In life, as in golf ...

The early 20th Century US President, Theodore Roosevelt, is attributed with the saying "speak softly and carry a big stick." The president was apparently referring to an approach to foreign policy when he made the statement, but it could equally be applied to many areas of life. Like, for instance, golf.

Golf is, in many ways, a metaphor for life. No, really. Stay with me here. 

Part of the gallery on the 16th at Queanbeyan GC

Obviously carrying a big stick, or several to be more precise, is central to golfing as kicking the ball is generally frowned upon, but being a golfer of woefully limited talent, I've spent many hours on the course musing on connections between life and chasing a small white ball around a few hundred acres of landscape. Perhaps if I spent less time philosophising and more actually focusing on the little white ball my ability wouldn't be quite so woefully limited, but I'm easily distracted.

My approach to golf is best summarised as SOTFF*. I'm going to have this tattooed on me somewhere, because in golf, as, arguably, in life, one gets ahead by staying on the fairway. As one who has many, many times in golf (as well as in life) strayed far from the fairway, I can say with all certainty that hitting straight up the middle, while not as adventurous, will get you to where you're going a lot faster and with minimum incidents. The trees and the bunkers may be a fun diversion, but they're not going to get you on to the green.

Of course, deviating from the straight and narrow will give you experience in a wide variety of shots. Getting out of tight situations, navigating the rough, communing with nature and wildlife and enjoying the distractions of sand and water while your opponents are diligently trudging up the middle of the fairway towards the green is all part of a larger game.

But it's when you get on the green that golf and life diverge. Because once you get on the Green of Life, what do you do then?

Obviously, in golf, you go to the next tee and do it all over again. But in life, once you reach that hallowed ground, it's either all downhill or you have to work twice as hard to stay there, clutching the flag and fighting off all challengers. 

I guess it all depends on what you want out of life, no? To reach the green in the minimum number of shots or to take the scenic route and risk losing the game.

Proposed new tatt ... but where to put it?



*Stay on the fucking fairway

 

 


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