An Ode to Golf: We Love this Game

It's February, and love is in the air.

It's the season of heart-shaped candies, flowers, and love letters. That means we have the chance to share our feelings with our one true love: The Game of Golf.

Despite being the offseason for much of the United States, we still can't stop thinking about the game. About the courses. The equipment. The lessons. The friendships. The fun. We're head over heels for golf, and we're not ashamed to shout it from the rooftops.

There's nothing like a day at the course. The excitement beforehand. Picking out the perfect outfit for the weather and occasion. Driving up to the course. Interacting with the staff. The warm-up (if you're not running late like usual). First tee jitters. And then departing into the round. Whether it's the first time you're playing a course or the thousandth, there's always beauty to stop and behold. No matter how well you're playing (or how bad), the natural wonder helps keep you grounded and hopeful that the next shot is going to be the one that'll help you to go low.

As the world gets more connected, it also seems like it's getting more distant. Constant calls, meetings, reminders, and notifications make it really hard not to be distracted. But if you let it, the golf course can be an escape from all that. Just you, your playing partners, and a little white ball. An opportunity to be present in the moment. And that's hard to find. Add in a hot dog and a drink at the turn, and it just can't be beat.

There are very few times in life when you willingly spend 4 hours with complete strangers and actually enjoy it. That's golf. And it's even better when you spend that time with your family or friends. Memories that are created on the course often are the most lasting, because you're reminded of them every time you play. That one incredible bunker save, that one thing your best friend said on the tee box, or that putt to win for the first time. It's all special, and it can only happen on the golf course.

Golf is life. And life is golf. The similarities are striking and endless. As you work on our game, trying to achieve your goals, you also often learn even more about ourselves. You learn commitment, dedication, and hard work from chasing that perfect round. Through the trials on the course, you learn resilience, patience, and how to smile and laugh. You learn to cherish the good times because you know a bad shot is probably lurking around the corner. And you learn to enjoy people. You enjoy the company of that random twosome you were just paired with, and you learn to rejoice when your one friend finally beats you (begrudgingly). Overall, you relish the time you get to spend playing the game you love.

We could go on forever with everything special about the game, but here's to our true love, golf.