. When they have a great attitude, are realistic with their expectations, and enjoy the pursuit, they’re just cool people to hang with. We hit some good shots, talk, laugh, and spend a stress-free few hours on the course. If you want to be a scratch golfer or better, that’s fantastic. Regardless of your desired skill, don’t let your game dictate your identity. You choose what the game means to you.

For me, playing golf is about demonstrating mastery of a task that eludes most and can be pursued for a lifetime. The challenge is unique in that I am, in theory, fully in control of each shot. The ball doesn’t move, the lie is fixed, and the outcome is in my hands. Yet, it almost never goes according to plan. A mental miscue, a mechanical flaw, a poor strategic decision. After 30 years, there is still more to learn from this game and I love it. Yet, I have to always remind myself to not be too critical. I am not a robot, there is inherent variability in each shot, and there will be poor outcomes. If I’ve learned anything, you have to be able to laugh at yourself. It’s not a sign that you don’t care, it simply means you’re not worried about the result because you’ve taken the opportunity to learn from the result and adjust for the next one.