Drive for Show, Putt for Dough by Clint

I have been attempting to play golf lately. I emphasize the “attempting” aspect of my golf playing. I think I’m struggling because I am so used to a baseball swing, and that just doesn’t carry over to the golf club. Don’t worry; I’m not going to continue boring you with the issues of my golf swing. In my recent golf obsession, however, I have noticed interesting things about people who play golf, which probably translates over to people in general. Golf people are all about looking the part. It’s not okay to go out to the course, even if you’re not very good, in just any old attire. You really need the right golf shoes and the right Nike Dry-Fit golf shirt. And don’t forget the glove. You have to have the left hand glove. I don’t feel comfortable with the glove for two reasons.
1) because I’m not good enough for it to be making any sort of difference, and 2) I can’t wear just one glove without feeling a tad bit like Michael Jackson circa 1985. I’m sorry but I’m either wearing two gloves or no gloves- who wears just one sock, for instance? After the shoes, shirts, and glove(s), comes the clubs. I got an Intech driver for my birthday, and I ordered a set of used Callaway irons of Ebay. I like my clubs, but they aren’t up to par with everybody else’s. First off, every year you need to get a new driver which is always larger than last year’s and is starting to look more and more like a metal detector. Also, there are always new irons and putters to get as well. Toss in a professional looking golf bag, towels, tees, and Pro V1 golf balls and you’re good to go. But chances are, with all this, most of the people out on the course can’t honestly break 95, maybe even 100.
Surfers and skaters have a great term for people who look the part but don’t have the chops. These people are “posers.” As a kid, the last thing you wanted to be was a poser. It was shameful to look like you were good and weren’t. Golf is a sport where basically everyone is a poser. Almost everybody wants to look better than they are. There are certainly exceptions (Do a youtube search for John Daly playing golf shirtless and shoeless—it is simply amazing. He looks like he has no business even working at the course and yet he has won the British Open). But if you go out to the local public course or country club, you will see a plethora of posers.
Jesus had no tolerance for posers. He had no tolerance for people who lived as though they were completely different from what was in their heart. Jesus expresses this when he says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34, NRSV). Jesus expresses that in denying ourselves, we actually find truth. Attempting to save ourselves on our own accord often leads us to posing as something different from what we are. In saving ourselves, we avoid honest community. By honest community, I mean opening up and confessing our troubles and sins with others. We avoid this kind of community which is a real journey, and we hide things within ourselves which is covered up with the perfect exterior. We might be double bogeying every hole, but at least we look like Tiger Woods. The loneliest people in the world are those who look like light on the outside yet live with darkness on the inside. It’s like turning the porch light on, but leaving all the lights off in the house.
True community begins when we break down the barriers of self aggrandizing. True community and a true healthy walk begin by denying our instincts to pose and becoming humble before God. “And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5, NRSV). Out on the golf course, you don’t want to be the guy or gal with the best equipment but with the worst game. You don’t want to be that guy or gal with the right expressions and right responses but with little faith and little light.