Gold is a fascinating subject...

Wait. That was a typo. Yes, gold is a fascinating subject, but it's not the subject of this thread.

Ahem! Golf is a fascinating subject. On the one hand, it's a totally ridiculous game if you look closely at what actually goes on, but on the other hand it's a great game for people who want to get obsessively perfectionist about something and master the discipline and intricacy needed to excell at it.

The anal retentive personality should really appreciate the merits of gold...ARRGHH!...I mean, golf!

It's hilarious to sit on a handy vantage point and watch such types grinding their teeth and tearing their hair out because they sliced or hooked or something like that. It's even funnier to watch their reaction when their ball lands in the sand trap again or better yet, in the water, or even better yet, when it vanishes into a bunch of scrub forest at the edge of the golf course. When you consider that all this is totally arbitrary, completely meaningless to anyone except the player, and will make no difference to the evolution of man or animal, it gets even funnier.

But it IS meaningful to the player, and people desire to have meaning in their lives. If they cannot find meaning in things that do matter, then they will find meaning in things that don't...like golf or football!

Only children play golf in a wise and enlightened manner. They have fun whacking the ball around. They don't care how many strokes it takes to reach the objective. When the ball lands in the woods or the sand trap it only adds to the adventure. This is brilliant, and is the way everyone might better play the game if they want to have a really good time.

However, I can see value to the adult approach too, come to think of it, because....it teaches discipline, accuracy, patience, concentration, focus, and all kinds of other good things like that. It could even teach serenity.

Given that, I believe there IS an enlightened way to play golf (and even football), if you do it to improve yourself and for the sheer love of the activity itself...rather than merely to "win".

FORE!

- LH