A hole in one

The Britons, including the Celts, love to play games. And during my time in Britain, I often marveled at just the number of games that they invented. Cricket, soccer, tennis, and of course golf. There may be more, I just can't think of them of this late hour. I started playing golf for the very first time, when I was at St. Andrews. "Playing" would be the right word as for the first few years  I simply was going out to the course and trying to hit the ball as hard as I could, with little success. I have fond memories of playing at St. Andrews. The choice course was the Eden or the Jubilee as the Royal and Ancient course was just too expensive. Several of us would often sneak out about three in the afternoon just when the course attendent would be leaving. To this day, I recall the wonderful views of St. Andrews in the distance, as we would be standing near the shoreline, ready to launch our next golf balls into the nearby bay.

Golf has grown on me over the years. I began "playing" on a regular basis when I came to Hawaii ten years ago. There are some amazing courses here. My home course, some four miles or so from my home, is called the Pali course. The course is nestled against volcanic mountains with wonderful views of the ocean. Seems a bargain to pay only $9.50 for nine holes. Lost many a ball there.

A few weeks back, something amazing happened. The day the tsnami was supposed to hit, a buddy and I played golf at the Bayview, another golf course in Kaneohe. On the fourth hole, I teed off with a seven iron at a hole about 150 yards away. To my amazement, it went in for a hole in one.  I still can't believe it.

These are lessons in persistence to me. It's no secret. If you want to be good at anything, your job, prayer, write, understand theology, or golf, you've got to get out there and get in the game. Even when you stink up the course-as I did in my next game of golf-one must tame the will to see things through. And when you do, it's amazing what you can accomplish. I may never again hit another hole in one, but by continually playing, I'll get better and better. This is one of the reasons I love golf and football so much. They are  parables of life.