Follow Up

I have lately received a question repeatedly. I felt that I had cover this question though now reflecting on my past blogs, I found that I have not answered this question fully.

Image Courtesy PCHS: Boys State
Golf  Team

"Is golf fun?" Such a simple question. Though this is short answer, there is more depth in it. Yes, golf is extremely fun. However, it is not just fun because you get to hit a ball. That is boring. There are certain things that you come, as a golfer, to enjoy about the game. People enjoy golf for multiple reasons, though some of the reasons that I really enjoy golf are as follows. Obviously when you have a really good shot, it makes you feel successful and it also helps you to realize that practice does actually pay off in the long run. I have also come to love playing in the evening and walking the course as the sun sets. This really gets me in a good mood and the views that are seen from holes on The Jeremy Ranch golf course are amazing. I usually golf around six on the weekends and it extremely fun. Another aspect of golf that fun, is when you are golfing with friends and or team mates. Golf you could say is a social sport. It allows for conversation. I enjoy playing golf with my friends and being able to talk and play is a ton of fun.

Though I have mentioned a few things that make golf a fun sport there is one part about golf that really makes it the most enjoyable for me. I have not yet mention it, though it deals with golfing with people and more specifically friends. Some of my best friends are my siblings and parents. I really do find that my best memories golfing, have been with them. When we are all together and out on the course I never have had such a great time. Playing golf with my family is what I golf for. It makes golf worth it. So, yes golf is fun. If you want to have an enjoyable time out on the course, I recommend you grab a friend or family member and head out. Enjoy!

Golf: Athletics vs. Academics, The Balance

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Picture a young man in July. Just made his school golf team and has not a clue what he is getting himself into. He thought that he did. The papers and disclosures said that he would be playing tournaments during school, though he had no clue and no worries about it. Golf season kicked off in August and he thought life was treating him pretty well. Then, school hit. September came and tournaments and practice were not the easiest thing for him anymore. Nor was his academics.

I learned quickly that I had to do something about my school work. I missed the first day of
school for a tournament which did not help at all. However, this leads me to my first point. When on a team or sporting activity, you should let your teachers know that you will be missing school at least one to three weeks in advance. You should not be quiet about it and have them find out the day of in an email that will be sent out from your coach. Though this is perfectly acceptable, it will not give you the best reputation. Let your teachers know, even if it has to be done before school starts. This will allow your teachers to understand that though you are on a sports team you still care and value your education. This is a good message to send, even if you aren't too

Image Courtesy: PowerSchool

serious about education. A good reputation can never hurt. 

Despite letting your teachers know, you should come up with a schedule and plan of attack. Golf is and was hard, golf is a hard sport to play with school going on. I understand that playing other sports can be tough with school, though I can assure you golf is hard. In other sports you rarely miss a whole day of school to go to a tournament. In golf tournaments last anywhere from three to five hours with another hour or two of driving. Practices also last at least one to three hours depending on what is being done. Golf is tough and if you have time management issues, or you have never had to manage your time, like I did, then here is something that I hope will help. To start off, you need a plan of action. How will you go about studying and doing homework after practice? It is simple. You need at least an hour of time after practice to do homework. It really is not that hard. An hour of sitting down and finishing all your homework is easy and then you have the rest of the day to do whatever you would like. I was really good at doing this during the first quarter and throughout the golf season. However when golf ended, so did my time management. So in a way, the stress that sports will put on you can help. Use it to your advantage. It is possible and will help. Along with time management, know your priorities. Understand that some assignments may be worth more than others and those are the ones that should be done first. 

Balancing athletics and academics is certainly not as hard as it seems though doing so can cause stress. Honestly, if someone as "smart" (extreme sarcasm) as me can do it, so can you. Remember, that as as important as sports especially golf can be, your education should always be your number one priority. A teacher once told me "Academics before athletics." This has really stuck with me and I find it to be true. Let me know if this helps. What should I blog about next?  

Golf, The Intellectual Pastime.

Thanks to all you golf haters. All you stereotype golf believers. And, those of you High School Jocks that argue golf is not a physical sport. To you I reply, "You are correct!" I most definitely agree that golf is not a physical sport. I have no problem admitting to that. I can and will say it to your face. However, I beg to differ that golfers are not athletic. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines an athlete as a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise. Good golfers are proficient in their sport.

As a golfer you are so much more important than those "Physical" Football, Baseball, and Basketball players. Golf is an original sport, that is why so many "Jocks" cannot hit a driver sixty yards when us golfers can hit them three-hundred plus. Golf is the only sport in which one hits a non-moving ball. Because of this, beginner golfers can not make contact with a golfball, and therefore hitting it a decent distance is nearly impossible.

Being able to hit a ball that is not in motion requires fantastic hand-eye coordination. Don't get me wrong, other sports require hand-eye coordination. Though, golf is the sport that most requires this skill. 75% of coordination skills have nothing to do with physical strength. In fact, golf is not about how big, or even how strong you are. It is all about technique. Technique has nothing to do with physical strength, and that is why professional golfers come in all shapes, sizes, and even ages.

Courtesy of PGA

Aside from technique, mental endurance is the biggest part of golf. The unofficial golf definition of mental endurance is being able to think positive about your game. Which at sometimes can be hard. It requires one to forget their crapy last shot and focus on the next. This type of endurance I can positively say is not needed in any other sport, but golf. If you cannot control your mental endurance, golf is going to be a tough sport. It is safe to say that every golfer at the start of their career had some problems with mental endurance. This includes, but is not limited to the pro's, like Rory Mcilroy. Mental endurance cannot be fully overcome, professionals and amateurs do their best to not let one shot ruin their round. Though sometimes, it can.

Golf haters and Jocks, next time you think about calling golf an easy sport, telling a golfer they are not athletes, or accusing them of not being physical. Think again, because I'll bet golf is a harder sport than the one you play.