A Case for Golf: Reflections of a Lifetime Golfer

I want to share with you my appreciation for the game of Golf! Golf is such a fun and challenging sport. A person can play the game for a lifetime and compete with both younger and older, beginners and skilled, thru a handicap system designed to make the playing field equal. Golf is a game of honor allowing players to keep their own score and to penalize themselves when the rules are breached.

Golf offers so many advantages for maintaining good health, mentally and physically. A walking golfer walks about 5 miles per round; the golf swing motion is an excellent way to improve upper body muscle tone, strength and flexibility; being outside provides so many benefits from the sun and fresh air. Golf is a great stress reliever refocusing worries and concerns of a stress filled indoor occupation. Golf can be played leisurely with others, alone in solitude or competitively in a simple game or a tournament; golf courses are easily accessible either on a public or private level; golf increased ones social life and offers opportunity to meet and make friends; golf provides so many diverse activities and opportunities for fund raising for many causes and projects.

Golf has played such an important part in my life. I participated in all sports when I was a student at Canton Independent School District. Then, I attended Southern Methodist University on a full football scholarship. At SMU we were matched with Ohio State, Notre Dame, University of Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia Tech, University of Texas, etc., etc., but at 21 years of age after my senior year, my football career was over. When I was a freshman at SMU a family friend from Canton who was on the staff of the Glen Lakes Country Club on Walnut Hill in Dallas presented me with an open invitation with a free pass to play the course anytime I had a free moment. At the time I had no idea what an opportunity I had been given. Little did I know about golf and golfers in the 50s, but found out that Sam Snead had won the 1958 Dallas Open playing Glen Lakes. I finally took advantage of that pass.

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