Thread: A Golf Essay

This is just something I wrote recently for a contest for junior golfers. Te question for the essay was:

"Describe why you believe the game of golf has made you a better person."

Any critique/comments? I have to do something similar for school soon, and I've like some advice on this kind of stuff.



Golf has completely changed my life, my personality, and who I am ever since I took it up in Fall of 2007. I was on a trip to Wisconsin with some old friends, and two of them had begun to golf, along with another good friend, since I had moved across the country. I'd never played actual golf before, barring mini golf and Wii Golf. It seemed like a pretty boring game, but I decided to try it out one day when they were going out for 18 holes. I borrowed a set from a friend, went out, and even though the course wouldn't let me play because of a tournament, I was hooked. My first shot ever, hit with a friend's driver, I shanked 30 yards off right. The beauty of golf, however, meant that I decided to go out again a day or two later

A year and a couple months later, I am completely addicted to golf. Recently completely redid my irons, wedges, fairways, and hybrid, and am trying to get below 90 by spring to compete in some tournaments, although it will take some work. However, aside from my golf skill improving, my life in general is completely different. After my best friend moved to California in 2005, I spent most of each day on the computer after school, doing pretty much nothing. I liked roller hockey and snowboarding, but I just didn't have the skill to really do anything with it. I did enjoy playing Magic: The Gathering, but without anyone to play with it didn't count for much.

Compare this to my life after I started golfing and it is like night and day. While I still spend too much time on the web, most of it is spent trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with my golf swing. We have a net out in the garage, and I try to spend at least 30 to 60 minutes a day out there, working on my hitting based on feel. Recently, my father and I started to do isometric training, to improve our swing speed, and I think the results are noticeable.

In addition to physical changes, I think I have also become a lot more comfortable with my place. I don't have too many people I really get along with well, mainly because I don't fit solidly into either group, really athletic people or really smart and nerdy people. Still, most of them are people who I actually like spending time with. And coincidentally, most of them golf, or at least I've tried to get them to golf. However, recently I've found that golf takes up so much time practicing, that unless I really want to hang out with someone, the time is probably better spent doing something else . If there is one thing I've found about golf that I like a lot, as opposed to snowboarding, or other mainstream sports, is that everyone is always generous to a junior golfer. Almost all the people I've met over a summer of playing 9 holes 3-4 times a week have been incredibly kind and courteous, and I think this is one of the things that makes this one of the best sports I've played.

In conclusion, golf has made me more self-confident, athletic, and I believe a better person. I hope than once I get a job, hopefully teaching or playing, I can give to the golf community what it has given too me.

no comments?