Okay, I have become a bit obsessed with golf. Now that I live ON a golf course, is it any wonder? So, I post daily photos of “my” golf adventures. So what? I began this blog series before this “obsession,” when I did play golf but most definitely didn’t take it seriously. I still don’t “take is seriously” but I have begun to truly love it. So, this series will continue with a bit more enthusiasm and experience.
Often sports are used as metaphors for life. Baseball is a great example and Yogi Berra was its best spokesman in so many real and funny ways. Some totally unrelated examples (because I just want to include some of his quotes) from the late great Yogi:
When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.
You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.
Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.
I never said most of the things I said.
A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.
So, let’s compare golf with raising children!
~~ Golf is fickle – comparison to raising kids? Need I say more?
~~ Raising kids is expensive? Try paying for my wife’s golf outfits, golf shoes, or clubs!
~~ We often want and/or hope to send our children to college. There are golf colleges almost as expensive. Think Butch Harmon!
~~Just when you think you’ve figured out your kids, you get thrown for a loop with something stupid they’ve done. Did you see Rory or John Daly throw their clubs in nearby lakes, when they hit a bad shot(s)?
~~ Our kids learn and live with tech. We try to keep up. Golf now has GPS watches and apps that track almost EVERY aspect of golf plus these machines have a database of nearly EVERY golf course in the world!
~~ If you’re addicted to golf you’re likely addicted to The Golf Channel and are glued to the idiot box for hours on end. Screens and our kids? Comparison? Ya think?
~~ Golfers NEVER give up no matter how old they are, always hoping something will stick. Parents NEVER give up trying to get their kids to listen to them no matter how old they or their kids are.
~~ Raising kids tests our patience on nearly every level. Patience? Golf? Perfect inconsistency and perfect impossible duo!
~~ Our kids’ fashion sense often makes us nuts. You’re going out in THAT? Ever seen me on a golf course? If my wife didn’t choose what I’m wearing I’d be thrown off the course!
~~ Golf is the rare game where the lower your score the better you’ve done. Golfers are very particular about their rules, their scores, and take great pride in good rounds and their lowering (hopefully) handicap. Parents measure their kid’s success by grades, test scores, and acceptance into the best pre-school. Yes, we both (golfers and parents) keep score!
Okay, that’s ten comparisons to raising kids and golf. What did I miss? What else should I choose to compare golf with?
