I've always considered golf as an awful waste of otherwise beautiful nature.
I've been a golfer most of my life, since about 9 or 10 years old when my grandfather taught me the game. I'm a decent player and love because it is complex, difficult and beautiful. I find it to be my zen and my nemesis. The purpose of my post was not to debate the merits of golf; it's a polarizing topic. The one thing that was ingrained in me as a young man and has stuck with me as an old man, is the integrity of the game. It is one of the only sports that is self-refereed. If you violate a rule, you call it on yourself, if you don't you are a cheat. If I start my backswing and the ball moves, I call a one stroke penalty, whether someone saw it or not.
Typically, you are playing with some other folks who may or may not see what happens when you are making a shot or assessing your position to make a shot. If you become known as the person who miraculously finds an unfindable ball, gets an amazing ball position, mis-calculates your score, etc. you quickly become known as a person of low integrity. Trump is well known as a golf cheat. This book points out many examples of his cheating and how it exemplifies his character. He is not typical of golfers, he is typical of cheaters. Those who play with him and condone this cheating are also cheaters. They either owe him something or he owes them.
Anyway, not wanting to convince anyone about the glory of golf. I do recommend the book, it is about much more than the game.
*edit* I have no problem with Islander's description of his game, if you aren't posting a score for handicap, playing someone for a score, or a Club Championship (Trump's wins them almost weekly https://www.palmbeachpost.com/...) then it is fine to bump the ball around and do whatever. If I'm by myself on the course I'll drop a couple of balls to redo a shot.
I've always considered golf as an awful waste of otherwise beautiful nature.
The Wyndham Tournament here every year has a huge charitable and economic benefit. Many local producers and tradesmen as well as all the labor building the tentworks and façade. I myself have designed and built many of the structures like serving stations and bars around the course over the past 14 years or so for the various amenities and sponsors, etc. Not that my part is so important, but there is a bigger picture.
It's a big deal to the community, public and private partnerships in service of a greater purpose than most folks are probably aware of.
I personally don't play but I love to jack a bucket full of balls on a driving range, though the day after I can't walk. It's the knees you see...
Just realized I jacked the Trump thread instead. Almost as much fun.
It's a lot of fun if you give it all the seriousness you would give walking around a pretty park hitting a ball with stick. If you try an make it noble or overly competitive, you'll just look like an ass.
Ironically, this guy had it right in the movie, but screwed it up in real life:
He did get me a day off when I worked in Aspen (he asked to have me fired, but my boss just said 'go ski the other mountain and avoid him if he comes through the rest of the week, he won't recognize you'.
I've always considered golf as an awful waste of otherwise beautiful nature.
It's a lot of fun if you give it all the seriousness you would give walking around a pretty park hitting a ball with stick. If you try an make it noble or overly competitive, you'll just look like an ass.
Ironically, this guy had it right in the movie, but screwed it up in real life:
He did get me a day off when I worked in Aspen (he asked to have me fired, but my boss just said 'go ski the other mountain and avoid him if he comes through the rest of the week, he won't recognize you'.
I enjoy golf. I don't play as much as I used to, but for a bit I was a frequent player. I had a friend who was good enough to make it his job for a little while. He never enjoyed the game, always focused on the swing, the score, the lay.... He would usually be pissy around the 14th hole, and he was regularly well under par at that point. I also was well under par. This is because I wasn't really good at keeping score, and often I'd just drop a ball and take a second shot at a hole because no one was waiting and I thought it was worth another shot. I'd also forget how many swings it took to get in/out of a trap, or sometimes just do the "AARRRRGHHH" pick up the ball after the 4th(maybe 5th) lousy put. So I'd usually get up to around 60 or 70 and realize I was off anyway, so I'd just stop counting. I still enjoyed the walk and hitting the balls, and i'm pretty good with a wedge so it was always fun to see if you could park the ball right at the hole, or backspin it across the green. Lots of people accused me of cheating and/or not taking it seriously. My friend eventually told me I was doing it right.
If you feel the need to cheat at golf to improve your score, you are doing it wrong. As with most things in life, Trump is doing it all wrong. Imagine having all the money/fame/power you've always wanted, and being obsessed with petty grievances and being generally miserable. Look at all the cash they have grifted in the last decade, and the closest thing you get to a smile is Don Jr.s coke addled smirk. They have so much money, yet they are poor.
I've always considered golf as an awful waste of otherwise beautiful nature.
I highly recommend "Commander in Cheat" by Rick Reilly. Golf tends to illuminate one's character and Trump's game doesn't disappoint. I included an Amazon link but there are many other ways to buy or rent. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ric...
I enjoy golf. I don't play as much as I used to, but for a bit I was a frequent player. I had a friend who was good enough to make it his job for a little while. He never enjoyed the game, always focused on the swing, the score, the lay.... He would usually be pissy around the 14th hole, and he was regularly well under par at that point. I also was well under par. This is because I wasn't really good at keeping score, and often I'd just drop a ball and take a second shot at a hole because no one was waiting and I thought it was worth another shot. I'd also forget how many swings it took to get in/out of a trap, or sometimes just do the "AARRRRGHHH" pick up the ball after the 4th(maybe 5th) lousy put. So I'd usually get up to around 60 or 70 and realize I was off anyway, so I'd just stop counting. I still enjoyed the walk and hitting the balls, and i'm pretty good with a wedge so it was always fun to see if you could park the ball right at the hole, or backspin it across the green. Lots of people accused me of cheating and/or not taking it seriously. My friend eventually told me I was doing it right.
If you feel the need to cheat at golf to improve your score, you are doing it wrong. As with most things in life, Trump is doing it all wrong. Imagine having all the money/fame/power you've always wanted, and being obsessed with petty grievances and being generally miserable. Look at all the cash they have grifted in the last decade, and the closest thing you get to a smile is Don Jr.s coke addled smirk. They have so much money, yet they are poor.
That's the cost that Americans have paid this year for Trump to go golfing.
See the note: "Until further notice, golf days will not be updated unless a confirmed sighting of Trump on the golf course occurs. The Trump administration is actively narrrative crafting information to hide Trump's declining health including his published schedule to discourage media questions."
That's the cost that Americans have paid this year for Trump to go golfing.
I highly recommend "Commander in Cheat" by Rick Reilly. Golf tends to illuminate one's character and Trump's game doesn't disappoint. I included an Amazon link but there are many other ways to buy or rent. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ric...
I know it makes me a bad person....but I'll admit to laughing out loud at this.
It's amazing... if he'd have announced the gifts while standing next to his new 25 year old girlfriend, no comments. Standing with his wife of 36 years... we're shocked. Getting older is not for the weak.
My Apology to Susan Dell where I'll just say yeah she seems like a good person who's spent her life being told how beautiful she is and being dismissed on every. other. thing.
