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Mega-Post - The Big One

Fans have been clamoring for YEARS for ol' Braden Packard, the author of Golf and Whatnot to return from the dead like the Lazarus of the New Testament. Like a phoenix from the ashes, I rise. The third day has come, and the stone has been rolled aside. I come out of this retirement for one purpose, and one purpose only: to send my regards to my most faithful fan. This fan is:

ETHAN MICHAEL SMITH

Through thick and thin, he has supported the blog.  And Ethan - boy golly do I have good news for you! You've won one free round of golf with the Golf Guru, the Legend of the Links, the King of the Course - Braden Packard. 

Thanks Ethan, and see you out on the course!

Golf and the Offseason

We are entering the middle of November, the beginning of the offseason of golf. The climate in northern Utah, while having many positive aspects, unfortunately prevents golfing throughout the entire year. This forced hiatus every year causes great discomfort to golfers. Every golfer handles his or her withdrawals differently. Some devote their winters to watching reruns of the previous season's tournaments on the Golf channel, wistfully dreaming of warmer weather. Others devote themselves to the study of instructional videos, mimicking Youtube gurus in their living rooms. Some take their game-improvement more seriously and pay for lessons with actual professionals at indoor, state-of-the-art golf facilities. As for me, I'll just be rewatching a video of my own swing all winter, in an attempt to pretend that I am actually golfing.

And in case the cold weather is really getting you down, this picture might tide you over.

This of course is Kauai Lagoons Golf Club in Hawaii.

Survey time! Check this out - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-16eZz6FrSEQHLg-i6OlhHLIgawZxEsddRyfzJf9O8o/viewform

In an unrelated note, please visit http://wrcorry.blogspot.com/. He's a pretty cool guy.

Golf and the Future

I had an interesting experience last week that helped me gain an even greater appreciation for golf. My good friend Tom and I were on the tenth hole at East Bay, preparing to tee off. Before we hit, however, an elderly gentleman approached us and asked if he could play in front of us. He explained that he wanted to finish quickly, as his wife would be expecting him, and assured us that he would play quickly. We happily obliged and watched in amusement as this man, almost certainly over 70, hit a perfect drive to the middle of the fairway and literally jogged out to the ball to hit his next shot. His energy impressed us both. We then mused on one of the greatest benefits of golf - we, too, would be golfing when we were his age. There are no other sports that a person can participate in so late in life.While basketball, football, baseball, and soccer are all highly enjoyable, old age prevents the serious pursuit of those sports. Golf, however, can be played at a relatively high level practically until death.

I love playing nearly every sport. Each has their own unique appeal, and all are very enjoyable.  However, there is only one sport that I will be playing 50 years from now.

Golf and Perfection

Most golfers agree that golf has a certain addictive nature. Once you begin golfing, it seems to draw you back no matter how poorly you play. I believe that this magnetic quality stems from the very nature of the game. Golf is very challenging, both physically and mentally. It is very difficult to do well, and very easy to do poorly. What, then, makes this game so appealing? Perhaps a personal example will illustrate.

It is the eighth hole, and the round has gone poorly. I've lost more balls than I'd care to count, and I can't make a put to save my life. Standing 160 yards from the hole, my only wish is to avoid the water. As I swing, I can feel that the shot is perfect. I follow the ball's flight as it lands softly on the green, 15 feet from the hole. Although not enough to salvage the round, it makes me think that perhaps next time I can on every hole.

Every good shot draws you back, no matter how far you want to be from the game. And yet, it is impossible to reach perfection.

Golf and Friendship

Two weeks have passed since my last blog entry, and I have spent a good amount of time considering what makes golf so enjoyable. I will share some of my thoughts today.

Golf is the ultimate sport of companionship. All of us are social creatures, and we enjoy spending time with our friends and family. Golf creates a very conducive environment for enjoying the company of others. There is a good amount of time between shots, allowing for good conversation. Distractions, such as phones, noise, and television, are minimized.

I was 13 years old when I first began golfing with my friends. It was summer, and all of us had purchased a youth golf pass that allowed us to golf for free at a few county-run courses. My first round that summer was at a course called Riverbend. I played horribly, lost a dozen balls, and had generally no idea what I was doing. I remember sitting around a table outside the clubhouse after the round, sipping a drink with my friends and talking with them about how much fun we had. Sitting there with my good friends, laughing about the ups and downs of the round, is still one of my fondest memories. We spent several summers golfing together, forging the strongest friendships in my life.

There is no other activity I would rather do with my close friends than enjoy an afternoon golfing.

Introductions are quite common this time of year. There are new classmates, new professors, and new ward members. During the course of these introductions, the topic of hobbies routinely comes up. I have participated in these social rituals and divulged that golf is, in fact, my hobby of preference. I often find it necessary to defend the merits of this great game, as it is perceived by many as "boring", "dull", or "simply unbearable." I am here today to defend the greatest game ever played, also known as golf. If golf were a religion, this would be a proselyting blog. I would be as Paul before the Romans, in zeal if not in eloquence. So, as I begin this blog, let it be known that there is no better game to be played than golf. It is frustrating, befuddling, and sometimes infuriating. It is also challenging, rewarding, and quite often breathtaking. As the saying goes, if there is no golf in heaven, I'm not interested.