Golf

Do I play golf?  Not since I tried “pitch and putt” once or twice when I was in my teens.  So, is it weird that I enjoy watching golf on Television and even have a favorite golfer I root for on the PGA tour?

My father, who played golf several times a month, typically scored in the mid-90s, which is about average for someone who plays recreationally. In golf, the lower your score the better. Professionals playing on the PGA tour average in the very low 70’s.

The golfer I personally root for is Colin Morikawa, an American who is 27 years old and lives in the Los Angeles area.  He’s won a few tournaments, and lately has finished in the top ten in many professional tournaments.  It’s a lucrative position for a young golfer. The winner’s purse is usually in the millions, but Morikawa can earn as much as $300,000 for just finishing in the top five.  And that doesn’t count additional income from sponsors.

But still – chasing a little round ball around a beautiful park to have it finally drop into a small hole while everyone is watching?  Does that sound like fun?  Not to me, especially when I consider that only three or four shots are often the difference between first place and third or fourth. I can’t imagine doing that for a living. Especially when it’s all so public. Talk about pressure!

When I mistakenly type the wrong date in an email no one knows but the recipients, and they might not even notice. But when Phil Mikelson misses a crucial shot in the final three holes and loses the lead in a big tournament, everyone in the world who cares about golf knows about it.

Tennis anyone? All that grunting and running around the court while trying to hit a ball travelling at 120 miles per hour. No thanks. The same goes for baseball and football and soccer and…

Am I weird because I prefer watching to playing? Writing about sports might just be the closest I’ll ever get to participating. Unless you consider poetry slams a sport.

Alan