Gentlemen of Golf
Golf, my biggest passion. Also my worst nightmare. But this story isn't about how golf surrounds me or my ability to play this game. But a gentlemen. Not just any gentlemen, 'A Gentlemen of Golf.'
My father taught me how to play golf. My dad died in July 2000. What an unbelievable turn of events. From just talking with him a few weeks earlier, to dropping dead on the golf course, as it was conveyed to me. However, that's not what happened. But if it had been, that's where, I'm sure, he would have loved to be when he kicked the bucket.
My father loved golf. It wasn't just the excitement of hitting a great shot or even making a long putt. It was his camaraderie with his playing buddies. His ability to talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk for the game of golf. He wasn't a flim flam man or a con man. But if you asked any of his friends, they may cause to differ. He was the essence of what it was to be out on the course. Along with his brother, my uncle, who he loved dearly, together they experienced the courage, wisdom, knowledge, talent, success and failure of this sport they loved.
What is a 'gentlemen of golf'? Well, that depends on who you ask. It's really kind of hard to define. Consider this: what makes a human being, drag 14 clubs through 6500 yards of grass, trees, weeds, dirt, sand, asphalt, hitting a small white spherical ball, to a cup 4 inches in diameter? The only answer I can give you: you have to experience it yourself.
There isn't one definition of a gentlemen of golf. I believe it is a culmination of ideas, thoughts, theories, essence, knowing what to do and when, and a multitude of subconscious actions. It is an ambiance that you display. An unconscious portrayal of a seasoned golfer. The sixth sense of golf.
Growing up in the sixties and seventies was a fun time. Golf was not as popular as it is today. The equipment was different and the players were different. Even the current rates for green fees have skyrocketed. I remember playing several times a week during the summer with my brother, while our mother worked. She would drop us off at the golf course at the military base she worked. We would play all day for two dollars. In fact I vividly recall playing 72 holes in one day. A feat that my brother and I still talk about today.
I believe those times instilled in me the concept and traits of a gentlemen of golf. Not everyone falls into this category. I believe it is very rare you could get 4 different skills of play in one foursome and display the kind of aura I am talking about. In my opinion, if you watch professional golfers as part of the gallery or watch it on television, you won't see gentlemen of golf. You see people trying to beat each other. It is their job and the golf course is their office. But if you put those golfers in a different golf stage, such as playing with their buddies, some of them will display the gentlemen of golf character.
A gentlemen of golf is not something you can see. It is a feeling within your group. You can't just arbitrarily take one foursome and say they are this gentlemen of golf group. I believe the sense of playing with someone who you might think is a gentlemen of golf takes a lifetime. One of the fascinating things about playing golf is meeting other golfers and then relating their style of golf with yours. I have played with novices and professionals. And in some instances, playing with the novice has been more of a gentlemen experience than playing with the professionals.
I've been fortunate to turn 50 years old on May 3, 2007. Having played for more than 40 years, it has been both rewarding and disappointing. I have played golf with many men, women and children of differing skill levels. There are gentlemen of golf that display an extra amount of reserved stoic golf enthusiasm. My friend Bob Stone, or "Stoney" as he is called by his peers, is 77 years old (the same age my father would have been). Ironically, Bob didn't start playing golf until he was 50. I have known Bob now for over ten years. And in the 25 or so years he has played golf, he has displayed the essence of what I have tried to convey. Now Bob is no croon. He has a very good swing for his age and pretty much pops it down the fairway almost every time. The way he conducts himself with other golfers is unmatched. If my father were alive, he and Bob would surely display the gentlemen of golf ambiance.
Aside from the aura of playing in a gentlemen of golf group, there are many things to consider while playing your round. I recently took a poll from various forums and newsgroups and received a handful of e-mail responses that embodied the gentlemen of golf type. The true gentleman of the game remembers what it was like for them to learn the game. They will take the time, when appropriate, on the range or other practice facility, to impart a small tip on someone who seems to be just starting the game. When playing, the gentleman of the game maintains a good pace of play and helps others to do the same. He understands that on the course is not the place for a lesson. He lives up to the etiquette of the game and is an example to others. Fixing ball marks, raking traps, replacing divots and (here's one you don't see much), waving the group on the tee up on a par three, is paramount. He knows how to tend a flag or mark a ball. The only time that a club leaves his hand is when he puts it in his bag. He knows where to stand, when to talk and when to watch. Have you ever noticed other players in your group head to the next tee after putting? That is a strict no-no. Everyone should get the same courtesy no matter what skill level. A gentleman of the game understands the rules, plays by them, imparts penalties on themselves, and helps others understand those rules. A gentlemen of golf is aware of his surroundings and his presence.
Some people may argue that other sports or games have their own gentlemen, but in golf, your true self shows up. It is a game that can define who you are. How much aggravation, frustration and even success can you take while playing golf. This game will test every part of your human personality. The true gentlemen of golf are out there. They battle and they persist. Sometimes they even conquer a golf course. They represent all that is good for the game of golf. Whether you love it or despise it, young or old, you can play golf for a lifetime. And if you do, being a gentlemen of golf is the way to go. It is most probably the best game man has ever devised.
