Golf and stress

Some people find golf stressful.  Often they are the people that find life stressful.  They get frustrated by bad shots and unrealistic expectations.  They seem always on the edge and you wonder if they even enjoy golfing.

Golf should actually be a way to relieve stress and anxiety.  There is significant research and anecdotal evidence to support this.  Golf is supposed to relieve stress, anxiety,  depression, and panic attacks.

The best way to enjoy a round of golf is to be selfish and put aside all those things in your life that cause you stress and frustration.   When my wife asks me how my round was I say "good" no matter how it went.  When she asks me who I golfed with I tell her.  But when she asks me what we talked about, I usually state that we discussed the weather, golf, and the weather for most of the day.  We don't talk about work or home or our hopes and dreams.  We simply hit golf balls and share phrases like "good shot", "nice putt", or "that one's dead".  At the end of each 9 holes round we take some time to tabulate scores and snips and plan what game we are playing next.  Then we start again on #1 and resume our deep conversations about the weather and golf.

Occasionally, we talk about something else if it merits attention.  Yesterday, for example, we exchanged stories about the guy who was struck by lightning recently at the golf club in Neepawa.  I was eager to share some insight that I gained from talking to someone who was playing with that guy when he got hit.  Also we recalled multiple incidents in which we stayed on courses when lightning was in the area.  Hopefully what happened in Neepawa will make us all a bit more cautious.

With golf, my only stress comes from wondering whether or not I will get to golf.  Or occasionally I will have that mild panic attack long into a weekend round when I wonder if I have been gone from home too long.  If I have, it usually means I have to forgo the next planned round to compensate.

I would suggest if golf is stressful, either find a way to make it more enjoyable or give it up completely.  Most of us work and have busy lives with families and other things.  We should not pick leisure activities that cause us distress.  That's why I don't curl.

This past Wednesday my only anxiety resulted from not being available for Men's Night.  I missed a very nice evening with some excellent scoring conditions.  From all accounts, the 24 golfers that did show up had fun.

Skins went on four holes.  Winners included Robin Kimpinski / Keith Martin ($28.75 on #5 and $73.25 on #8), Luke Funk / Ron Susinski ($20 on # 7), and Brad Benton / Charlie McNabb ($38.75 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Neuf on #5 and Jel Ostash on #9.  Four people shared the $45 deuce pot, including Ken Ostash, Darcy Kowalchuk, Robin Kimpinski, and Charlie McNabb.