In life, everywhere we turn, there are many obstacles to avoid. If we don’t prepare ourselves, it can be difficult to navigate.

Golf is my happy place. It is where I really find freedom. It helps me maintain focus and stay on track. God has given me a love for the game, and I have come to realize that it has nothing to do with golf. He knew it would be a place to where He and I could frequently meet. Golf has given me peace.

Golf also allows me to cultivate community. Throughout the year, I play many rounds with some really great guys—guys who are not afraid to speak into my life, who have been walking with me for years.

Golf has taught me how to navigate the traps of life. In golf, there are sand traps, water hazards, and trees surrounding the fairway: the safe, uninhibited area of the course. We have to know how the course plays—anticipating the difficult areas—in order to know how to make the best shot. The ultimate goal: we have to stay on the fairway.

How does this apply to life? Well, it should begin before your feet hit the floor. For many of us, we already know what the day will bring, but we are unable to see the traps and other hazards that are waiting to ensnare us. We become so focused on what’s happening around us that we get lost in our own darkness; we forget to survey the land. In life, we will not get far by looking down all the time. We have to look up.

The Best Caddie

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.John 12:46

In golf, the caddie is a person who carries a golfer’s clubs and provides other assistance as needed. In life, we have the best caddie ever! Jesus brought light into the world so that we don’t have to live in darkness. When we are wrapped up in our sin, in sexual addiction, it can be challenging to break free. The harder we try to get untangled from our sin—trying to anticipate the traps—the tighter it takes hold. This is something we cannot do alone. We need someone who fully understands and knows the layout of the course; one who has walked the course of life and can call our shots.

Over Par

In golf, Par is great! Par is the number of strokes an expert golfer would need to complete a specific hole on a golf course; often based on the toughness of the hole. In life, God doesn’t want us to settle for Par. He has so much more for us!

Just like going to the driving range to practice our swing, the more we prepare in life—attending our Pure Desire group, making accountability calls, going to church, and making family a priority—the better results we will have when life becomes challenging.

The game of golf has taught me so much about who I want to be. At Pure Desire, when working with other guys, I use this same mentality. In golf, every hole has the right club and the right swing needed to play well. In the same way, everything we do in life has the right choice and the right tool needed to live well. The time we spend in our Pure Desire group will help us determine when and where to use the right tool to avoid the traps of life.

The Fairway

God gave each of us a unique life—a unique fairway, if you will—that was intentional; however, we can become distracted and get caught up in the sand traps. When we try to take a shortcut, or the easy way out, darkness comes. We become trapped too deep to get out on our own.  

I’ve always loved golf, but never recognized how profound and spiritually applicable it was until I saw The Legend of Bagger Vance. Watch this inspirational and heartfelt scene—you’ll see what I mean.

So what’s your next move? Are you able to make the right decision to get back on the fairway of life? If not, I would encourage you to call Pure Desire Ministries and get connected with other men and women who have experienced the same traps as you. You don’t have to do this alone.

Ben Hogan

“As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.“

REFERENCES

Eberts, J., Nozik, M. & Redford, R. (2000). The Legend of Bagger Vance [Motion Picture]. United States: DreamWorks Distribution.

Ben Hogan Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved December 11, 2017, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ben_hogan_173528.