L'AMOUR DU JEU

l'amour du jeu

Recently I played 18 holes at Lakeside golf course, the local muni my college teammates and I tore up the most during my tenure at Kentucky State. Not luring to some, but to me a round from the parking lot tees with my good friend and former teammate RK was exactly what I was looking for on my first day off in 6. It was my best round of the year thus far, a 72 with the legit eyes and pressure on me. We played the front alongside a random father and son pairing on their way to Gatlinburg for a golf trip and the back with our other former teammate Rhett. The entire experience felt great, meeting new people and making friends on the links has been a pastime of mine for quite some time. As an assistant professional in the golf industry my rounds have become far and few amidst a busy work schedule, but this shift in free time and play per year has only created more of a lure over the game that already mesmerizes me. I rarely gamble on the course, not because of lack of confidence, money, or players to test my game against. Rather my apprehension to muddy the waters of something so pure. When I play golf I prefer to play solo dolo or along with lifelong friends. Unless I play a tournament where I draw a random pairing, I deliberately censor and moderate who I tee it up with. I simply choose not to gamble to prevent friendships being strained. I get all the fix I need when playing the golf itself, I need no added incentive to want to take full advantage of my ability to beat old man par. Nonetheless, I loved it when my bro said,” You shoulda gambled today,” before and after I struck my last tee shot of the day. That simple moment defined what was a picture perfect day off spent doing what I love. But that feeling still doesn’t compare to the joy of executing a proper golf shot. Golf is artful and my passion is painting shots in my head before executing them into reality. Those in between moments. That's my why. A beautiful escape that provides a safe haven for camaraderie between nature and man. We for some reason like to separate ourselves from nature as if we are above it. I love how golf reminds me I'm a small part of something grander. God’s gifts immensely exude power and grace in the form of the natural earth around us including us. I am part of nature. I am blessed and free, that's the one unchangeable force in my life. How lucky that my past time constantly reminds me of this.

                                                                                        - WG