My father taught me how to play golf. My dad died in July 2000. What an unbelievable turn of events. From just talking with him a few weeks earlier, to dropping dead on the golf course, as it was conveyed to me. However, that's not what happened. But if it had been, that's where, I'm sure, he would have loved to be when he kicked the bucket.
My father loved golf. It wasn't just the excitement of hitting a great shot or even making a long putt. It was his camaraderie with his playing buddies. His ability to talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk for the game of golf. He wasn't a flim flam man or a con man. But if you asked any of his friends, they may cause to differ. He was the essence of what it was to be out on the course. Along with his brother, my uncle, who he loved dearly, together they experienced the courage, wisdom, knowledge, talent, success and failure of this sport they loved.
What is a 'gentlemen of golf'? Well, that depends on who you ask. It's really kind of hard to define. Consider this: what makes a human being, drag 14 clubs through 6500 yards of grass, trees, weeds, dirt, sand, asphalt, hitting a small white spherical ball, to a cup 4 inches in diameter? The only answer I can give you: you have to experience it yourself.
There isn't one definition of a gentlemen of golf. I believe it is a culmination of ideas, thoughts, theories, essence, knowing what to do and when, and a multitude of subconscious actions. It is an ambiance that you display. An unconscious portrayal of a seasoned golfer. The sixth sense of golf.
Growing up in the sixties and seventies was a fun time. Golf was not as popular as it is today. The equipment was different and the players were different. Even the current rates for green fees have skyrocketed. I remember playing several times a week during the summer with my brother, while our mother worked. She would drop us off at the golf course at the military base she worked. We would play all day for two dollars. In fact I vividly recall playing 72 holes in one day. A feat that my brother and I still talk about today.
I believe those times instilled in me the concept and traits of a gentlemen of golf. Not everyone falls into this category. I believe it is very rare you could get 4 different skills of play in one foursome and display the kind of aura I am talking about. In my opinion, if you watch professional golfers as part of the gallery or watch it on television, you won't see gentlemen of golf. You see people trying to beat each other. It is their job and the golf course is their office. But if you put those golfers in a different golf stage, such as playing with their buddies, some of them will display the gentlemen of golf character.
A gentlemen of golf is not something you can see. It is a feeling within your group. You can't just arbitrarily take one foursome and say they are this gentlemen of golf group. I believe the sense of playing with someone who you might think is a gentlemen of golf takes a lifetime. One of the fascinating things about playing golf is meeting other golfers and then relating their style of golf with yours. I have played with novices and professionals. And in some instances, playing with the novice has been more of a gentlemen experience than playing with the professionals.
I've been fortunate to turn 50 years old on May 3, 2007. Having played for more than 40 years, it has been both rewarding and disappointing. I have played golf with many men, women and children of differing skill levels. There are gentlemen of golf that display an extra amount of reserved stoic golf enthusiasm. My friend Bob Stone, or "Stoney" as he is called by his peers, is 77 years old (the same age my father would have been). Ironically, Bob didn't start playing golf until he was 50. I have known Bob now for over ten years. And in the 25 or so years he has played golf, he has displayed the essence of what I have tried to convey. Now Bob is no croon. He has a very good swing for his age and pretty much pops it down the fairway almost every time. The way he conducts himself with other golfers is unmatched. If my father were alive, he and Bob would surely display the gentlemen of golf ambiance.
Aside from the aura of playing in a gentlemen of golf group, there are many things to consider while playing your round. I recently took a poll from various forums and newsgroups and received a handful of e-mail responses that embodied the gentlemen of golf type. The true gentleman of the game remembers what it was like for them to learn the game. They will take the time, when appropriate, on the range or other practice facility, to impart a small tip on someone who seems to be just starting the game. When playing, the gentleman of the game maintains a good pace of play and helps others to do the same. He understands that on the course is not the place for a lesson. He lives up to the etiquette of the game and is an example to others. Fixing ball marks, raking traps, replacing divots and (here's one you don't see much), waving the group on the tee up on a par three, is paramount. He knows how to tend a flag or mark a ball. The only time that a club leaves his hand is when he puts it in his bag. He knows where to stand, when to talk and when to watch. Have you ever noticed other players in your group head to the next tee after putting? That is a strict no-no. Everyone should get the same courtesy no matter what skill level. A gentleman of the game understands the rules, plays by them, imparts penalties on themselves, and helps others understand those rules. A gentlemen of golf is aware of his surroundings and his presence.
Some people may argue that other sports or games have their own gentlemen, but in golf, your true self shows up. It is a game that can define who you are. How much aggravation, frustration and even success can you take while playing golf. This game will test every part of your human personality. The true gentlemen of golf are out there. They battle and they persist. Sometimes they even conquer a golf course. They represent all that is good for the game of golf. Whether you love it or despise it, young or old, you can play golf for a lifetime. And if you do, being a gentlemen of golf is the way to go. It is most probably the best game man has ever devised.
posted by Tom Zamora at 3:37 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home