[LeslieMoran]

A few posts recently have made me think about people's behavior both on and off the course. Do you think people play golf the same way they live life? Do you think their course management reflects the way they navigate relationships? Do you think that negotiating a business deal taught them patience on the course?

Golf is no different than work or family or anything else, some people are fun to be around and others are, well, not so much fun. Sometimes people are completely different in each arena but more often than not if a guy is a jerk on the golf course he will be a jerk off it. Sometimes people can fool you though, it is like driving, people tend to behave differently when driving, it has more to do with their character development at the time they learned a particular skill than it does how they normally behave elsewhere, same is true with golf. How a person behaves is sometimes the least important aspect of who they really are, and usually younger people make this mistake right up until they get conned or taken to the cleaners by the seemingly super nice guy who is really a scumbag. Pay attention to what a person actually does and the decisions they make and not how they behave, there is a difference.

[Muhabsssa]

I'd hate someone to think my competency on the golf course reflects my business skills.

[55Beaphable]

I'd hate someone to think my competency on the golf course reflects my business skills.

It's not about competence, but rather how you handle it. For example, if someone never gets mad at him/herself, I'd question whether (s)he had any drive or ambition. On the other hand, if someone is always mad at him/herself for every little thing, I'd think that maybe they have different issues.

[RilmAlime67]

I suppose there is some truth to golf reflecting life in that you will have to deal with many of the same situations and moral dilemmas. But I don't think someone's reaction on the golf course is going to necessarily reflect the way they deal with life in general.

First off, and I realize this is blasphemy, golf is just a game and has limited importance in the larger scheme of things. Also, many life skills are easier to master than golf, so golf has a much higher frustration ratio than life in general. If your life is as frustrating as golf, then you really need to seek help with your life.

Well said C-Tech. Yes there are direct and indirect relationships between golf and life but there's no reason to do a deep dive between the two. At the end of the day, golf is just a game.

[Borzopayn]

I came from the sport of competitive paintball. The consensus amongst the higher ranked players was that they needed to win by any means possible. This meant that there was a lot of cheating taking place. As a participant, I had to do this as well to stay competitive.

What I love about golf is it is a game of great integrity. Call your own penalties, don't fudge the numbers. I think of myself as a person of great integrity and love that my new passion stresses honesty and fair play.

I do think that your life reflects they way you play. I found myself wanting to cheat at many types of games when I was playing paintball and I would have to watch myself so I would play fairly when I was playing board games with the family or frisbee on the intermural field. Now that cheating is not part of the game plan anymore, I am re-finding the excitement of winning anything while playing inside the bounds of the rules. I wish I would have got into golf instead of paintball all those years ago.

[Zpxbawtz]

It's not about competence, but rather how you handle it. For example, if someone never gets mad at him/herself, I'd question whether (s)he had any drive or ambition. On the other hand, if someone is always mad at him/herself for every little thing, I'd think that maybe they have different issues.

I don't agree with if someone never gets mad at him/herself, I'd question whether (s)he had any drive or ambition If someone never gets mad at themselves on the golf course, it's probably because they realize that golf is a game, meant for enjoyment and not worth getting angry over.

I can't see how someone's lack of anger over their game has any impact on their drive or ambition.

[PlanTaleks]

I don't agree with

If someone never gets mad at themselves on the golf course, it's probably because they realize that golf is a game, meant for enjoyment and not worth getting angry over.

I can't see how someone's lack of anger over their game has any impact on their drive or ambition.

That's a valid point but...it seems so.........unnatural.....

[Zpxbawtz]

That's a valid point but...it seems so.........unnatural.....

Now, I didn't say I'm one of those fortunate few...

[55Beaphable]

I don't agree with

If someone never gets mad at themselves on the golf course, it's probably because they realize that golf is a game, meant for enjoyment and not worth getting angry over.

I can't see how someone's lack of anger over their game has any impact on their drive or ambition.

Golf is indeed a game and in the cold light of day it might be true that it's not worth getting angry over, but when I play, I like to get better. I like to play well. If I don't, I find it infuriating. That's why I occasionally get mad at myself. I don't show it very much, but it's there. If I didn't get mad at myself, it would be because I didn't care. If I don't care about that, then that is indicative of a lack of ambition. It doesn't mean that you have no ambition. It just means that to my mind you're more likely to lack ambition.

To put it another way, if I play golf with someone who I know is passably good at the game, who then hits three shots out of bounds on the first hole and they don't react to it in a bad way, then I question why.

[Kimeoffessyr]

To put it another way, if I play golf with someone who I know is passably good at the game, who then hits three shots out of bounds on the first hole and they don't react to it in a bad way, then I question why.

My way of dealing with that is to tell myself it is only the first hole and I have 17 to make it up. Now if that happens mid-way through the round, that's when I would really lose it.

[Quigoxito]

A few posts recently have made me think about people's behavior both on and off the course. Do you think people play golf the same way they live life? Do you think their course management reflects the way they navigate relationships? Do you think that negotiating a business deal taught them patience on the course?

[doksSirmAdods]

I think there are lot's of correlations between golf and everyday life. Or at least for me. I'll never forget my father when I was like 11 or 12 years old telling my mother "it's time this boy learned golf", lol. His entire explanation came down to learning patiance, rules, honesty and maturity in sports.

I was blessed with a Grandchild almost 6 months ago and have a Grandaughter coming next month, I can't wait for my talk with them. They will be much yonger! Topic's like: You can't enjoy what you don't earn, helping someone else even in competition is reward in its self, respect your elders (especially your Grandpa). This will be a blast

[Kimeoffessyr]

I suppose there is some truth to golf reflecting life in that you will have to deal with many of the same situations and moral dilemmas. But I don't think someone's reaction on the golf course is going to necessarily reflect the way they deal with life in general.

First off, and I realize this is blasphemy, golf is just a game and has limited importance in the larger scheme of things. Also, many life skills are easier to master than golf, so golf has a much higher frustration ratio than life in general. If your life is as frustrating as golf, then you really need to seek help with your life.

[55Beaphable]

There is a saying so old that the Romans started it: in vino veritas. It means "in wine the truth" and really means if you want to know what someone is really like, get them drunk and you'll see the real them. I've heard people say that equally telling is "in golf, the truth". Meaning if you want to know what someone's really like, play golf with them. You're virtually guaranteed to see how they cope with adversity, anxiety, stress, opportunity, not to mention, are they cautious, or prone to gambling, and indeed whether you like spending time with them

[MadMark]

A decent person on the golf course is a decent person away from the golf course. I have seen this and the opposite scenario too many times to believe otherwise. Most decent golfers have a great deal of common sense, smarts, and competitive value which also correlates well with their everyday life. Of course their will always be exceptions.