It’s crazy to think that I have been playing golf for 12 years of my life. From Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006 on the Nintendo GameCube, to golf clinics over at Olde Barney, to playing Holly Ridge during the summer with my grandfather, to skipping school early to play with my dad, to five years of Barnstable golf—so many of my best memories include this game. And through all the memories made throughout the years, the lessons learned might be the part I treasure the most. Golf is a great equalizer among sports. It isn’t necessarily tailored for any one specific person. The long hitter has the advantage off the tee box, but brute strength alone cannot overpower a golf course. The solid ball striker must be able to find the fairway off the tee, just like a great putter must find the green to be able to score. I say all of this, because though one part of the game might be your calling card, all parts must complement each other in order to play your best. If you haven’t tried golf, maybe you should give the game a try. Who knows what you might learn from the game. Anyway, here are the most important lessons I’ve learned from the game.

Never get too high or too low. I was having my career round about four years ago when I learned this lesson the hard way. I was having a bogey-free round with a few birdies mixed in when I stepped to the fourteenth tee box at Hyannis GC. I was coming off a birdie on the previous hole and was feeling pretty good about myself. I pulled my shot right into the water and proceeded to lose my next ball from the drop area. That right there is how you ruin a great round folks! It was that day that I came to understand the idea that the mindset and approach has got to stay the same regardless of the outcome. It’s all about having the courage to stick to a game plan when things aren’t going well and the humility to stay within yourself when it is going well. This applies to life just as much as it does to golf! Just like in sports, there are ebbs and flows in our daily lives and part of life is staying constant and faithful to who you are as a person. Just like our successes, our failures and shortcomings should not change how we view ourselves, but rather drive us to keep moving forward.

Prioritize sportsmanship. I was caddying last summer in a member guest tournament when I was reminded of this very important lesson. The member I was caddying for constantly reminded me that though he was playing in a tournament with stakes on the line and a desire to win, this was not the most important goal. He said that people will not remember who won a certain flight on a given year, but they will remember how each group treated each other. Respect your competition and they will respect you. Let competition get in the way of sportsmanship and people will NOT forget you the next year (not in a good way). This really resonated with me because it is so easy to let competition get the better of one’s judgement. At what cost does winning come if you don’t have anyone to celebrate victories with?

Time Management. This was one of the first lessons I learned from golf. Truly though, my grandfather taught me this through the game of golf. He drove me to countless tournaments as a kid during the summer. Arriving on time was a sign of respect to the people running the tournaments and he was the one who helped me understand this as a young kid. I look back on those days fondly remembering waking up at the crack of dawn to catch an early morning tee time. I will always be grateful for learning the importance of time management and budgeting my time early on.

Cherish the people that are in your life. As I reflect on the friendships and connections I have made over the years through golf, I can’t help but realize I have met so many people through this game. Sharing a connection with these people through a common passion is great. It’s pretty awesome to see how everyone is progressing in their game when you next see them. Through these friendships I have made along the way, I have gained a greater appreciation for all the people that are in my life, whether big or small. Enjoy the time you have with friends and family doing what you love and are able to share together.

Look forward to new adventures. I find it pretty funny that I started playing this game because of a video game. Who would have thought that the Nintendo GameCube would have this large of an impact in my life? (I know my parents are probably rolling their eyes right now.) It’s moments like this in life that you can’t make up. Look forward to the risks and the unknown. Never count something out because who knows where it will lead to. One day, who knows the stories you will be able to tell your grand kids!