I played 100 holes of golf in one day. 100 Holes! What an experience! I wonder if Bobby Jones or Tiger Woods ever played 100 holes in one day. I suppose I should look that up and really make an impression, but this essay is not a “golf history lesson”, but it is an effort to explain what I did on a warm Sunday morning in August.

A microcosm of life, the game of golf teaches honesty, ethics, and forces an individual to encounter and deal with many different situations. In order to succeed on the course, one must have determination, poise, dedication, and be able to manage her time – all skills which can then be honed and later applied to life in the practical world. Most importantly, however, is that each one of us has the power to do something good for others and a few summers ago made me realize that I am truly lucky to have the chance to be doing something good while doing something I enjoyed.

Most golfers have their own individualized pre shot routine and swing thoughts that will hopefully bring them to a successful score.  The golf swing itself takes less then 2 seconds from back swing to follow through, so the best swing thoughts are short and to the point. Many recreational golfers, however, find it difficult to focus for an entire round of golf and at some point will more then likely try correct their swing flaws with other mental reminders which is usually a recipe for a slice or a hook leading to an out of bounds and a penalty.

For two months before the event, we solicited our friends and family members asking for donations to Hope For The Warriors, an organization that facilitates cancer research by providing aid in the form of grants.

We researched and selected the charity; coordinated scheduling and arrangements with the organization; wrote letters to donors; and were finally ready to get the event underway. As the only girl, I knew I had to push myself every hole of the way, and that is just what I did! Even as a 10 handicap it was a struggle, but I stuck through it with the boys and loved every second of it.

My dilemma on our Golf marathon Day was to find a way to successfully complete the challenge.  Let me assure you that it was a challenge both physically and mentally, Historically golf has been primarily a mans sport and although there are and have been wonderful women golfers, there is a recognizable disparity in the ability of the two genders.  So right off the bat I knew that I was going to have to prove my worth to my fellow golfers.

When I arrived at the first tee at five in the morning I did so not as the only female participant but with a sense of having already accomplishing a task and making a difference. This gave me the confidence to hit a 225-yard drive down the heart of the fairway and to my first par of the day (donors pledge $ for each par and birdie).

The first 18 went smoothly, we rotated places and I had the pleasure to play numerous holes with “the boys”. Ultimately however the sheer physical effort required to make all those shots brought me to the brink of exhaustion, for a series of holes I stopped making pars and I had no chance for any birdie.  With 36 holes left, I made what might have been a crucial error, I changed my swing thoughts, I knew that these next holes were not about my ability, not about my exhaustion but rather they were about raising money and raising awareness among my peers.  I clearly understood that I was making an impact; helping out Hope For The Warriors. I would like to say that my new swing thoughts improved my score and that I rattled off 10 birdies in a row, but alas that was not the case.

I did however finish 100 holes of golf in one day and although I was sore and exhausted, I knew that what I did would help improve the lives of others. We all have to power to do something good. It’s just a matter of seizing the opportunities.