College golfers are a special breed. It's a mentally challenging game that tests your patience and work ethic and makes you stronger in the end. It's not a game played and won with muscle and brawn, but critical thinking and mental strength. I don't play. I have golf clubs that make it out of my closet a few times a year when I go to the driving range, but that's about it. Maybe one day I will pick up the game more because I have grown to love it. I never thought I would love it, not in a million years. But since dating a golfer for several years, and following him through his college teams, it's become something central to my life. It's like the third person in my relationship sometimes, and I'm not complaining about that. It's just that's how important it is to my boyfriend, and I have learned to love that about him. Golf has made him into the man I love. He wouldn't be the same without the game. But as much as golf has shaped him by playing it, it has shaped me by watching it. This is what golf has taught me:
1. How to be patient.
Practice takes up a lot of time. So does the workouts, the tournaments, the team meetings. On bad days, you have to be patient. He will be upset, mad at himself, but you have to be there for him. Those bad days won't go away, it's just something you have to be patient and ride out. You can't make them go away, so you have to learn not to try because it's not about you. Just be there and the good days will come along. Odds are, he's trying as hard as he can. Being your boyfriend isn't his only role to play. He has a million things going on, plus school.
2. All about professional golf.
I have found myself attempting to carry on a conversation about The Masters with people who don't have a clue what I'm talking about. My classmates think it's funny that I talk about golf. I'm just surrounded by it so much that it's become second nature. I find myself keeping Golf Channel on TV long after my boyfriend has left the room. I didn't know a whole lot about sports in general a few years ago. Now I can listen to golf talk without wanting to leave the room.
3. How to be supportive.
I remember my first time watching golf almost five years ago. I didn't have a clue what was going on. Now, I have been to dozens upon dozens of tournaments, walked hundreds of holes, got sunburns from Satan, learned when to stop talking, stop walking, turn my cell phone off, when to clap, where to park the golf cart (not anywhere you want to get hit by a golf ball) and so much more. I didn't learn these things because I woke up one day and decided to become a golf spectator. I learned them because I know how important it is for me to learn them. For me to be there at the tournaments, keeping score alongside the players, is my way of saying, "I support you, I'm here for you, and I'm proud of all you are doing."
4. Golfers are picky.
All those things you see advertised on TV, in catalogs, in sporting goods stores for golf probably don't appeal to serious golfers. Buying them golf balls isn't a good idea because they're just going to eventually get lost. Only certain clothes will work. Forget about them wearing much more than khaki shorts and a FootJoy shirt. They will only hit balls with certain numbers. They probably won't use that ball marker you got them because they have better luck with quarters with even numbered years, with no states on them.Their clubs are their babies. You don't touch them, insult them or attempt to change them. New clubs must be approved by them first. No questions asked.
5. Golfers are the best men.
If you are lucky enough to love a man who plays college golf or is serious about the game, and not just a weekend golfer, you know it. You know he knows his manners, knows how to handle an upset, knows how to bounce back. He knows how to manage his time, how to be patient with you, and how to hold his tongue when he's upset. He is dedicated and works hard at his commitments. Not to mention, he dresses well and has a real nice tan. If you are lucky enough to love a golfer, hold on to him.
