A Day On The Driving Range
Golf – an activity that is too often considered a non-sport, too often sidelined as “just a hobby,” as the lame uncool little brother of lacrosse, football, basketball. As my golf experience is strictly limited to “subpar mini golfer,” I didn’t expect to be intrigued by golf. Isn’t golf the chill “sport”, the gentleman’s civil, peaceable day trip activity? However, I spent a day with my school helping out with an alumni golf event and learned a number of surprising things about the sport.
Men and women alike came to the registration table with their eyes glinting, alive with the competitor’s furor. Even seasoned golfers bought mulligans, which, for the uninitiated, are second-chance tickets, that give the golfer a second chance if they make a mistake.
The golfers were served breakfast before they were released to the wilds of the greens and fairways of the golf course. They waited, poised at their golf carts, until the signal was given for the games to begin. At that, a fleet of golf carts took off down the paved roadways of the green.
There are many clubs in each golfer’s bag. As we students stood in silent awe watching the alumni golfing away, Navin stated (accurately) that golf is not a beginner friendly sport. Imagine trying to start playing with these seasoned pros, walking into the country club empty handed. It would be like a corgi walking into a den of rabid wolves. Periodically, the golfers rattle by in their carts. We look at the golfers among the student body with new eyes.
The golf day is long. Even though much goes on, the golfers don’t lose their energy. I can see the tiny golf pencils scribbling numbers as frenetically as they were at the first hole. Fortunately, today, the sky is cloudy. Whether it is blaringly sunny or aggressively rainy, golfers play. Even thunder is okay! It’s only when lightning starts cracking down that the golfers start straggling back one by one. They then go inside, lamenting and vocally making plans to drown their sorrows that the game got cut short.
They are no end generous, donating to our school as if their pockets will never empty. We sat watching them pass in golf carts, at the lunch money fund. Suddenly, Navin recognized an alum, who had featured in a career exploration video online. “Dr. Peters! Are you Dr. Peters?”
“Yes,” answered the doctor laughingly, “unless you’re trying to buy something from me!” He fished out his wallet all the same. It’s deeply gratifying to see how they love their old school and how they are willing to come home and care for it as the years pass. This world is home to such good people! As for the golf… I hope they swing easy?
