The great equaliser

150 years ago a group of men started the long walk that marked the beginning of modern game of golf. Their equipment was primitive and their vision of the future was obscure, at best. Nonetheless they did their walk and today a replica of the winning belt from that game so long ago, was presented to the 2010 winner of the British Open championship. South African Louis Oosthuizen, playing on the old St Andrews course at Royal and Ancient, won by a solid 6 shots to lift the trophy.

What drives golfers to excel in that game? Is it the competition? Not really. Its the handicap. They technically play against themselves to consistently improve their personal handicaps. Later, they do reach the competitive circuit, but by then all professionals carry an equivalent handicap, so competition is the only remaining horizon.

Jack Nicklaus, arguably the greatest golfer ever, spoke of his personal approach to the great equaliser. Having watched countless hackers curse their way from mistake to mistake all the way to the 19th hole, he allowed himself so many bad shots in a round. Then when he did play a bad shot he wrote it off to his quota, whilst refusing to write himself off as a loser. It was a vital feature of his match winning temperament.

I so wish we could all learn to play to our handicaps, comparing ourselves not to others, but to the mirror of God's standard. If that were complemented by that simple Nicklaus rule, to not write ourselves off each time we stumble, truly we too would rise to greatness in the course of life.

(c) Peter Eleazar @ www.4u2live.net