I have never thought of green when asked the question, “What is your favorite color?” It has always been red, orange, even yellow, but my life is laced with green. The very thought of the color brings images of peaceful, long, and narrow fairways or wide open greens with a flag placed in the middle. I can feel the sun on my face and the sticky residue from the sunscreen I sprayed on before my round. One life, so centered around this one sport, makes it feel almost impossible to picture myself without it. A classroom, an addiction, and a life story this is the green game of golf.
I grew up under a wide open sky with a never fading tan because my family are strong believers in the great outdoors; staying inside was never an option. This and my father’s guidance is what brought me to my own outdoor classroom surrounded by trees and sandy bunkers. At the age of 11 I picked up a golf club for the first time and like all beginners I failed to hit it past the 150 yard marker on the driving range; but this didn’t stop me. From there I became addicted to the feeling that came with hitting a flush shot and practiced fervently just to feel it again.
The past 8 years have made me realize the following, sitting back and hoping you become something in the world is like me staring at my clubs sitting in the corner of my room hoping to be a high-level athlete. Imagine in your head the newest model of a sports car with beautiful sparkling metal and windows not yet touched by a set of hands.
You walk around to the front of the car and lift the hood to realize there is no engine. How would you be able to drive the car anywhere? As in golf you could be the most athletic person on the course but if you don’t have the right mental tools you will not go anywhere. I have learned the importance of maintaining an even-keeled mentality in the face of adversities, approaching life with a humble heart, and the knowledge that joy is the necessity of life.
This is why the color green, though not my favorite, is an important part of describing me. I have gone from child, girl, to woman walking down the fairways. A golf course is my place of escape because that is where I grew the most. It is the place I feel at home due to the memories that come with the fluid movement of a metal club.
I am at my highest level of peace with a glove on my left hand and three tees rustling in my right pocket as I walk. This is why my favorite thing in the world is a golf course in the morning right before the sun breaks through the clouds. Because, when you find the one thing you can be completely zealous about, no one will ever be able to take that away from you.
