How to Enjoy A Game of Golf

I am not a scratch golfer. I may never be a scratch golfer, but, I do want to enjoy every game of golf I play. I have three keys to enjoying each and every game I play. You need to pick good partners, celebrate good shots, and embrace the challenges your not- so- good shots give you. 

Let's start with the choice you make for partners. I have a few groups of guys with whom I can really enjoy a round of golf. I have people from work, church and people I meet and like from the community I live in. I also prefer to golf with people who are a bit laid back and possibly have a good sense of humor. A few weeks ago a friend of mine from work and I spent a day of golf at a local course. We were paired up with a couple guys who were nice but whose vocabulary was pretty much four letter words mixed in with a couple of verbs and maybe a noun thrown in for good measure. We won't be asking for phone numbers to play again. 

Because I am not a scratch golfer I will have some bad shots. But, you know when I watch the pros, they make bad shots too. So I try to focus on, and celebrate the good shots. Maybe write notes on your scorecard like maybe a "D" for drive and "S" for sand wedge. I also like the idea of a Best Shot of the Day (BSOTD). I even have a Better Than Work Score (see previous post). The main idea is that you celebrate and enjoy the day on the course. 

Based on the fact that I will have some bad shots that will leave me in some not so favorable lies, I will need to embrace those challenges. Breathe and play from where the ball landed, not from where I think it should've been. If I remember to play smart and play the best from that point on, I tend to take a better shot. I also like to concentrate on improving  how I use a particular club. During my last game I focused on my new sand wedge. I made one shot out of the sand trap and it went into the cup and bounced out. I also used it to make a short approach shot. Embracing the challenge helped me focus. 

I am not a scratch golfer and you may not be either. Since scoring par may not be the goal, enjoying each game is what really matters. I find when I enjoy the partners I play with, celebrate the good shots I make and embrace the challenges each shot gives. And you know, I find that if I enjoy the game, I score better.