Easy or hard should not be used within the language of Golf or even within a golfing dictionary.
Words with real meaning such as challenge, traps, hazards which in truth I believe define many a course I have played in the past. I do wonder if some of us are interested, if even up for the challenge of playing the game of golf. Some whimper about the colour of the grass, the quality of the rough, the deepness of the bunkers, apparently totally oblivious that these areas on a golf course should be avoided and that they are there because of poor skill or unable to read the GCA.
Mention the word PENAL and it’s a question of lighting the blue touch paper waiting for the a chorus of protest to devour the point in question. That is, I suggest, does the modern golfer understand the principals of the game. Alas I must say I certainly wonder.
The Game is not just about getting the ball down a hole in the least number of strokes, its about navigating a golf course either accepting the Designers challenge to test ones skill or take the alternative safer option (not to be confused with the easy options) facing and addressing all the hazards both man and natural that face the golfer in his efforts to play the game by hitting the ball down the hole in the least number of strokes. Without the hazards/traps/GCA there is approx. zero to hold ones attention; it just becomes a methodical game of hitting the ball as far as you can utilising the new technology as much as possible, ignoring the great hazards and courses of yesterday’s golfers, but at least you got your ball down in the least number of strokes. Its pure madness, it’s the journey that makes the game, hence my dislike for the cart. It’s the body and mind working together to achieve the shot and trying to outsmart the Designer and course – more so as one is doing it on one’s own steam unaided by the distance markers/devices.
WE live our lives as if we are playing golf; we face the problems and work around or through them, sometime successfully, sometimes not. Should we fail we start again, seeking a new path, but its never easy, its very seldom given to us on a plate, we have to strive for every drop of success, be it with girlfriends, wife, family children and grandchildren or friends perhaps works, but without all that our lives would be meaningless, unfulfilled and verging on the empty when we look back once we reach (if we are lucky) 3 score & 10.
The modern game with its technology, aids and carts have made the journey fruitless, meaningless and empty, so we have made a good score but in doing so have we have not risen to the challenge, not pushed ourselves, just gone alone for the ride, only noticing the emptiness it all has when we are old and have time to reflect upon our lives.
Life is not easy or fair for the majority so why should they expect that golf would be easy – is it because we have been pampering the golfer, not for the sake of the game but to make money.
Pity we can’t make the day to day life of the majority easier, in the same way we have made golf easier for the vast majority, yet in the end I wonder what the real cost or should I say sacrifice means to the individual player as I question if we can call a player who rides and distance user a real golfer.
It’s not a question of going through the motions, it’s a question of being committed and rising to the challenge powered by our own minds and bodies.
Melvyn