Ouch!

Today was not a good day for me at the golf course. The weather was marvelous, the company was good, and I wasn’t playing that badly. However the round left me feeling very disappointed with myself because I abandoned my friend and playing partner Parag just when he needed me the most during the round.

I started playing golf about 2 years ago. As my game has evolved, so has my appreciation for the game as a great teacher. One huge difference between golf and the other sports I have played is that Golf Etiquette embodies one of my biggest core values – “Respect for the individual”. Respecting another’s right or Honor to tee-off first, waiting for your turn to play, staying close to the green until the last person in your group finishes, and other such principles are a necessary part of the game. Adhering to this etiquette is in no way meant to diminish one’s competitive instinct, but is a way to establish the ground rules to treat your competitors and playing partners in a way that you would want to be treated yourself. Isn’t this just the way one would want to live life? Play hard, do your best, but be humble and respect those around you.

Well, this morning Parag and I were playing in a four-ball that included another friend who I will refer to as Speedy Joe. Speedy Joe loves to play like he is the only person in the group. He always tees off first even if he made the worst score on the previous hole. Often he tees off even before the others have arrived at the tee. He loves to hit a practice ball when he doesn’t like how he hit the first one – off the tee, in the fairway, or on the green. He doesn’t usually wait for his turn to play. He often walks off to the next tee after having finished his putt, while others are still lining up their putts. It is not unusual for him to hit a practice chip or putt while another person in the group is about to hit his/her chip or putt. Speedy Joe plays in this fashion because “playing slower or waiting upsets his rhythm”.

After two holes, I got carried away and started sub-consciously imitating Speedy Joe’s behavior. On the par-5 12th hole, Parag lost his second shot in the thick rough on the left. As we were looking for the ball, the group behind us had teed off. Speedy Joe was by now within chipping distance, oblivious of what was going on behind him. Meanwhile Parag took a lost ball penalty and hit another ball into the rough on the right! While Parag was looking for his ball, the rest of us, including me, had given up on him and finished the hole. Parag joined us on the 13th tee, fuming and disappointed. Obviously we should have waited for him, and let the group behind us go through if required.

We did not treat Parag with respect. I should have known better.