Golf can be lonely
A golf course can be a very strange place to feel lonely. After all, we’re typically enjoying our round with our favorite golf buddies and are often sandwiched between a foursome ahead and another behind. Add to the mix the presence of an abundance of beautiful Lowcountry wildlife, and there’s no doubt we’ve got some company as we play our way from hole to hole.
But when it comes to the actual moment of truth, whether it be a required accurate drive off the first tee or a knee-knocker putt for a win on the final hole, feelings of isolation and desolation can occupy our minds. After all, we’re not touring pros, and we typically don’t have the benefit of knowledgeable caddies, confidence-instilling sports psychologists, health-conscious nutritionists, supportive physical therapists, or the oversight of swing coaches or short-game gurus. As they say, there’s no “I” in team, and in most cases, there’s no “team” in golf.
As golfers know, using a golf club to achieve the perfect combination of length and accuracy can be one of the most complicated tasks known to mankind. Yet we are, quite literally, babes in the woods, entirely left to our own devices.
Some of life’s simplest tasks include basic instructions for proper use. You can’t get on a plane without viewing a demonstration detailing how a seat belt buckles. Restroom towel dispensers post instructions advising whether to pull, tear or wave a hand. Soap dispensers indicate whether to pull or push and how long to wash our hands. Our golf carts’ accelerator and brake pedals are clearly marked “GO” and “STOP.”
Whereas an instruction manual similar in length to that provided to the astronauts of the Artemis II space mission would be appropriate, we get zero, zilch, nada when it comes to the proper use of our golf clubs. The exuberance and excitement of opening a box containing a new driver or set of irons is quickly tempered when we realize someone must have forgotten to pack the instruction sheet.
So, with a shake of our heads, off we go in another attempt to conquer the course. Our trusted team of “me, myself and I” has us wondering if we should supinate or pronate, swing out to in or in to out, or is it up to down? Whoever said golf was fair?
Rich Bernstein is a resident of Sun City - Hilton Head. Rich has been experiencing the joy, challenges and frustrations of golf since his selection as the 6th player on his 5-player high school golf team.
