Golf- Some Collateral Benefits Of The Game

In a previous writing I stated that I had been playing golf for about thirty years or so. For the first 13 years of the thirty, I had played the game but never realized the collateral benefits to be derived from the game. I used to arrive at the golf course, set up my bag and clubs on the golf cart, and proceed to go out on the course and beat that little white ball around until it got into the intended hole. Golf was meant to be a fun and delightful experience, not one of frustration or anger because the ball did not respond to your every whim and command. For the new or beginning golfer, who has not experienced the roller coaster ride of emotions and frustrations that you can encounter during a round of golf, don't be disheartened, you soon will. That is unless you employ the proper mindset right from the beginning and do not take the game too seriously.

I planned my first golf trip in April of 1990 and decided to go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina "The Golf Capital Of The World". My experience on that trip and subsequent trips gave me a whole new outlook on the game. I guess you can say it was a Turning Point in my perception of what golf was really all about. You can think of it as just a game, like I did for the first 13 years playing, or you can realize and enjoy the more obscure collateral benefits of the game. What are these benefits, you ask ? Take the time to "Stop And Smell The Roses". What do I mean by that ? Most golf courses are designed utilizing the natural beauty of the surrounding terrain as a backdrop. Beside the beauty of the course itself you can often see nature at its best. When I started visiting Myrtle Beach and subsequently Florida, the wildlife and surrounding fauna and plant life was incredible. Not to mention the huge sprawling Elms, Oaks and Magnificent Cypress Trees and Palms, whose mere presence and appearance exuded a climate of an exhillirating and sometime exotic nature. Speaking of Nature, there have been many a morning that I have ventured out onto a course only to encounter a family of deer meandering across the fairway or grazing in the brush adjacent any particular golf hole. Some of my most memorable experiences, where I have encountered nature at its best, were at Pawleys Plantation ( near Pawleys Island - South part of the Grand Strand and a Jack Nicklaus design ), The Witch ( off of Route 544 south of 501) , and Oyster Bay ( Located in North Carolina ).

The first time I visited The Witch ( early 1990's), it was an eerie but exhilarating experience. I normally schedule the tee time early, around 7:00am, so we can play 36 holes if we so choose. When we arrived at the course, we signed in at the pro shop, saw the starter and were sent out to the first tee. The first tee is a good distance from the clubhouse, which by the way is built in the shape of a witches hat. A few minutes later we arrived at a secluded area at the first tee. It was prior to sunrise and I would guess about a quarter mile or so away from the clubhouse. There was a misty fog hovering over the ground everywhere. It blanketed the cart paths and the golf course, that added an eerie but appropriate ambiance to the setting of The Witch.The course was named, "The Witch" - how much more appropriate can you get ? Once the sun rose and the fog burned off, the course returned to its normal beauty and persona. On the next hole we were greeted by an alligator attempting to make some unsuspecting bird his prey. I guess the bird was flying too low over one of the ponds where the gator lived and he was looking for breakfast but luckily for the bird, he got away. I have seen at least a dozen or more gators in my last 18 years or so visiting Myrtle Beach and Florida. Most of the time the gator would be resting peacefully along side the golf hole sunning themselves. Even though the gator appeared to be sleeping, I would not recommend retrieving a golf ball that may have come within close proximity to them.

Although I only mentioned three courses as my most memorable experiences, almost every course has so much to offer in the way of natural beauty and wildlife, not to mention the intrinsic beauty of the golf course itself. Many golf courses provide homes to many varied forms of wildlife, including families of turtles, ducks, geese and the like abounding in their ponds and man made and natural lakes and streams alike. Swans, Ospreys, Egrets, Eagles, Falcons, Hawks and so many other species of birds too numerous to mention also abound around the courses in the temperate southern climate of Myrtle Beach and Florida. Since vacationing in Myrtle Beach almost 18 years ago I have enjoyed the experience of golf so much more.

The game of golf in itself is a wonderful experience but coupled with the beauty of nature and the associated wildlife and plant life that abounds on most courses, it provides and unbeatable combination for enjoying the game. While playing a game that I enjoy more than any other on the planet, the exhilaration and experience is now magnified many times since I have learned to "Stop And Smell The Roses" during the course of my round. We all want to play well but the enjoyment of the complete golf experience should be your first priority and not just what you score on your card. Take a tip from me - the next time you are on a golf trip or visiting your local course, "Stop And Smell The Roses". It will add a different perspective to the game that you may have never realized or appreciated before.

I would like to mention another, perhaps, more important collateral benefit of the game. Golf can be a frustrating and delightful experience at the same time. One or two holes you may play well, and then wonder what transpired on the next when you double bogey or worse ? It's the nature of the beast. When I am having a bad day on the golf course I recall a book given to me that taught me some very important aspects of the game.Golf can be a game of enlightenment about yourself and about life. I feel compelled to recommend the aforementioned book that I was given as a birthday gift by my sister and mother about a year ago. It is called "Golf For Enlightenment" The Seven Lessons Of Life by Deepak Chopra. I had heard of Mr. Chopra before but I am an avid fan of his now. If you take this somewhat spiritual journey with Adam and Leela, Mr. Chopras characters in the book, you may be amazed to see how playing the game of golf could relate to the game of life itself.

He can tell it much better than I and it is a book I would highly recommend for both the beginner and experienced golfer as well. You can visit his website at http://www.chopra.com or http://www.randomlargeprint.com It can help you immensely with your outlook of the game, which in turn will give you a much greater chance for success in both the game of golf and maybe life itself. As always, Happy Golfing To All!