Well, maybe it is because I have no formal training in the writing arts, can't diagram a sentence, and don't read Shakespeare, but I am stumped at what Dan finds clumsey or ill written about that quote.
"The pleasure in the game of golf lies largely in the practice of self restraint. It is a battle against the weak side of human nature."
Now, perhaps it means different things to different people. It does resonate with me, however. So, I'll go first... As I alluded to above, to me it means that one who pursues the game for pleasure, eventually finds a mindset that allows oneself to play in that pleasure zone. Behr suggests that part of the mindset must be self restraint. Or, playing within ones capabilities, and not over reaching. Or, as he said, 'self restraint'. The weak side of human nature to me is greed. On the golf course, greed is going for too much on a shot, overreaching and more often than not coming up short and thus ruining what would have been a better result, had you not been greedy and overextended on a shot you thought you 'might' make in order to steal a stroke from what you probably would have made with a self-restrained strategy. Reaching for the improbably, possible, have done it before, but at the far greater risk of bogey or double+ is probably my ruination.
What about your interpretations? Particularly yours, Dan.
Discalimer: All gramatical considerations in the above post were omitted due to errors, omissions, and lack of a quality educational effort, when author attended school.