Life and Golf
The older I get, the more I realize golf has been quietly preaching to me for years. Not with a loudspeaker or a sermon… just with those small, stubborn lessons that show up somewhere between the tee box and the 18th green. And honestly, the parallels between life and golf are almost uncanny.
Every Shot Is a Start
In golf, you can’t drag the last hole into the next one.
Trust me—I’ve tried.
But life works the same way. Yesterday’s mistakes, yesterday’s pain, even yesterday’s victories… they don’t get to tell today who you are unless you let them. God hands you a brand-new shot every morning. You just have to take it.
Your Setup Matters
I’ve learned—usually the hard way—that bad alignment will sabotage a good swing every time.
Life is no different.
If my heart isn’t right…
If my priorities are off…
If my walk with the Lord is drifting…
Then even my best effort ends up feeling strained. The setup matters—in golf and in life.
Even Good Shots Get Bad Bounces
You ever hit a drive that feels perfect… only to watch it hop into a divot someone else left behind?
Life does that too.
You can make the right decisions, love people well, work hard, pray hard—and still face something completely unfair. But that’s where character, resilience, and faith get tested. The bounce isn’t the story… how you respond to it is.
Stay Where Your Feet Are
My worst holes usually come from thinking ahead—thinking about the scorecard, the water on 16, the putt I missed back on 3.
But the best golf I play happens when I’m fully present for this swing.
Same in life.
Regret pulls you backward.
Fear pulls you forward.
But God meets you right where your feet are.
Small Tweaks Change Everything
Golf rarely changes with grand gestures—it changes with little adjustments most people don’t even notice.
Life, too, is shaped by the small things.
A new habit.
A gentler tone.
A prayer you actually stop to pray.
A decision to start instead of waiting for “perfect.”
Tiny shifts… big impact.
You Play Your Own Ball
One of the quickest ways to ruin a round is to compare your swing to somebody else’s.
Life isn’t any kinder to comparison.
God didn’t give me someone else’s calling, someone else’s gifts, or someone else’s course. I play my own ball—and trust Him with the journey.
The Battle Is Mostly Mental
I don’t think I’ve ever played a round where my mind didn’t try to sabotage me somehow.
Same in life.
Doubt, fear, insecurity—they whisper louder than they deserve. But the moment I breathe, reset, and remember Who walks with me… the whole game changes.
Just Keep Showing Up
Some rounds feel effortless. Others feel like a grind.
But I never get better unless I keep teeing it up.
Life rewards that same quiet consistency—showing up even when it’s heavy, even when it’s slow, even when you don’t feel like you’re improving at all. That’s where strength is built.
It’s Not About Perfection
No one plays perfect golf. But the best players learn how to manage their misses.
Life’s the same story.
God isn’t grading us on perfect performance—He’s shaping us through growth, humility, and grace.
The People You Walk With Matter
A good round becomes great when the company is right.
Same with life.
Family, friends, and just the people who show up in the hard seasons and stay long after the scorecard is signed—that’s the real treasure.