This weekend I played Chester Ditto in Arlington with Salman & my dad. I played the course last week too - the back nine absolutely destroyed my face.
Our group of six was too big for one flight so Salman and I were paired up with two randoms. Random #1 was nice but random #2 was super unpleasant. He threw his clubs on the ground after bad shots, didn't crack a smile, just constant brooding. #2 ended up leaving after a bad tee shot on the tenth hole and that made
the rest of the round more enjoyable. The fact that I shot two over par on
the back nine didn't hurt either (^-^). #2 reminded me of how rare it was that I enjoyed the company of randoms (maybe it's me...). Playing golf with others means I'll be spending the next four to five hours with them and I always try my best not to ruin their time away from the real world. Maybe it's naive of me to assume others feel the same way because bad tempers and foul attitudes happen more often than not. But if there's anything I learned from watching Les Miserables, it's to never give up hope. Especially if Wolverine is on your team, or if Catwoman is your mom. But I digress...
 |
I know golf is a 1-player sport. It's just you, your level of sobriety, your equipment, and the course. But consider this - you would be hard-pressed to find a golfer who considers their time on a course as anything less than sacred. Therefore, it should follow that golfers appreciate that other golfers see their time chasing par as a sanctuary away from the stresses of life as well. It does not. Temper tantrums and whining are too common; and although potentially hilarious once or twice, one to four hours of constant negativity can absolutely ruin a beautiful day outdoors.
Do yourself and everyone around you on the first tee box a favor:
Do yourself and everyone around you on the first tee box a favor:
- Keep it playful
- It's just a game
- Realize that your foul mood will ALWAYS affect your playing partners. ALWAYS.
TL;DR: A round of golf is sacred. Don't screw it up for others.
