Imagine yourself in the following setting: you’re standing on a golf course in front of something called a tee box. In front of it, there’s a huge mass of grass, a brighter green strip called the fairway with shorter grass, and darker green strips on both sides called the rough, made up of grass the length of your front lawn. Then, about 430 yards ahead, there’s a green circle with a flagpole in the middle. Next thing you know, a man dressed in a red polo,black hat and pants walks up to the tee with his caddie and asks for his driver. It’s starting to get claustrophobic as people pile in to watch. An announcer then says, “On the first tee, please welcome, Tiger Woods!” The crowd goes wild, and for eighteen holes you are in for a ride. This exciting event you just witnessed was a professional golf tournament.
I’ve been golfing for six years, and played on my high school team, so I’m very much in love with the game. However, it gets a bad reputation as ‘too long to watch on TV.’ My advice to those who say this would be to go to a golf tournament in person, then hopefully your opinion will change.
From my own personal experience, I grew up going to the Shoprite LPGA Classic in Galloway, N.J.; a two-minute walk from my house. While it is not a nationally recognized event, the experiences I’ve had were memorable. Just watching a professional golfer get ready to hit their shot is remarkable. For a fan, watching a golfer’s pre-shot routine or reading a putt is fascinating, because the pro sees so much a fan does not.. Just to watch a ball spin back towards the hole on an approach shot with such force is amazing.
Of course, one thing that any fan would remember if they saw it in person would be a hole-in-one. I unfortunately have not seen this in person yet, but for a fan who does, screaming in joy and shock normally follows. The odds against a golfer accomplishing this deed are colossal, so seeing this in person is a real treat.
Tej Patel, a freshman at Furman University, recently attended the Tour Championship, the final event of the PGA Tour season held in Atlanta. Tiger Woods was crowned champion, and after witnessing it, Patel said,“It was a great experience not only because it was at a course like East Lake, but it was also fun to witness Tiger’s first win since 2013. To watch him get the job done on the last day was truly remarkable, and I’m looking forward to attending more tournaments next year and seeing who comes out as the number one golfer in the world.”
Yes, golf may not be as exciting as football or basketball, but it can still deliver thrills and chills. Like many things in life, if you just give watching golf a try, you may experience something memorable that will stick with you for the rest of your life.
