One of my first memories of a golf course as a kid is going fishing at one. No kidding. I remember a small pond my dad and I would go to that was right by a road, not far from my neighborhood. It wasn’t a spectacular place, but we always caught a few fish every time we went, which was all that mattered to me.
I don’t think I ever really paid much attention to it being a golf course until one time when I saw a splash about 30 feet or so away. Thinking it was a fish jumping, I cast my line in that direction. Three or four minutes later, a guy comes wandering by swinging his club through the reeds. My father told him; “It went in.” He thanked my dad and wandered off, muttering something under his breath. I remember him being none too pleased.
Twenty years or so later, I hit my ball into that very same pond. And when I did, I remember thinking to myself about that day, that guy and if any of his buddies busted his stones the way mine busted on me. Good times.
I’ve been fishing about twice as long as I’ve been golfing…but I’m just as bad at one as I am at the other. No matter. Much like each other…I do both because I enjoy them, not because I’m good. I don’t always fish at the greatest spots and I don’t always play the greatest courses. I don’t have expensive fishing gear, just as I don’t use expensive golf equipment. But it doesn’t take away from the experience. As a matter of fact, golf and fishing have several things in common…
- They are both very relaxing – Well, if you’re doing them right that is. If you’re out on the course or out on a lake and you’re stressed out and pissed off, then you’re doing this all wrong. There are few things more relaxing than standing on the side of a picturesque lake, surrounded by trees, birds chirping and otherwise peace and quiet, mindlessly tossing a line into the water. The same can be said for golf. Walking through the grass (mostly the taller grass), surrounded by trees, birds chirping, the occasional furry woodland creature and otherwise peace and quiet. OK, other than your playing partners making fun of the worm-burner you just hammered off the tee, what could ruin this? You taking it too seriously instead of just having fun, that’s what. And speaking of your partners…
- You can do both alone, or with some buddies – You can show up to a golf course alone or with some friends and enjoy your round just as much either way. The same goes for fishing. If any friends or my kids can’t go or aren’t around to go, I’m just as happy going by myself. The only difference between the two being, in golf, unless we’re lucky enough to have the course to ourselves, we can’t exactly move at our own pace. In fishing, I move where I want, when I want and do what I want. Speaking of which…
- You can enjoy a beer or cigar during either – How many other sports can you participate in with a beer in hand and stogie between your jaws? Well OK, I guess there’s a few. But it’s more likely than not that in most other sports, it might be frowned upon. But golf and fishing…not only is it OK, it may even be expected. So crack one open and light one up! Just dispose of them properly…don’t be that ass who throws your bottle in the woods or your butt in the water.
- You’re outside on a beautiful day – And let’s face it, that beats being inside on a beautiful day. No, golf and fishing are certainly not sports that are going to give you a good workout like, say, a pickup basketball game. But that isn’t exactly relaxing now, is it? Would you rather watch golf on TV or actually go play golf? Would you rather watch fishing on TV or actually go fishing? See what you want to do is participate but still relax…and golf and fishing allow for both.
- Both are life-long sports – How many times have you hit the course and seen many older players out there with you? How many times did you go fishing with your grandfather? The point is, both golf and fishing are sports you can continue to play long after you can’t swing a bat with any power or beat your defender down the court for a layup. Golfers and fishermen can enjoy their sports years past their athletic primes and still enjoy the sport just as much as they always have.
