Golf While brainstorming a topic for this column, I jumped on my road bike and set off for a mid-afternoon ride in the rolling hills surrounding my hometown. When I’m in the saddle, inspiration often comes. As I pedalled past cows grazing in farmer’s fields, postcard-worthy weathered barns and Mennonite families in their horses and buggies, I was struck by the similarities between two of my passions − cycling and golf − and I knew what to write about. A recent interview with Jim Cuddy, founder of Canadian roots rock band Blue Rodeo, confirmed my beliefs. When I asked the songwriter what he loved most about cycling, you could just as easily have applied his answer to golf. The 10-time JUNOwinner said that cycling is a social activity which gives him time to catch up with fellow riders in the music community; it is also a sport that, like golf, does not discriminate. You can participate in – and enjoy both equally – no matter your body type, age or gender. And, with a little work and discipline, you can excel and improve your performance in either activity. Let’s look first at the communal aspects of each. My mom is a social butterfly. COVID19 was especially hard for her. During quarantine, seeing and spending time with friends was not possible. When the golf course at which my parents are members finally opened, that changed. Overnight, her spirits lifted. At a social distance, she could now spend several days a week golfing with friends and enjoying time with them. Over 18 holes on the golf course or on a longer road ride, you are gifted time for these conversations. Another similarity shared by these two activities is illustrated by this famous quote from American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Life is a journey, not a destination.” What I love about golf is that no game is the same. Whether I’mplaying the course I grew up at as a member for the 200th time, or teeing it up on a course I’ve never played before, each round is unique. No two shots are the same and the conditions vary from course to course and also depending on Mother Nature’s mood that day. The list of differences is endless. How can you get bored cycling when each time you clip your feet in and climb on the saddle for a ride, or put your tee into the ground on the first hole, you don’t know what lies ahead. Maybe you will encounter wildlife on the course – or on your ride – which you’ve never seen before. I’ve encountered deer, foxes, turkeys, snakes and more on golf courses and seen similar wildlife while pedalling down a country road. As long as you are in good health, age is also not a factor for participating in either sport. My father, at 80, is in great shape; he cycles and golfs regularly. Another characteristic of cycling which Cuddy mentioned is that he often rides with his wife and two sons. Cycling and golf are family affairs. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, grandfather and granddaughter, or husband and wife… the combinations are endless. Golf, like cycling, provides opportunities to make lasting memories and spend quality family time together. 52 | www.snowbirds.org
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