Golf is Fun! Who Knew?

"Learning how to golf is 30% skill and 70% attitude" I announced when we got home from a trip to the driving range.

Doug laughed but he agreed.

Two years ago, I made a grudging, half-hearted attempt at golf. I expected to dislike it and I did. I expected to suck and I did. It didn't go well for anyone and I quit before I had even gotten started.

This summer I decided, without an ounce of pressure, to learn how to golf. Not to try again. Not to go once and then decide but to learn how to golf.

I knew I would suck. I knew it would be hard. I knew it would be a long long time before I got even remotely good. But, by committing to learning how to golf, I accepted all of those things are par for the course (ha! Par for the course. Get it?)

In the last two weeks I have had one lesson, two trips to the driving range and one 9-hole golf game.

I am better than I was when I started but I'm still really inconsistent and most good balls I've hit are more about luck than talent.

It doesn't matter. I'm having fun. And the second I feel even remotely frustrated, I remind myself that it doesn't matter and that I'm supposed to suck. And I immediately go back to having fun. Golf has become my latest puzzle to solve and it's a lot more fun when I look at it that way. My brain analyses every stroke to either figure out what I did wrong and correct it or what I did right and repeat it.

Hit ball, learn, correct, hit ball, learn, correct.

Switch club and start over.

I hit an entire bucket of balls last night with Doug watching me and giving me tips. That kind of stuff would normally make me crazy. With the right attitude, it becomes almost like date night. An opportunity to spend time together, have fun, learn a bit and enjoy each other.

I'm liking this new hobby of mine.