Golf and the Sencondary Discourse

2041 Words5 Pages

Playing golf encompasses many ups and downs, excitement and frustration, and an abundance of fun when things go right. Golf is a game with so many different emotions that constantly change and play with countless minds in menacing ways. Motivation is the key to success, brought by successful moments that cause excitement. Those moments keep me returning to the course, continuing to make mistakes, but always learning more about the puzzling language. Over several years, I have been able to learn the secondary Discourse of golf by learning about the golf swing, learning terminology, principles of the sport, and through my experiences.
When I started playing golf around age twelve, I was uncertain about the technicalities of the game or any of the rules that are involved. It took a long time for me to understand the nuances of golf because of the challenges it presents. It started with learning about the golf swing and the fundamentals. Sports are usually reactionary, but golf is very different because the ball is stationary, so a good shot requires proper body movements to ensure consistency. In fact, golf instructor Roberto Borgatti describes the swing as “Much more like dancing…that really involves your entire body in a coordinated effort, combining grace and power” (5). I did not think about it like that when I first started playing golf, but it makes a lot more sense now that I understand the swing. I started to notice that the swing is like a pendulum, where a constant back and forward motion leads to the best result that has a nice tempo, or rhythm. I learned that having this pendulum motion, commonly referred to as a swing plane, is pertinent to consistent play. It is about repetition and muscle memory in order to reduce too ...

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...“Remember why you play the game. You’re probably not trying to win a Major, just trying to enjoy some exercise, meet with your friends, and hit some good shots” (217). That is the true enjoyment of golf. It is about trying to hit shots that seem impossible, accomplishing goals, and having fun while learning with every shot, one shot at a time.

Works Cited

Borgatti, Roberto. A Swing You Can Trust. New York: Atria, 2007. Print.
Newell, Steve, Paul Foston, and Antony Atha. Better Golf. London: Hermes, 1997. Print.
Pearce, Lee. Golfer’s Logbook. New York: Collins, 2008. Print.
Pennington, Bill. “Golfers Have Clothes Laid Out for Them.” The New York Times. New York Times, 12 Jul. 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.
"VIEWS OF SPORT; Taking a Mulligan or Two with the Rules of Golf." The New York Times: Sunday, Late Edition – Final 20 May 1990: 10. LexisNexis. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

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