I’ve Played Golf For 40 Years – These Are The 5 Biggest Lessons I've Learned

I’m lucky. I play golf. It’s one of the most giving, rewarding and facilitating activities that human beings in today's world can participate in. My entire life has been shaped by golf.

In my early days as a junior, great role models helped me enjoy the sport and taught me how to behave, not only within our hallowed game but also as part of the wider community and the wider world.

Through my university years, golf was central to the friendships and the associations I made.

Those were the relationships that made my adult life. I was always aware that golf rather than the course I was studying was the main event during my tertiary education.

When I left university to get a job, it was golf that secured it. The fact I had a degree was incidental. That I had worked in a pro shop to earn my beer tokens and had learned to interact with club members and visitors was the clincher.

It took a few years toiling in horrid business in London for me to realise the pursuit of money alone was unsatisfactory. I missed something. Golf.

I changed tack, left the rat race, grabbed hold of my pen and began to write. I wanted to write about the things I loved, so I wrote about this incredible game.

Twenty (more actually, but 20 sounds fine) years later, I’m somehow still doing it, and I’d like to keep going.

I cannot sing golf’s praises highly enough. I would be lost without it, and I would like to think that I am not alone in feeling that.

These are just some things golf has taught me. They are not, by any means, all I have… but they were the first five that came to mind when I sat at my desk this morning.

1. The beauty of the game

Number one. It’s just such a perfect challenge.

Nothing compares to striking a drive right out of the middle or holing a testing eight-footer. In my whole life, I haven’t felt satisfaction that compares with achieving something quite small within golf.

Ooh… that sounds bad – apologies to Mrs Bisset… she probably won’t read this so don't worry too much.

But, day to day, I’ll get my tax return done. I’ll cut some trees down. I’ll build a wall in the garden… those things are satisfying, I guess, though they’re nothing in comparison to shooting level par on the Old Course…

I say that as I actually shot one-under around the Old Course last time out a couple of week ago – that to me was beautiful.

2. Tolerance

Imperfection. I have learned to accept it. There are many rounds in which you won’t perform to your capability, and those rounds are more frequent than the ones in which you do.

You must learn to enjoy golf on the level you’re playing at, and if it’s not quite top drawer, that’s ok. Maybe next time!

You must also tolerate people. Sometimes playing partners might not be quite your cup of tea or they may not behave in a way you would like them to. But they are also out to enjoy some extracurricular activity, and they deserve to enjoy it just like you. Let them.

3. Patience

Let it come. You’ll inevitably go through challenges in golf. You’ll suffer failures. But occasionally, something great will happen. Wait for those occurrences and you will appreciate them when they do.

How many rounds start poorly but finish with a flourish? How many games are saved by a birdie in the last few holes? For me, golf can be enjoyed at this amateur level through a single great drive, or one holed putt.

You can leave the course feeling buoyed by one piece of excellence. Golf is hard and we mere golfing mortals must take pleasure from the odd display of competence or rare slice of good fortune. Relish those moments.

4. Acceptance

I’ve written about this before, but you must accept that nobody cares about what you are up to on course.

When you get that unlucky bounce or the ludicrous lip-out, your playing partners, your golfing buddies, your father even… none of them give a hoot.

They are thinking about their own unlucky bounce or ludicrous lip-out. You might think your bad break is the most awful thing that has ever happened to you… they don’t. Remember that.

5. Gratitude

Finally – be thankful. You are a golfer! You have been fortunate enough to become involved in this terribly testing, frustrating yet ultimately fulfilling game.

Like me, I hope you will have made friends. You will have pushed yourself physically and mentally. You will have enjoyed success and endured failure.

Golf is ostensibly a sport but it’s also a way of life. Those who embrace gain tremendously.

I would encourage anyone to take up this fabulous game of ours. It has opened doors for me and has made my life better.