The Golf Summation: Part II

I'm what's known as a recreational golfer. I'm not a pro, I'm not an amateur, I'm just a guy who, when I decided to take up golf, 'was adamant on two things:

  • I was not going to take it that seriously 
  • I was going to enjoy it or abandon it

After a couple of my first rounds, I decided I was going to chuck the scorecard; keeping track of my strokes & keeping score was just not that important to me. What was important was how I played the game:

  • my attitude
  • my temperment
  • my character
  • my swing
  • my focus

If I kept track of my strokes, it distracted me from the overall golf experience. My score would always be before me, every tick mark would be a reminder of my performance, whether good or bad & it always affected my game. 



It reminded me of David when he said, “my sin is ever before me...”

One of the reasons I chucked the scorecard in golf was because of 2 Corinthians 5:19, “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor)”.

Another version says “not imputing their trespasses against them” in other words, He's not keeping score.

I just transferred that philosophy to the game of golf.

Let me say this as a point of clarification: golf is a game of integrity, there are no referees or judges, each person is expected to play their best, play an honest game & keep an honest score. I respect that.

My brothers & I have an unspoken rule/understanding when we play golf: we don't keep score, we simply enjoy the game & each other's company. 

The same goes for life: any trespasses are quickly forgiven & forgotten, we don't hold anyone's sins/shortcomings against them, we just love them & life is much better that way…

Confession Time: Even though [as a recreational golfer & I speak sole for myself on this] I don't record my golf strokes I usually do keep a running tally in my head & to be completely honest as humans we often do the same thing; if someone sins against us we usually forgive them but also find ourselves often not forgetting the trespass. I'm going through that right now, I was sinned against & even though I've forgiven them I'm having a hard time forgetting it. Folks, it's a process & I'm “in process” of working all that out…

As in golf, life would be enjoyed much more if we truly chucked the scorecard & simply loved each other & walked in forgiveness ~ 

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